#Joe burrow

[joeyfranchise]

love is the tuesdays

joe burrow x fem!reader

summary: joe asks your dad for his blessing to marry you, and then he reflects on what love really feels like.

warnings: it’s all fluff 🥺 but mdni with my page, thanks!!

word count: 1.4k.

note: i listened to tuesdays by jake scott and i was immediately inspired to write this. the song has such beautiful storytelling and it just reminded me of joe, so i needed to write it for you all to read. italicized bits are lyrics from the song.

this summer would make two years since you and joe became a couple. 

you met him through your job, a small non-profit in cincinnati, where you occasionally took trips to paycor stadium to oversee events that involved the bengals organization and their players. 

he was quiet at first, but always polite. he had the kind of smile that could light up a room, the kind that would knock the wind right out of you. he thought the same thing about you. 

he was enamored with you almost immediately, the grace with which you handled yourself and the way you spoke so softly, the way you made everyone you talked to feel important. he always enjoyed the days he’d get to see you around the stadium, your presence became somewhat of a comfort for him, even though he barely knew you. 

when he finally worked up the courage to ask you out, you accepted immediately, harboring a little crush on him yourself. you loved his laugh, when you’d see him goof off with his friends… in your eyes he was perfect, and he felt the same about you.

the rest was history.

since the first date you’d become inseparable, soaking up all the sweet moments you’d get with each other and falling deeper and deeper in love. that led joe to this moment. 

you’d left for a business trip a few states over to help with a fundraiser, promising joe you’d be back in a few days time. he dropped you off at the airport with a sweet kiss and a light tap on the ass, which you scolded him for while simultaneously laughing. 

once you were gone he went home, grabbed up his things, and drove to your hometown with the intention of talking to your parents, specifically your father. 

joe had everything already planned, but he needed your dad’s blessing. he wanted to propose to you on the anniversary of your first date. he brought the ring with him as well, hoping your mother could give him a bit of insight on it. 

when he arrived your parents were shocked, but he pleaded with them not to tell you he’d come by and that he planned on staying for a night. 

“what brings you by, son?” your father had asked, raising an eyebrow at joe suspiciously. “not that we mind, of course,” your mom added, “just a bit unexpected.” 

“well, sir,” joe began, fiddling with his fingers as he spoke, “i was hoping you and i could talk about something… maybe privately. sorry mrs. y/l/n.” 

your father agreed, wrapping an arm around joe’s shoulder and leading him outside. your mother didn’t mind. she’d tell them later she knew all along, something to do with a mother’s intuition. 

joe and your father sat down together on the porch swing, and your father kicked his legs out to set it into motion. “so, are you gonna ask for my blessing?” your father questioned, a knowing smile spread across his face. 

joe was taken aback by the question, but he only let his confidence falter for a moment. “yes sir, that’s why i came here. i love your daughter so much and i want to marry her, and i know it means a lot to her to do things traditionally. so i’ve come to ask for your blessing and for whatever advice you can give me.” 

“it’s been twenty seven years since i married her mother,” your dad started, leaning toward joe a bit, “and i wouldn’t change a single thing. what i’ll tell you is this… love is the tuesdays.” 

joe looked perplexed by your father’s admission, simply asking him “what do you mean?” 

your dad smiled again, resting a calm hand on joe’s shoulder. “what i mean is, it’s not always picture perfect dancing in a white dress. it’s not just rainy days when nothing stops the fighting. it’s not just highs and lows. it’s everything and all that in between. love is the tuesdays. if you want my blessing, kid, you’ve got it. but you had better treat my girl right.” 

joe extended a hand for your father to shake, which he did with a firm grip. “i promise i’ll treat her right,” joe assured, “i love her more than anything.” 

“i know you do. she feels the same about you,” your dad said, before hopping off the swing and heading inside. joe came in a few minutes later and spent the rest of the evening just going over his plan to propose to you, where he’d do it and how. 

your mother teared up at the amount of thought joe had put into this, he knew how sentimental you were and he wanted every detail to be absolutely perfect. he admitted he didn’t care much for tradition, he’d marry you at the courthouse if it meant you’d be his forever, but he knew what it meant to you. that’s why he took the time meticulously curating every detail, and he knew it’d bring a smile to your face. 

your parents enjoyed talking with him, but eventually they went off to bed, bidding him a good night. joe headed off to your childhood bedroom to get settled in for the night, hoping he’d be able to talk to you for a bit before he went to sleep.

the two of you got a few texts in, followed by matching ‘i love you, goodnight’ messages, and then joe locked and plugged in his phone before rolling to his side and closing his eyes, hoping sleep would find him. 

as he tried to relax, your father’s words replayed in his mind. love is the tuesdays. 

joe thought for a moment about what that meant. and what your love meant to him, what your relationship did for him. he realized that your love is breakfast thrown together, or sleeping in his high school sweater. 

he always enjoyed those perfect, comfortable mornings when you didn’t have anywhere to be. you’d make your coffee and sit by the window, staring out at the view as you sipped the warm liquid, often with a book in your hands. you loved wearing his clothes, especially to sleep, and joe thought you were the most beautiful in those soft sweet moments. the way your hair cascaded down around your shoulders, your eyes still puffy from sleep. the way he could see you physically relax as soon as you took a sip of your coffee, your comfort in a cup.

when you’d finish you’d take it to the sink and start on breakfast, whatever he wanted for the day, and you’d eat together as you planned out the rest of your day, and even sometimes your week. 

joe realized that love was the season three you’re watching, a little bit of evening walking, and sitting with your best friend talking.

he enjoyed watching any show with you, he loved your reactions and your sensitivity, how you were prone to cry at any given moment. 

he loved going for quiet walks after dinner at night, given you both had the free time. the crickets would chirp around you as you walked hand in hand, sometimes stopping to twirl in the street. 

he loved seeing you sit and talk with your best friends, how your smile would spread across your face as they made you laugh. love was sitting with his best friend, too.

ja’marr had told him many times, “you’re different around her, burrow. light. i like that.” 

joe liked it too. he knew troubles would come, and that it wouldn’t always be easy, but he wanted every moment with you. in sickness and in health, to have and to hold, for richer and for poorer. 

your fathers words echoed in his head again. “you’ve got my blessing… but love is the tuesdays.” 

he finally fell asleep, and when he woke the next morning he had a small breakfast with your parents before grabbing his things and heading out, back home to cincinnati. he knew he needed to grab you from the airport the next day, and he wanted to be able to relax his nerves a bit before doing so. 

he made it home safely, and the next day he greeted you at the airport with a bouquet of pink roses, one of your favorite flowers. “how’s my girl?” he asked you, leaning in to kiss your forehead. 

“i’m great, the fundraiser went super well. how are you? did you get up to anything?” you asked, leaning into his side. a mischievous smirk spread across his face. “nah, i didn’t get up to anything. i’m just peachy!” he said. 

“alright, you’re being weird,” you said, eyeing him suspiciously. “what’s gotten into you? you’re creeping me out!” you laughed. “nothing, nothing. i’m just excited,” he admitted, pulling you back into him. 

“for what?” you prodded, expecting answers. 

you didn’t even know the half of what was coming. 

photos and dividers are not mine. all cred to owners.

taglist: @joeyburrrow @starsinthesky5 @joeyb1989 @kykysinlovewithafairytale @burrowdarling @loveyatopluto @toterry @unhingedfangirl @superheroprincess22 @burreauxsworld @slimshiesty @yelenasbraid

[goldfades]

if you’re still open to requests!

can we get another joe being protective over pregnant wife???

yessss, it's my current fav trope. hope you enjoy!

It happened once. One time. And now, Joe was acting like you were made of glass.

You’d felt a little off that morning—not sick, not dizzy, just off. The kind of feeling you could shake off with a little fresh air and some movement. So, naturally, you did what any normal person would do: you got up, made breakfast, and started tackling the mountain of laundry that had been piling up.

Joe had already left for practice, so he wasn’t there to side-eye you every time you stood up too fast or to mutter a “Babe, just sit down,” like you were being reckless by existing. And honestly? You kind of liked the quiet. The ability to do something for yourself without feeling like you were being shadowed.

And then, the world tilted.

One second, you were standing at the sink, rinsing out a glass. The next, everything in your vision blurred, and your legs went weak, and before you could even process what was happening, the floor was rushing up to meet you.

You didn’t fully pass out—not really. It was more of a slow collapse, like your body was shutting down in increments. You were dimly aware of your knees hitting the tile first, the glass slipping from your fingers and shattering somewhere near the stove. The coolness of the floor against your cheek.

And then, nothing.

You weren’t sure how long you were out—maybe seconds, maybe minutes. But by the time you came to, your phone was vibrating somewhere nearby, and your stomach churned with the kind of nausea that made everything feel unsteady.

Joe.

You barely had time to register his name on the screen before your fingers fumbled to answer.

“Hey, babe,” you started, trying to sound normal, trying to swallow down the shakiness in your voice.

But Joe knew you too well.

“What’s wrong?”

You hesitated. Maybe if you downplayed it, he wouldn’t freak out. Maybe if you just kept your voice light—

“I, uh—” You swallowed. “I think I just got a little dizzy.”

Silence. Then, a sharp inhale.

“Where are you?”

You tried to push yourself up, but the second you lifted your head, your stomach lurched violently.

“Still in the kitchen.”

More silence. Then, his voice, low and clipped.

“I’m coming home.”

You barely had time to protest before the line went dead.

Joe made it home in record time. You’d managed to pull yourself up onto one of the chairs by the counter, sipping on a glass of water and doing your best to convince yourself that you were fine.

You weren’t fine, though.

Because by the time Joe burst through the door—eyes wild, chest rising and falling in deep, uneven breaths—you realized just how bad you must have looked.

He didn’t say anything at first. Just strode across the room and knelt in front of you, his hands already reaching out, already checking. One palm on your forehead, then sliding down to cup your jaw. His fingers brushed against your wrist, pressing gently, feeling your pulse.

“Jesus,” he muttered, barely audible.

“I’m okay,” you tried, but it sounded weak even to your own ears.

Joe’s jaw clenched, and for a second, he just stared at you, like he was trying to convince himself of that. Then, without another word, he hooked his arms under your legs and lifted you.

“Joe—”

“Not arguing,” he bit out, carrying you straight to the couch. “Not now.”

He didn’t let you move for the rest of the day. He got you water, a snack, a blanket—every time you so much as shifted, his eyes flicked toward you like he was afraid you were about to collapse all over again.

And that was before the doctor confirmed it was just a simple drop in blood sugar. One fainting spell. One time.

But for Joe? It was enough.

That had been weeks ago. And if you thought he was protective before, it was nothing compared to now.

Joe no longer just watched you—he monitored you. If you so much as leaned over to pick something up, he was already there, lifting it for you. If you tried to cook, he’d suddenly appear behind you, taking the spatula out of your hands and steering you toward the couch with an exasperated look.

“Just sit down, babe.”

You’d rolled your eyes. “I’m pregnant, not paralyzed.”

Joe hadn’t laughed. “Yeah, well, I’m not taking any chances.”

And true to his word, he didn’t.

No more carrying groceries inside. No more standing too long. No more doing… anything, really. You’d been officially benched by Joe Burrow, and there was no getting around it.

“Joe, seriously, I can fold laundry.”

“Nope.”

“I can put my shoes on without help.”

“Not risking it.”

“I’m literally fine.”

“That’s what you said last time.”

It was sweet. Infuriating, but sweet. Because underneath all the stubbornness, the hovering, the sheer over-protectiveness of it all—he was scared.

Joe had never been one to panic. He was calm under pressure, steady even when things were crumbling around him. But this? You? That was different.

So you let him fuss. You let him help. You let him hover, even when it drove you crazy, because you knew—this was how he showed love.

And when he tucked you against his side at night, hand splayed protectively over your belly, you didn’t complain at all.

Because honestly? There was nowhere safer in the world than right there.

Joe thought he had it all figured out.

The plan was simple: keep you off your feet, make sure you were eating regularly, and under no circumstances let you lift a damn thing. He was taking this whole "pregnant and fainting once means you're never allowed to do anything again" thing very seriously.

At first, you’d gone along with it, mostly because you knew it gave him peace of mind. Joe was a worrier, but he wasn’t the type to voice it—he just did. If something needed fixing, he fixed it. If something needed protecting, he protected it. And right now, the thing that needed both of those things was you.

But after a few days of being treated like a delicate flower in a glass case, you were bored out of your mind.

Joe had taken over everything—cooking, cleaning, running errands, even making sure you had a constant supply of pillows and blankets when you were curled up on the couch. At first, it was sweet. Then, it was suffocating.

Because you? You liked being useful. You liked moving, doing, handling things yourself. And now, thanks to one fainting spell, Joe had basically put you on a permanent time-out.

"Joe, I'm fine."

He didn’t even look up from whatever he was stirring in the pan. "Uh-huh."

You sighed. "You don’t have to do everything, you know."

"I know." He turned, gave you a look. "But I am."

And that was that.

For the next few days, you found yourself in the most mind-numbing routine—wake up, eat whatever Joe set in front of you, sit down, be still, don’t do anything. It felt like some kind of medieval bed rest punishment. You were so close to losing it when Joe finally noticed.

You must have sighed too dramatically or groaned a little too loudly while scrolling aimlessly on your phone because Joe—bless his football-playing, overprotective heart—finally sighed, sat down beside you, and handed you his card.

His card.

The Black Amex. The no-limit Amex. The "please take my money and spend it however you want" Amex.

You stared at it. Then at him.

"What's this?"

Joe just shrugged. "You're miserable."

"And?"

"And I don't like you miserable."

You blinked.

"So you're… bribing me?"

He grinned, leaning back against the couch. "No, I'm giving you an activity." He tapped the card against your palm. "Baby stuff. Buy all the baby stuff. Go crazy. Get whatever you want."

You narrowed your eyes. "Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't be handing you my card if I wasn't."

You held it up between two fingers, inspecting it like it was gold. And to be fair, it might as well have been. You’d been dying to start shopping for the baby, but between Joe’s schedule and your current house arrest, it hadn’t really happened yet.

Until now.

"You said anything?" you asked, already smirking.

Joe nodded. "Anything."

"No budget?"

He let out a soft laugh. "No budget."

Oh. Oh, he fucked up.

It started small. A cute onesie here, a stroller there. You were reasonable at first—practical. A crib, a bassinet, a car seat. The things you’d obviously need.

But then? Then, it spiraled.

Because the deeper you got into the world of baby shopping, the more you realized just how much there was to buy.

Did your baby need a wipe warmer that looked like it was made for royalty? No. Did you buy it anyway? Absolutely.

Did your baby need a $500 luxury baby lounger imported from Europe? No. Was it already in your cart? Yes.

Every time you thought, "Okay, this is enough," you’d stumble across something even cuter, even better, even more unnecessary but absolutely essential.

Joe had no idea what he’d just unleashed.

The first time he really noticed was when the emails started.

He was sitting at the kitchen counter, going through his phone, when he let out a low whistle.

"Babe."

You hummed, still scrolling.

"Babe, did you—did you order a stroller that costs as much as a small car?"

You didn’t even look up. "It has all-terrain wheels."

Joe blinked. "Are we… are we taking the baby off-roading?"

You shrugged.

Joe just shook his head, scrolling through email after email of order confirmations.

"Okay, what about the designer baby clothes? And—Jesus—why are there three different cribs?"

Now you looked up. "Options, Joe."

He let out a soft laugh, rubbing a hand over his face. But the thing was? He didn’t care about the money. It wasn’t about that. It was about you—because for the first time in days, you were back to normal.

He knew you. He knew the way your mind worked, how you thrived on having something to do, something to handle. He’d seen how restless you’d been, how bored out of your mind you’d gotten after just a few days of being forced to sit still. And now? Now you were lit up.

Your fingers flew across your phone screen, your eyes bright as you clicked through page after page, adding things to your cart with zero hesitation.

Joe couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen you this happy.

And that? That made it all worth it.

"Alright, babe," he finally said, setting his phone down. "Go ahead. Drain my card."

You grinned. "Oh, I already have."

And for the first time since your fainting spell, Joe finally, finally felt at ease.

[squad-3]

stop he played football with kids🥹

[funnyjb]

JOEY!!!

[heavyhitterheaux]

To Date or Not to Date

See Me Through You Blurb

Synopsis: Ja'Marr answers the famous TikTok question of "which teammate would he not let date his sister."

Pairing: Husband!Joe Burrow x Wife!Reader

Requested by: a gorgeous anon 😍

Series Masterlist

Please Do Not Repost My Content Anywhere

The Bengals had just wrapped up another practice on what turned out to be a windy day in Cincinnati. Everyone was making their way back into the locker room when Joe looked up and noticed that their social media team kept stopping players for what he assumed to be another TikTok that they were filming.

As Joe was approaching them along with Jake, he caught the tail end of the question that was currently being asked to Andrei and Tee.

“Which one of your teammates would you not let date your sister?”

“Love all these guys on my team, but for Geno… it's a no!” Andrei said before walking off and all of the attention was now on Tee.

“Well, Tee, what are your thoughts? Who would you not let date your sister?” Kelsey from the social media team asked him.

“Ja’Marr because he's a hoe! Oh shit, can I say that on camera?” He asked as his eyes went wide. But what he didn't notice was Ja’Marr right behind him.

“Excuse me, Tee! I heard that with your big ass mouth! They're going to have to edit this out.” Ja’Marr told him before Kelsey held the mic up to him.

“Okay, Ja'Marr you're up. Who would you not let date your sister?”

Ja’Marr looked dead into the camera and without hesitation said the name that no one expected.

“Joe.”

“Um, Ja'Marr….” Kelsey started to say when she saw Joe approaching him from behind and said nothing as Joe caught him in a headlock.

“AH! Get off me! I was just playing! Damn!”

“Well jokes on your dumbass because we're married.” Joe told him as Ja'Marr was trying to get out of his grip.

“Ouch! Okay! Okay! I take it back! Unhand me! I'm your brother-in-law!”

“And that's why you shouldn't have said it!”

“Get him again for me, Joe!” Tee yelled as Joe laughed before finally loosening his grip.

Once he finally did, the two of them continued towards the locker room.

“Joe, I'm telling your wife that you attacked me!”

“And you know good and damn well the first question out of her mouth is going to be if you deserved it or not. So therefore, I highly doubt that she would care.”

“You right. She mean as hell and would probably laugh at me. Look, I even asked you THIRTY minutes before the wedding if you were sure about marrying her. I mean better for me since she now had someone else to bother so she wouldn't be constantly blowing up my phone.”

“She still does?”

“You're right, but don't tell her I said that. Wait, am I still invited to dinner tonight?”

“Let’s call her and ask.”

“Wait, what? Joe, don't you dare tell on me.”

“Too late. Hello? Hi, baby doll. Let me tell you what your brother did at practice today.” Joe said into the phone with you on the other end.

“Oh no. Is he still in one piece?”

“I left him in one piece, but he came close to losing a body part.”

“Don't listen to him, Pebbles! I'm innocent!” Ja’Marr said as he tried to take the phone, but Joe swatted his hand away.

“He has never been innocent, so go on.” You told him as you were currently trying to pick out an outfit to go to lunch with your mom.

“So, you know our social media team is always out here and Kelsey asked him ‘which player would you not let date your sister?’ And your twin who was found in a dumpster behind Popeyes…”

“Joe, what the hell!?” Yelled Ja’Marr as he threw his hands up in disbelief.

“Stop interrupting. He decided to say my name and earned himself being put in a headlock and asked me after the fact if he is still invited over for dinner.”

You couldn't help but to immediately laugh before responding back to your husband.

“I'll go to PetsMart on my way home from lunch and get a doggy bowl to put outside for him.”

[burreauxsss]

01 joey b fic recs

background: some simple fic recs, ive had this in drafts for a month or so for now so time to get to it. (ive added on, this will be updated as it goes dont worry)

notes: enjoy! credits to all fic writers out there. you deserve it all!! (especially my x black reader ones in every community not just this one.) and no im not tagging each creator.. the anxiety to do that (follow them. i dont follow a few of them but i do remember reading their fics.) lastly as always please go check out their other fics.

a reminder all blogs are presumed to be 18+! do not interact. some are smut but they start off as fluff/angst etc.

fluff

on your doorstep - by yelenasbraid

study date - eternalsunshine

tell me about the first time you saw me - joeyb1989

clouds in my coffee - joeysfranchise

angst

breathe - starsinthesky5

who decodes you? - goldfades (part 1 of short series)

2 you - jherbogf

secret of us - honeyncherry (part 1 of short series)

smut

horns down - ladyluvluv

cuz you know that its delicate - joeysfranchise

make me juno -starsinthesky5 jaw dropped

pretty little thing - v6quewrlds

push 2 start - joeybsblackgf (part 1 of short series)

hate me later, please - slimshiesty (part 1 of short series)

goodies - v6quewrlds

smau's

watched it begin again - goldsainz

there goes my baby - bengals-barnesbabe (and everything else)

series

see me through you - heavyhitterheaux

track 9- bengals-barnesbabe

doctors orders - v6quewrlds

last updated 3-14-25

[turboredzone]

[favefandomimagines]

Delta Dawn (j.b)

Summary: Joe and his girlfriend going through the motions of a season apart OR when Joe is dating a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader

AN: I hope this is what you were looking for!! No angst, just fluff! @evasmlp

Sunday mornings always felt bittersweet. For Joe, it meant game day—a day he had been preparing for all week. For Y/N, it was another chance to step onto the field at AT&T Stadium, perform with the Cowboys Cheerleaders, and soak in the electric energy of a packed stadium.

But it also meant another day apart.

Joe woke up early, his routine down to a science—breakfast, team meetings, treatment, mental preparation. Yet, no matter how focused he was, Y/N was always on his mind.

Some mornings, if he had a quiet moment before heading to the stadium, he’d send her a simple text:

Game day. Go be great.

And without fail, her reply would come moments later.

You too, 9. I’ll be cheering extra loud for you.

Sometimes, if their schedules aligned just right, they’d sneak in a quick call.

“Are you nervous?” Y/N asked one Sunday morning, sitting in front of her locker. It was a home game for the Cowboys and Y/N was in Dallas for Sunday Night Football, while Joe was in Cincinnati, gearing up for his own matchup at 2pm.

Joe chuckled, rubbing a hand over his face. “I don’t really get nervous anymore.”

She smirked. “Must be nice. I still get butterflies before every game.”

“I think that’s a good thing,” he said. “Means you care.”

“Then I must care a lot,” she teased, making him laugh.

They didn’t have long before they both had to go, but these little moments—these stolen minutes before the chaos of game day—meant everything.

By the time Y/N finished her pregame appearances and got ready for kickoff, Joe was already on the field, locked in. But she always found a moment to check the scoreboard in the tunnels, looking for updates on the Bengals game.

Her teammates knew the drill.

“How’s your boy doing?” one of them, Natalie, asked during a timeout.

Y/N glanced at her phone, a small smile spreading across her lips. “Bengals are up. He just threw a touchdown.”

Natalie nudged her playfully. “You know, they only show the Bengals games in the tunnels for you.”

She wasn’t wrong. Y/N was the only one who cared.

Meanwhile, Joe’s game wrapped up a couple hours before the Cowboys’ Sunday Night Football matchup, giving him a rare chance to unwind—and to do his favorite postgame ritual.

Watch her.

He sat in the locker room, still sweaty from the game, as the Cowboys broadcast played on his phone. His teammates were filing out, heading home, but he stayed put, waiting.

And then, there she was.

Dressed in the iconic Cowboys uniform, pom-poms in hand, moving with the kind of effortless grace that left him completely mesmerized.

He couldn’t hear the music, but it didn’t matter. He’d watched her practice enough times to know exactly what was happening.

A soft smile tugged at his lips as he sent her a text:

You kill it out there every time. I’m so damn proud of you.

Y/N checked her phone during halftime, her breath hitching when she saw his message.

Coming from my favorite quarterback? That means the world.

It wasn’t the same as being there in person, but in that moment, it didn’t matter.

No matter where they were—whether he was leading a team into battle or she was performing under stadium lights—they were always cheering for each other.

||

The hardest part wasn’t Sundays. It was the in-between.

The days when neither of them had a game, but they still couldn’t see each other. The nights when Joe was watching film in Cincinnati while Y/N was perfecting routines in Dallas. The mornings when they woke up in different cities, different time zones, with nothing but a phone call to close the gap between them.

There were weeks when their schedules barely aligned. If Joe had a Thursday night game, his entire week shifted. If the Cowboys had an away game, it always seemed to be when the Bengals had an away game and Y/N couldn’t get on a plane to see him.

They had been together long enough to know how to handle the distance, but that didn’t mean it was easy.

They learned to appreciate the small moments—the voice notes sent between meetings, the texts exchanged between workouts, the blurry photos of pregame rituals that made them feel like they were still part of each other’s lives, even from miles away.

Some nights, when the loneliness crept in, Joe would send Y/N a simple text.

Miss you. ❤️

And her response was always immediate.

Miss you more. ❤️

If they were lucky, they’d squeeze in a Facetime call.

One night, Joe propped his phone against the nightstand, his hair still damp from a post-practice shower, exhaustion heavy in his voice. “Tell me something good.”

Y/N flopped onto her bed, arms sprawled out, her propping her phone up against a pillow. “I got to work with some of the rookies today. It was fun seeing them fall in love with this, you know?”

Joe smiled. He knew that feeling well—watching new teammates experience their first taste of the NFL, the way it lit a fire in them. “I bet they love you.”

“I don’t know about that,” she laughed, “but I think they’re getting used to me bossing them around.”

He chuckled. “Sounds about right. I know I got used to it pretty fast.”

Y/N laughed at his words and rolled her eyes playfully. “Yeah, well, you’re a quick learner.”

They talked until their eyes grew heavy, until the only sound was the quiet rhythm of their breathing through the phone.

Some nights, they fell asleep that way, their screens still glowing in the dark, neither willing to hang up first.

But sometimes, the distance hurt.

Like the time Y/N had a minor injury during practice—nothing serious, just a bad fall into a jump split that left her knee swollen. Joe was in the middle of a grueling week of preparation and couldn’t fly out to see her.

“I’m fine,” she reassured him over the phone, her voice tired but trying to be strong.

“I should be there,” he muttered, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

“You can’t. And that’s okay.”

He exhaled. “I just hate not being able to take care of you.”

“You do,” she promised. “Even from miles away.”

And then there were the moments when Joe had a rough game—when he was sacked five times, when the Bengals lost in overtime, when the weight of an entire city’s expectations sat heavy on his shoulders.

Y/N couldn’t be there to wrap her arms around him, to tell him that he was still the best quarterback she’d ever seen. Instead, she sent a text.

I love you. No bad game changes that.

Joe didn’t respond right away. But later that night, she got a voice memo.

"I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

And that was all she needed to hear.

Some people thought their relationship wouldn’t last. The schedules were too demanding. The time apart was too much.

But Joe and Y/N knew better.

They didn’t measure their love by how many days they spent together. They measured it by how hard they fought for each other, even when they were apart.

Because even with the distance, they had never been closer.

||

Joe's bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. After weeks of grueling games, brutal hits, and endless preparation, he finally had a weekend off—and there was only one place he wanted to be.

Dallas.

His flight landed late Friday night, and by the time he stepped off the plane, exhaustion clung to him. But the second he saw Y/N waiting for him just past security, all of that melted away.

She was standing there in one of his Bengals hoodies, her hair a little messy from the long day she’d had. But to him, she had never looked more beautiful.

As soon as he was close enough, she launched herself into his arms, and he caught her effortlessly, wrapping her up tight.

“I missed you,” she murmured against his neck.

Joe pressed a kiss to her temple, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. “Not as much as I missed you.”

She pulled back just enough to look at him, her hands sliding down to frame his face. “You look tired.”

He smirked. “And you look perfect.”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips. “Come on, let’s get you home.”

They only had 48 hours together before he had to return to Cincinnati, but neither of them wanted to think about that.

The next morning, Joe woke up to the smell of coffee and something sweet drifting from the kitchen. He groggily pulled himself out of bed, padding down the hallway to find Y/N standing at the stove, flipping pancakes.

He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched her.

“You making me breakfast?”

She turned, smirking. “Figured I’d keep my boyfriend well-fed while I’ve got him here.”

He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder. “I could get used to this.”

Her hands rested over his, squeezing gently. “Me too.”

The rest of the morning was slow and easy—just the way they liked it. Breakfast turned into lounging on the couch, watching whatever was on TV, legs tangled together under a blanket.

No alarms. No schedules. Just them.

Saturday night, Joe had one request.

“I want to see you dance,” he told her as they sat on her balcony, sipping wine, the Dallas skyline glittering in the distance.

She raised a brow. “You’ve seen me dance.”

“Not like this,” he said, setting his glass down. “Not in person. I’ve seen you perform in front of hundreds of thousands of people, and for auditions. Not just for me. You told me so much about that lyrical routine you did but you never showed me. I want to see it.”

Her heart melted at the sincerity in his voice. He always watched her on TV, always made time to see her perform from afar—but she knew what he meant.

So, she stood up, holding a hand out to him. “Come on, then.”

Joe let her lead him into the living room, where she grabbed her speaker and scrolled through her playlist.

When the familiar beat of a song she loved started playing, she didn’t hesitate.

She danced. The lyrical routine that quickly went viral on social media from her last round of auditions.

And Joe?

Joe just watched, completely entranced.

No cameras. No stadium. No roaring crowd. Just her, moving effortlessly, doing what she loved.

And damn, he loved her for it.

When the song ended, he shook his head, still in awe. “I don’t know how I got lucky enough to have you.”

Y/N walked over, looping her arms around his neck. “I ask myself the same thing every day.”

He leaned in, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to her lips.

“I don’t want to leave,” he admitted softly.

She rested her forehead against his. “I don’t want you to.”

But they both knew the reality of their lives. The goodbyes were inevitable.

Sunday evening came too fast.

Y/N drove Joe to the airport, their fingers laced together over the console the entire ride. When they pulled up to the terminal, she parked but didn’t move to let him go just yet.

Instead, she turned to him, her eyes holding a softness he always found himself getting lost in.

“You gonna win next week?” she teased, trying to keep things light, even as the sadness of their goodbye loomed over them.

Joe smirked. “Of course. I’ve got you to impress.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “You don’t have to impress me, Burrow. You already won me over.”

He reached for her, pulling her into one last kiss—slow and deep, like he was trying to make it last.

When they finally pulled away, he pressed his forehead against hers. “I love you.”

Y/N’s fingers curled into his hoodie, as if holding onto him could make him stay just a little longer. “I love you more.”

He kissed her one last time before grabbing his bag and stepping out of the car.

She watched him walk inside, waiting until he disappeared through the doors before finally driving away, already counting down the days until the next time she could hold him again.

||

The moment the NFL season ended, a familiar weight lifted off Joe’s shoulders. The intensity, the pressure, the long nights of film study and game prep—it all faded, at least for a little while. The offseason was a time to reset, to recover. But most importantly? It was their time.

For months, they had been living in separate worlds, their schedules only allowing for those stolen weekends and FaceTime calls. But now, for the first time in what felt like forever, Y/N could actually be with him—really be with him.

And this year, she had made a decision: she was spending most of the offseason in Cincinnati.

Joe didn’t try to hide his excitement when she told him.

"Seriously?" he had asked, gripping her waist as she straddled his lap on his couch, fresh off a plane from Dallas.

She nodded, running her fingers through his hair. "Seriously. I cleared it with my coaches, and I’ll fly back when I need to for practices, but other than that…" She leaned in, brushing her lips against his. "I’m all yours, Burrow."

Joe groaned, wrapping his arms around her and flipping them so she was pinned beneath him. "Best news I’ve heard all year."

She laughed, tugging him down into another kiss.

It wasn’t just the fact that they’d be together—it was that they’d finally get to live like a normal couple, without the constant countdown to their next goodbye.

Y/N had her own place in Dallas, but in Cincinnati, she stayed with Joe. His house felt too big when he was alone, and having her there made it feel like home.

Mornings were slow and easy. She loved waking up to the scent of coffee brewing in the kitchen, padding downstairs in one of his oversized hoodies to find Joe already up, flipping through ESPN on the couch.

“Morning, superstar,” she teased, pressing a kiss to the top of his head before curling up beside him.

He hummed, wrapping an arm around her. “Morning, baby.”

Some days, they stayed in, binge-watching shows they never had time for during the season. Other days, they went out—grabbing brunch, walking around the city, just enjoying the fact that, for once, they had nowhere else to be.

And of course, Joe still had workouts. Just because it was the offseason didn’t mean he stopped training. But now, instead of heading off to practice alone, he had Y/N there to keep him company.

She’d sit on the sidelines while he threw passes to his receivers, dressed in leggings and a Bengals hoodie, her hair in a messy bun.

Sometimes, he’d jog over during water breaks, tapping her knee with his gloved hand. “You enjoying the show?”

She smirked. “Depends. You gonna throw a touchdown, or should I start looking for a new favorite quarterback?”

Joe scoffed. “Unbelievable.”

She just winked. “I call it motivation.”

And it worked.

After practice, he’d find her waiting outside the facility, arms crossed, a playful glint in her eye.

“You looked good out there, Burrow,” she admitted, looping her arms around his neck.

He smirked. “Yeah? Good enough to be your favorite?”

She leaned in, lips brushing against his ear. “Always.”

Even though the NFL season was over, Y/N’s work never really stopped. As a Cowboys Cheerleader, she still had appearances, community events, and—most importantly—auditions for the next season.

Joe knew how much it meant to her.

“You nervous?” he asked one night, as she stretched on the floor of his living room, getting ready for another round of training before flying back to Dallas for auditions.

Y/N sighed, lying back on the rug. “Always. It doesn’t matter how many times I do it, I still feel like I have to prove myself all over again.”

Joe slid off the couch, lying down beside her, their heads almost touching. “You’re gonna kill it.”

She turned her head, meeting his gaze. “You think so?”

“I know so.” He reached over, lacing his fingers with hers. “You’ve been working your ass off. And even if they don’t see it—which they will—you’ll always be my favorite.”

She squeezed his hand. “You really are my biggest fan, huh?”

He grinned. “Damn right.”

When she flew back to Dallas for auditions, Joe made sure she knew he was thinking about her.

The morning of the final round, she woke up to a text.

Go show them why you belong out there. No one does it better than you. Love you.

She smiled, clutching her phone to her chest before getting out of bed.

After her audition, she FaceTimed him from her hotel room, bouncing on her heels.

“I made it,” she squealed.

Joe let out a relieved breath, grinning. “Of course you did.”

“I wish you were here,” she admitted, her voice softer now.

He sighed. “Me too. But I’m taking you to dinner as soon as you get back to celebrate.”

She smirked. “You cooking for me?”

Joe chuckled. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, babe.”

With no games and fewer obligations, they finally had time to just be a couple.

They took trips together—spending a few days in Montana, escaping to a quiet cabin in the mountains where no one recognized them. Joe taught Y/N how to fish (she was terrible), and she taught him how to two-step in the living room (he was worse).

They went to the beach, Joe watching in amusement as Y/N tried (and failed) to teach him how to surf.

“I think I’ll stick to football,” he decided, spitting out a mouthful of salt water.

Y/N laughed, helping him up. “Probably a good idea, baby.”

But some of their favorite moments were the simple ones.

Like late-night drives with the windows down, singing along to country music. Or lazy Sunday mornings, tangled up in bed with no alarms to wake them.

For once, there was no rush. No looming deadline. Just them, soaking in every moment.

Because they both knew it wouldn’t last forever.

Soon, training camp would start back up. Soon, they’d be back to their whirlwind schedules, the countdown to football Sundays beginning all over again.

But for now?

For now, they had each other.

And that was all they needed.

[glittter-vamp]

Jet burrow strikes again, this time in his mothers coat and another awful alo item.

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

sub!joe in the way that he's always going to be of service, of use, he's going to do what he can to take care of you. sub!joe in the way that you take care of him, let him explore the side of himself that he doesn't tap into often and he still knows that he's secure in the relationship. sub!joe as in he loves you so damn bad that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, sub!joe as in you hold him down and he holds you down, because teamwork makes the dreamwork. sub!joe that loves it when you get a little possessive, sub!joe that's going to follow the rules to the letter because he'll be damed if doesn't get what he wants--you screaming out his name, him so lost in you sub!joe as in... i wrote a fat blurb below the cut.

more thoughts are in my sub!joe tag

Joe knows he's going to get some looks on the first day back--the offseason, spent with you between sheets and across the globe, did him well. He feels recharged, even if the off season had some bumps along the way. However, you absolutely did him in last night. It might not have been the smartest idea. But Joe did beg for it. On his hands and knees, he begged for it. 

And he’d do it again too.

It started with kisses at your ankles; he kissed you up your legs even though he’d promised to help bandage up the blister you acquired on the back of your left heel because of a new pair of loafers that you hadn’t properly broken in. Joe did help. He sprayed a little saline solution onto the broken skin, dabbed some first aid ointment all before he carefully placed the band-aid over the wound. 

And while he was down on his knees, he did the only thing he could think of to silence the pestering voice in the back of his head. Which was to get lost in you. Bury himself between your legs, bring you to the brink of orgasm over and over again. Listen to the way you praise him for eating you so well, making you feel so good. 

All because of one stupid, truly insufficient voice in the back of his head. The tiny voice that asked if it was truly ready to be at the helm of the ship yet again after a heart wrenching season. The kind of voice that Joe can usually silence with practiced ease. Yet, this voice remained persistent, pestering him as he folded laundry after dropping you off at brunch with your friends, followed him when he took both your and his car through the car wash. That nasty, persistent voice bubbled up the gas nozzle as he filled up your tank to start off the week with a full tank. Joe felt the shadow on his shoulders even as he picked you up, though you hadn’t drank and even promised you wouldn’t.

And he spent all day trying to shake the voice, trying to bury it in his usual rituals. But the voice wouldn’t die. What else could Joe do besides ask you, beg you to bring him under so he could lose all thought and only feel, only have to worry about your voice, your commands? 

“Can you turn it off, please?” he begged into your throat, his tongue still coated in your release. “I don’t want to think right now. Please, baby. Can’t think right now.”

Because all he wanted was that voice to go away, to disappear. Sometimes it feels like he wants to disappear. And you let him. Only you can do that. Of course, Joe would beg for it, beg for you. 

What else is a man supposed to do? 

Now, he feels the repercussions of such actions at the buzz of his alarm that’s gone on far too long as it is. Joe’s not one snooze, and he’s not going to hit snooze a second time either. He just needs another second with his nose still buried in your spine. At some point during the night he slipped from your chest and you turned to your side. But Joe’s never too far behind you. He’s got you wrapped up in his arms, clinging in a way that even he’s sure is going to leave an ache. 

But at the very least, his brain is still quiet. 

The ache of his joints is minimal as he peels out of bed after a kiss to your shoulder. The thing that does remain are the still pink marks on the back of his thighs he spots as he turns to retrieve the towel to dry his face after the quick splash of water. The impact of the flogger hadn’t felt harder than usual.  Maybe a bit firmer but not harder. Or maybe he had asked for more of a sting without realizing the kind of long last marks they’d leave behind. All Joe does remember distinctly is the possessive "mine" growling past your lips in the place of some of the count. 

“This is all mine.” Like maybe you had something to prove. Like you had something you might’ve been fighting for, maybe even against. But Joe didn't have the tongues, or minds, to ask afterwards. His limbs were immediately heavy. The drop hitting harder than usual. He wanted nothing but the warmth of your chest and sleep even though you forced him to drink water and took a cool washcloth to his body.

Joe finds his phone on the bathroom counter and sets a reminder, Partner Check in--Urgent, for about 7 this evening with the hopes neither you or him are too tired at the end of the day for the conversation.

The sting is a comfort to carry for Joe as he makes his way to the shared closet. The marks of the not entirely secret secret of his love life. The marks have to be places he can cover--meaning no hickies on his neck, no wrist restraints, and nothing involving his face--but the creative challenge seems to only drive you more. The creative uses of wax along his hips and abdomen. Delicate and fleeting bite marks on his ass. Not that Joe complains about it. Because it feels good--to be wanted, to be marked, to be consumed.

Nevertheless, Joe’s sure this particular nasty looking venture will lead to even more interesting quips in the locker room. More than once Ja'Marr and Tee have pointed out the nail marks, or the fading pink marks on his thighs.

Joe usually just grins, laughing with a shake of his head. "I don't kiss and tell."

"I think you're doing a lot more than kissing," Tee usually huffs.

Ja'Marr's addition of late has been, "You look like a cat got you confused with a scratch post. Man is out here for real fawking." There's always a face to go with the last sentence, an emphasis that makes the entire locker room rumble with soft laughter.

But Joe does not kiss and tell. Though, when he recounts all the comments to you later, you always take his chin into your hand and kiss him--slowly, like you're savoring the way he tastes and whisper, "Just like you deserve--praised for how good you are."

And God, it always sounds like heaven from your lips.

But the secret that's not so secret is more evident when you've gone with Joe to events. He tends to take the step back and you take the step up. You're better at socializing than Joe is. Crowds don't scare you. You're good with people. You can keep a conversation going, you can volley questions and it's like it doesn't matter to you that you're in a room with people that you don't know. Because you'll get to know them. The status, the type of people you're around doesn't matter to you. And for that Joe is so thankful, because he's still nervous in front of a crowd. He's better at it now than before, but still doesn't love it.

Even for things that he wants to do, there's always a bit of anxiety that bubbles. But when you're there, even if you're floating in the background to give Joe the spotlight, it's a much easier time. He feels grounded, connected to Earth that's way more tangible than overwhelming. You'd never let him fall and Joe carries that, even if it started as a whispered promise in the bedroom, in everything he does with you.

Because you've never let him fall. You're there, always there.

None of that is going to stop the stares or even the probes in the locker room.

Joe carries on though, bracing for whatever is to come once he enters Paycor, dressed by soft closet recessed lighting in his sweats and t-shirt. His morning routine is never complete though until he takes a few minutes to browse through the items on your side of the closet. Joe's not an expert in fashion, though he likes to have his fun. But since he can't be there during your work day, he does enjoy taking the time to pick out your outfit for the day when he can.

With a hybrid schedule, Joe knows on Mondays and Wednesdays you go into the office. Tuesday and Thursday you work from home and because you work 4-10's Fridays are a day of rest, which Joe is more than thankful that you have. Monday, today, is an office day so he pulls the tan colored slacks you have that flare out from the knee and uses that as his base. There, peeking out from the other rainbow order assemblage of your side of the closet, is the new red blouse. It's yet to be worn, evident by the tag still on it, but today is it's lucky day. Joe finds a nice gold belt and your red and gold work mules, because he can hear in his head your voice, 'the belt, shoes, and accessories must be cohesive'. 

Joe doesn’t want to aggravate that blister if he can help it. Because Joe won't let you down. He makes a point not to let you down. Even though he's still human and you're still human. There's always the effort, even if it’s just to make sure the outfit is cohesive. 

But it’s more than that too. Because he makes sure you're taken care of too, packs your lunch for you the night before, even during the season before he crashes for the night promptly at 9PM. Synced the shared Google Calendar to his phone and got it set up on yours and puts in all the various appointments so you don't forget. Joe insisted on placing alerts that come 45 minutes prior to the appointment to give you time for the commute. He makes sure his travel schedule is up there too. Joe sits down weekly to come up with the grocery list so you don't have to and he knows he doesn’t have to do that, but he likes to do it more than he likes to pass that off to his chef. Because he likes the calls he gets, where he can imagine you standing in the aisle, “Love, they’re out of those raspberry fig bars you like. I got blueberry but they have some sort of mixed berry flavor now. Do you want those too?”

There’s give and there’s take. That’s you never letting Joe fall and him never letting you down. 

Satisfied with the choices for today, Joe hangs the outfit from the hook on the back of the closet door. The darkness slithers back through once he turns off the lights in the closet. He never touches the one in the bedroom if he can help it. He knows the room well enough, even in the dark to find the bed, and then find you in it to kiss your still sleeping figure. "Love you. Kick ass today,” he whispers. 

There's not quite an intelligible response from you, but something along the lines of "'ve you" and "goo practice" that Joe is able to put together means something along the lines of, 'I love you. Have a good practice.'

"Goddamn, we gon’ have to teach you how to fight," Ja'Marr laughs.

Joe huffs, but grins all the same at the jab. "I can fight."

"It looks like you're losing, bro. And bad."

Joe gives his standard shrug, pulling the last pieces of the practice jersey down and settles onto the folding chair to start lacing up his cleats. "I don't--"

"Yeah, yeah, you don't kiss and tell. But I ain't stupid neither. Your partner ain't ever marked up like your ass is. So either, you play soft and they don't or you prefer to take the beating."

There's a gentleness to the probe, like Ja’Marr might be asking something different. If Joe is safe. Yet Joe’s never been safer though than with you.

Joe can’t not answer, but the question cuts across a line that he prefers not to cross. "It’s nothing dangerous,” Joe returns. “You don’t need to go there, man. I wouldn’t still be with them if it was dangerous. It’s all," your voice starts to echo in Joe’s ears as he mimics the words you told him months ago now, “safe, sane, and consensual.”

"Aight. Safe, sane, and consensual. Cool. Just as long as you good. But I'mma keep saying your ass can't fight then just between us."

"Works for me." Joe could tell Ja’Marr. And there’s no embarrassment, but there’s the hesitation. The mental gymnastics of would Ja’Marr get it that Joe doesn’t feel like doing. 

"Fucked though, Burrow, you can't fight to save your own ass." Ja’Marr laughs, slapping a hand onto Joe’s shoulder and turns to his locker. 

But that kind of sentiment doesn't follow onto the football field. There are no grounds for it. Because on the field Joe can fight to save his ass. He can lead his team and do it well. He has all those skills. He has his teammates' respect. He has the seasons, the highs and the lows under his belt. He has the drive. He did not come this far for nothing. 

The second his cleats touch the turf, all the sound drowns out. It doesn't matter what happened this morning, or last week, or what's waiting for him tomorrow. There is only right now--warm ups and stretches, yards and passes, snaps and blitzes. Joe’s only focused on the game. And only the game cares about him in return here. 

There’s laughs of course, breaks, and downtime. Stupid quips about purchases, conversations about what to do for lunch. But everything outside of the field stays on the outside. He lets nothing, and he means nothing and nobody breaks through that wall when it’s game time. 

Thank you for the spare band-aids, doc. He slipped them in right before leaving this morning, into your work bag in the pocket where you keep your hand lotion and hand sanitizer, praying neither one of them would spill and ruin the adhesive. 

Joe grins at the text. His day is over, but you’re still in the thicket of yours. The ten hour days do get long just from his perspective watching. He can’t imagine how they might feel to be actually working them like you do. How’s the blister? Did the shoes work out okay?

Annoying, comes the direct reply to the blister text. And then a second bubble follows it. The mules worked out perfectly. Thank you. 

Any compliments on the new blouse?

Your styling has rave reviews. Ms. June in HR is very jealous. 

It’s all you. Couldn’t do it without a canvas like you. The text settles and Joe taps the side of the phone to lock it. 

The last aisle cuts off, the red dot to warn Joe about the hot aisle fades out and he wipes his hands on the kitchen towel thrown across his shoulder. One the counter, buried just a little, is the recipe card handwritten with the loops and sharp angles of your penmanship in black ink stand out amongst the sprinkles of pepper, salt, and other spices that failed to make into the pan. 

The garage door hums and Joe knows you’ve arrived. With the tiny spoon, Joe tastes a small portion of the glaze. The steak and potatoes is a staple perfected only by trail and error. Too many times as the smoke wafted in the kitchen because Joe turned the heat too high or let a side sear too long. But now he’s got it perfected to a science. 

Your keys rattle behind the click of your heels. “Smells good, chef!”

“Come taste,” Joe returns, slicing into his plate. It’s cooked to perfection, not too tough but not bloody. 

The heels click all the way into the kitchen even with you still loaded down with the cardigan, your keys, work bay and lunch bag in your hands. Your eyes shine with your smile, a good sign, as you approach. “You’re still upright? Have your coaches gone soft?”

“I’m tougher than that,” Joe laughs--big and wide, even he can fill it. “Here.” Joe slips the forkful into your open mouth. His hand hovers just beneath your chin to anticipate any potential drops.

 You hum. “Tasty. Give me five to dump this and wash my hands.”

“Of course.”

And just as you disappear to the stair, his phone chimes. Partner Check in--Urgent blares back at him. ‘This is all mine’. 

There’s space to talk. There’s always space to talk. Joe’s just not always as delicate as he wants to be, part of him still a little too shy and awkward about the more emotional conversation. They’re good to have. But they are at times raw. They peel back layers Joe’s kept rather neatly tucked away. They expose a jagged and sharp razor edge to the both of you that sometimes is not as dull as previously assumed. 

Joe finishes plating and sets them down on the dining room table, next to each other. Though the table is large sit twelve people--your request, and Joe was happy to oblige for his family and yours to fit comfortable--you and Joe always sit next to each other on the bench side of the table. 

“You drinking water or something else?”

Joe turns to your voice. “Water please. I picked up some Cherry Pepsi too for you on the way back home, but I see you found them already.”

The bottle hangs from your fingers after your sip. “Thanks, bubbas. You’re going to have to lock up the rest of them because it’s been so long since I’ve had one.”

“It’s only an eight pack. So, drink wisely,” Joe returns. 

You groan, it echoes from the kitchen. “I’m glad I have good self control.”

The silence is comfortable, knocking but the clicks of utensils on the plate. The first portion of the dinner passed like it normally does, catching up about your separate days. Joe’s chest warms when you laugh about the reactions to the outfit, proud to be seen, proud to see your pride in him. Joe shares how practice went and then it settles--the silence and Joe knows he still wants to check in. He wants to make sure everything is okay. 

“Can we talk? It’s about something from last night and it’s not about me or anything you did to me. Just something you said I want to check in about,” Joe clarifies, watching as your chew slows down. 

The fork clinks and the knife follows it. Joe waits, breath stuck in his inhale as you turn to face him. “We can talk,” you answer after you swallow. 

“You-you said something last night and it’s fine with me. But it’s the first time and I don’t know. My gut just says so check in with you about it.”

“I’m listening.” 

Joe doesn’t miss the way your hand hovers over his, like you want to take it. But with these serious conversations touch can interrupt, preventing the conversation from going like it needs to so you two don’t touch, you just sit next to each other, or in front of each other. You two keep proximity but don’t let the lines touch. 

“You said, ‘This is all mine’ and I don’t mind that dynamic but did that mean something else to you?”

Your hand retreats and Joe misses the hovering heat. “You caught that, huh?”

“I’m always listening. I have to,” Joe returns. It’s part of the rules. 

Your tuft of laughter is devoid of any real humor behind it. Did you read something? Joe’s asked you intentionally not to read anything online because he knows where it could lead. The relationship isn't a secret, but Joe doesn’t talk about it. He doesn’t post about it often. The most that happens is if there’s an event the two of you attend, he might snap a picture of you two getting ready. He’ll even post on his stories of the carpet photos. But those are exceedingly rare on purpose. There’s a lot of noise online and the thing Joe doesn’t want is to lose you to that noise. 

Maybe someone said something to you. But Joe could theorize until he turns gray and none of that would answer his question. So he waits, curling his fingers into his palms to keep himself from forcing your eyes on him. He just wants to know if something happened, because if it did, he would make sure it did not ever happen again. 

“I wasn’t looking for it,” you start and finally look back up to his face. There’s the glint from the kitchen light catching on the sparkles of your makeup. “I was just scrolling and it popped up about you and I was going to scroll by it. I really was. But I got curious.”

Joe doesn’t need to reprimand you. Doesn’t need to tell you there’s a reason why he’s asked you to do what you can to stay offline. Thankfully, your job’s not tied to social media. Working in accounting didn’t necessitate that, but he knows you are on it sometimes. In short bursts and he just doesn’t want you to land onto the wrong thing, the wrong corner of the internet. 

“And how did that go?” he asks instead, wants to hear from you how not well it all turned out. 

“Dog shit,” you sigh. “I know I agreed not to read it. I gues part of me really wondered how bad it could get.”

“And what’s the answer to that?”

“It can get pretty damn bad.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Joe reassures. “I am yours. Because I want to be yours. Because I like being in this relationship with you. Because I trust you.” His trust doesn’t feel violated. Joe understands the itching, the thought that maybe it’s not really all that bad. But it is. Nothing changes that. 

“I won’t look again. Even if curiosity bubbles, I don’t think I can stomach reading that kind of stuff again.”

Joe doesn’t need to know what you read. Having that answer doesn’t help. It still stings thoughts. Whatever you read hurt you and that’s not the feeling he wants you to sit in. “I’m going to hug you,”Joe warns, because it hurts his own chest the way the tears well in your eyes. 

“Please.” 

The croak in your voice shatters his ribs and Joe squeezes you into his chest, unsure if he’s trying to make you or himself feel better. It could be both and Joe’s okay with not knowing where his hurt ends your begins because it means you’re still both in this together. “I’m still here, baby,” Joe whispers. “Have nowhere else I want to go, okay? I love you. I am yours and I don’t want to be anyone else’s.” 

[goldfades]

That post about Y/N and Joe parenting style was so perfect. I honestly believe Joe is also super stubborn and would 100000% get in a long standoff with Hayes over him refusing to eat his vegetables. And I think Hayes, ever the mama’s boy, would probably win that battle. And Y/N would absolutely feel the need to tell Joe that Hayes definitely got those qualities from him.

oh, absolutely. joe burrow is one of the most competitive people on the planet—there is no way he’s backing down from a battle of wills, even if his opponent is a three-year-old with chubby cheeks and a mop of curls. and hayes? stubborn doesn’t even begin to cover it. the kid is relentless, especially when he knows he has you on his side. it’s that lethal combination of burrow determination and your charm—an unbeatable duo, really. so yeah, if joe tells hayes he has to eat his broccoli? that kid is digging in his heels. and joe, rather than letting it go like any normal parent, is treating it like the damn super bowl. no one is blinking. neither of them will surrender. it’s a full standoff. and of course, you, ever the observer, just sit back and watch it unfold because you know hayes is gonna win this one

it starts with a single piece of broccoli.

small, harmless, nestled between the mashed potatoes and tiny chicken nuggets on hayes’ plate. it’s nothing special—just one of the little florets you steamed earlier, cut up small so he wouldn’t even notice if he just ate the damn thing. but oh, he notices.

“no.”

joe sighs, already looking exhausted. “hayes—”

“no,” hayes repeats, shaking his head so hard his curls bounce. “don’t want it.”

“just one bite,” joe tries, tone even, logical. “you love green beans, buddy. this is the same thing.”

hayes looks offended. “it is not.”

you, sitting across from them at the kitchen table, hide your smirk behind your hand. joe shoots you a quick glare, but you just lift a shoulder, amused.

“one bite,” joe presses. “then you can have more nuggets.”

hayes, still holding his ground, frowns at his plate. he looks at the broccoli, then at his dad, then back at the broccoli. then, slowly, he crosses his arms.

joe sighs again, rubbing a hand down his face. “hayes.”

“no.”

you can feel the irritation rolling off joe in waves. the man doesn’t lose—ever. and now his toddler is serving him his first real defeat in his own damn kitchen.

“hayes.” joe’s voice drops into dad mode. that serious, no-nonsense tone he pulls out when he means business. the one that usually works.

hayes, completely unbothered, mirrors his father’s serious expression. the tension is palpable. this is no longer just about broccoli. this is a battle of principles.

you clear your throat. “hayes, baby, just one tiny—”

he turns to you, eyes wide and tragic. “mama, i can’t.”

you almost laugh. “why not?”

“it’s green.”

joe looks personally offended by the logic. “so?”

hayes stabs his fork into his mashed potatoes aggressively, like this betrayal is too much.

joe groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. “this is ridiculous.”

you hum, amused. “wonder where he gets it from.”

joe glares at you again. “don’t.”

you just sip your water, smiling.

the standoff continues. minutes tick by. hayes doesn’t move. joe doesn’t budge. they’re both stubborn as hell. the only difference is, hayes has an out—he has you.

and you? well, you’re having too much fun watching joe suffer.

after a full ten minutes of absolute silence, hayes suddenly exhales deeply. then he shakes his head, slides his plate an inch away, and mutters, “i not hungry no more.”

joe throws his fork down. “are you kidding me?”

“nope.” hayes pops the ‘p’ dramatically.

you lose it. full-on, shaking laughter right there at the table. joe, unamused, shoots you a look.

“oh, come on,” he grumbles. “you’re on his side?”

“i mean.” you wipe a tear from your eye. “he is your son.”

joe scowls. “he’s your son when he’s like this.”

hayes, ever the opportunist, slides off his chair and makes a beeline for your lap. you scoop him up easily, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. he smells like baby shampoo and mashed potatoes.

“you’re ridiculous,” joe tells him flatly.

hayes just grins, curling into you. “mama don’t think so.”

joe shakes his head, defeated. then, after a long moment, he sighs. “fine.”

hayes perks up. “no broccoli?”

joe’s jaw clenches, but he nods. “no broccoli.”

hayes cheers.

you press your face into his curls to hide your laughter.

joe mutters something about never losing to a toddler again. but you both know that’s a damn lie.

[squad-3]

Golfing with his pookie Sam

[starsinthesky5]

it’s missing joe hours so here’s long hair joey that i love and miss:

[madridnoora]

౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ Forbidden - God bless texas.

Fourth instalment of the forbidden au - lsu!joe x oc

Instalments - one, two, three and three.two ౨ৎ

Summary: A girls trip happens to cross paths with the boys football season and a tense game in Austin, leading to revelations about the past and a long night out in the city.

⋆｡˚ word count: 11.3k

18+ content. MDNI. Mentions of drinking, smoking and sex. ⋆｡˚

It’s 8:15pm and the team bus is restless. A six and a half hour journey from Baton Rouge to Austin. Tomorrow Joe and his team will face their biggest challenge of the season so far -- The Texas Longhorns.

Joe hadn’t stopped thinking about the image of Daisy. ‘Hook’ em’. He sneered at the memory. He couldn’t quite understand her. Every time he ever tried to speak about football, you know in the moments after they had sex when they lay beside each other, or in the car journey’s to each other's dorm or when there was a silence that needed filling by any conversation, she would shut it down.

‘Can we not do the football stuff.’ She would say. She wouldn’t snap at him but she wasn’t exactly polite in her tone either. Irritation and annoyance always lingering thick in the air around them. She was blunt and forceful. When Joe would push further and ask her the simple question of ‘Why?’ she would just shrug her shoulders and tell him - ‘I hate football’. He hadn’t brought up the image of her at the game. He didn’t want to give her the impression that he cared, because he didn’t. He didn’t care enough about Daisy to dig to the bottom of the loose excuses she gave. They weren’t friends or anything. Just a hookup. It was easier to be just a hookup if they didn’t get too involved in each other's personal lives.

He was hooking up with other people anyway and he was sure that she was too. He assumed she was anyway. He had overheard Bella talking about a kiss Daisy had with some nerd from her class on a student night out in the city when she came over the frat to visit Justin.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen Daisy for a few days. Like anywhere. Usually he would spot her on campus or see her out of the corner of his eye. Sometimes he would see her grabbing lunch or studying in the library as he walks past but not for a short while. The last time he saw her she was begging underneath him, writhing around in the pleasure he was causing.

Joe turns around to the seat behind him.

‘Yo. you seen Bella recently?’

Justin looks at Joe with slight confusion. Joe was never one to care about the girls his teammates were hooking up with. What made the question even weirder was that Justin and Bella weren’t even hooking up and Joe knew that. They did once. Since then they had formed a friendship, one neither of them were expecting. Justin didn’t know whether to respond. Joe was asking for a reason but he didn’t know what it was.

‘She’s out of town with Cass and texas. They left a few days ago’ Joe nods his head slowly with a slight frowned lip.

‘You miss her?’ Joe jokes.

‘Man shut up’ Justin lightly slaps Joe’s head while he laughs.

Joe turns back to face forward in his seat. Out of town huh. Where? He pulled his phone from his pocket to see if Daisy had posted anything. Or if Cassie had. Or if Bella had. If there was any online evidence of where they had gone. Joe never really looked at social’s. He used them to hook up with girls through DM but other than that he would post every once in a while and then get off.

He should really use it more.

What he was looking for popped up on his feed first.

daisyymoore

Big dawg is back. - Austin, Texas

685 likes 

@.cassdaviess: i love when the trip actually happens. 

→ @.daisyymoore: same sis. 

@.isabellaabreut: southerrnnn nights 

→ @.daisyymoore: just as good even when you close your eyes. 

@.isabellaabreut: bigger n better in texas i’ll say 

@.carsonford: i’ve alerted the local news. 

→ @.daisyymoore: i knew i was being papped. 

@.mileslucasford: in texas huh? 

→ @.daisyymoore: I think it’s great you’ve learned how to read.

-> @.isabellaabreut: soooooo why is he unblocked ha ha ha.

Joe swipes through the photos. She's in Austin. He's about to be in Austin. There was no way she would be coming to the game. It was a simple coincidence and I mean, she was from there. It wasn't unusual for her to be there. Joe rationalised the photos in his head. He turned back to Justin.

'they're in Austin' Justin pulls his headphone out to listen to what Joe's saying.

'I know, it's Dais's mom birthday' Justin knew this information already. Bella had told him about it while they were hanging out one afternoon.

'they mention coming to the game'

'nah bro' Justin shook his head. Joe breathes a sigh of relief.

'why are you so interested?' Justin asks him.

Joe opens his mouth to respond but the voice of an eavesdropper beats him to it.

'he's been fucking Daisy' Ja Marr moves Joe's backpack and put it in the overhead compartment before taking a seat next to him. He wanted to be fully engaged in the gossip session that was about to take place.

'WHAT' Justin half shouts before lowering his voice so that the coaching staff don't decide to come over. Joe scratched the back of his head.

'How long?'

'almost a month now'

Justin shakes his head in disappointment and disbelief. Thoughts ran through his mind. Joe was a dick to girls and Justin had a soft spot for Daisy. He had already listened to her go through one heartbreak and he didn't want to have to see it happen to her again. Joe wasn't a good guy for her. If this went wrong it could jeopardise both his friendships and his football season.

'Joe' Justin starts with a disappointed tone.

'It's just sex. meaningless.' Joe defends. Justin looks at Ja'marr.

'multiple times a week for a month.' Ja'marr provides the needed details that Joe refrains from.

Justin drops his head into his hands. Joe never went back to a girl more than three times. EVER. The last time he did that was with his ex girlfriend at Ohio State.

'it's not what it sounds like. it's transactional. She doesn't want anything else and neither do I' Joe shrugs his shoulders.

'she stays over'

'JA'MARR' Joe whisper yells as his teammate keeps adding on the unnecessary details.

Justin looks between the pair of them. He can tell from the look in Ja'marr's eyes that he feels the same apprehension about the situation.

'daisy's a nice girl man. and the last guy was rough. don't do anything stupid' Justins words are a warning. The first warning he has ever given Joe. It makes Joe sink back into his seat.

He looks at the post again, and he sees his comment. An ex under her post. The one everyone talks about. The one who was 'rough'. The one that no one ever dared to name.

So why was he unblocked.

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

Late afternoon sun scorches over the Texas Memorial Stadium as the crowd begin to take their seats ahead of tonights big game. Seats would be filled with a famous burnt orange, they knew that. A few purple shirts may stick out but other than that they would be in full enemy territory.

Joe and his team are running a warm up on one side of the field while the longhorns do the same on the other.

This was the biggest challenge they had faced so far this season, if they beat them, they could beat anyone. Anticipation pumped through his veins and adrenaline began to bubble. This was his big night. The night he could show to the world he was serious. He wanted the heismann trophy and a good performance was the first major stepping stone to getting it. He was focused. Locked in on only one thing; winning.

Ja'marr and some O line guys stretched alongside him. Small talk amongst them, some discussion of upcoming plays they may use in tonights game. The Longhorns defense had been mega so far and there needed to be some work done to make sure LSU would be able to break through it with ease.

'bro, where is Justin?' Ja'marr looks around as lunges to stretch his hamstring. Joe looked around as well. Justin had been with them not too long ago but now he was no where to be found. The stadium is filling up more. Kickoff not too far away.

'he was talking to some girls in the stands' Terrace, a teammate, said.

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

A whistle pulled Justin from the direction he had been walking in. When he looked to find the source of the sweet sound he couldn't hide his shock.

Bella and Cassie. Both in LSU purple.

They're leaning over the bleacher railing and waving their hands for him to come over. He does as they ask with a light jog across the field. He would stretch in the locker room.

'you look so cute in your little uniform' Cassie said as she looked at his football kit. Justin didn't know whether he felt complimented or insulted. Uplifted or patronised. He just offered her a hushed 'thanks'.

'didn't think you guys came to games' Justin looked up at them. He then looked Bella up and down. It was the first time he had seen her wear the LSU purple. He liked it. His friend looked very good.

'oh, we don't' Bella told him as she looked around the stadium briefly.

Justin was confused by the response because unless he was hallucinating she was in fact here, at a game. Dressed for the occasion no less. The pair of them in matching purple crop tops with LSU written in diamante studs.

'we were in town' Bella was so unapologetically nonchalant.

'it's a special occasion' Cassie was mischievous, hinting at something Justin didn't know. Bella looked at her with that same glint in her eye, her lips pursing together to stop herself laughing.

Did they mean because of the game? LSU and Texas hardly ever faced each other, this would be the first time in almost 17 years. It didn't make any sense for that to be the reason the two girls were all giggly in the stands.

Justin doesn't bother to ask what happening because he has a feeling in his gut that he will be finding out soon enough. He notices the presence of a southern belle is missing and he's about to ask them if she decided to stay home but he's interrupted.

The noise of cleats crunching on the ground and the heavy breaths of two men let him know people are coming up behind him. He glances over his shoulder.

It's Joe and Ja'marr.

'lovin' the support girls' Ja'marr's charming as always. Joe's not thinking about them. He thinking about the one that's missing. She hated football that much these days huh. She let them come to the game while she stayed home. She really couldn't power through it for just one night. Joe didn't mind though. He didn't care if she came to his games or didn't. It's not like he would look for in the stands.

'thanks' Cassie tips her head to the boys.

Country music rings around the stadium from the speakers, the bleachers of the stadium now near enough full. The sun beginning to set, painting the sky a blazing amber pink and the floodlights turning on. A true texan football night. The air humid and dense with fans anticipation. The boys take it in and the girls watch them do it.

'we hope you guys win tonight' Bella lets them know. Joe nods.

'texas didn't come hey' Justin finally asks the question Joe had been wanting the answer too. Joe waited for the girls response but their reaction alone made him feel ever so slightly uneasy.

Cassie and Bella look at each other with furrowed brows before they look back to Justin. They look at Justin like he should know something but from the expression on his face he doesn't know what they are referring too.

'are you serious right now' Cassie is almost at a loss for words. Her mouth hanging slightly ajar after finishing her sentence. Justin holds his hands up in defence. He's looking between Joe, Ja'marr and the girls panicked. He didn't know what he had said that was wrong, but he knew from the look in the girls eyes that it had been something. He tries to rack his brain for something, anything that could give him a hint. He looks around as he tries to piece it together. His eyes looking around the football field and the rows and rows of burnt orange filled bleachers. His brown eyes tracing faces until they stumble across a face he recognises.

'the fuck?' He spits in confusion.

The information he was trying to remember was no longer on his mind. He didn't think he needed it anymore.

'what's texas doing?'

Upon hearing her nickname, Joe's head whips to look at where Justin is looking.

Daisy is bent over the railing. Her forearms rest upon the rusted metal and she holds a beer filled cup in one hand. She talking to someone down on the field. Joe looks at the guy. He's padded and wearing the famous burnt orange of the home team. His lips tighten when he reads the name on the back of the jersey.

'Milo' as in Lucas Milo. The Texas Longhorns wide reciever. The star boy of their team this season.

It takes a moment before the pieces click in Joe's head. Miles Lucas Ford was Lucas Milo. Her ex boyfriend. His lips tighten as he watches on.

'Oh my godddd' Cassie whines.

'She told you this so many times Justin. That's her ex. The whole reason she quit cheerleading and all the football world shit. They dated like all of high school'

'no. no. no. all she said was he played football. I though she meant like casually, not that he was some college star boy' Justin defends himself to the sassed words that left Cassie's mouth.

Joe listens to the conversation but doesn't pull his eyes away from Daisy and Lucas. They're still engaged in conversation and it's flirty. He can tell by the way she's bent over, the way she keeps flicking her hair back over her shoulder, the way she's biting her lip listening to him speak. Joe's eyes trail her body and the outfit on it. Tight dark denim low rise bootcut jeans with her thick tan longhorn belt. Scuffed brown leather cowboy boots. A tan cowboy hat a top her head. She had dressed for the occasion.

It's the shirt that he loathes. It's a tight white tank with a burnt orange longhorn symbol in the centre and the words 'i'm horny' above it.

She wasn't supporting LSU tonight.

Joe doesn't care about her getting with other boys. She could hook up or make out with any regular guy or frat boy she wanted as long as they weren't his teammates or brothers.

He does care about her getting with other football players. Especially rivals.

She's laughing at something Lucas said. Joe never made her laugh. She didn't hang around him long enough. It was just sex. Just casual. He's scowling at them, his eyes squinting in subtle dismay. Justin and Ja'marr notice it. Cassie and Bella notice it. They don't understand it though. Justin and Ja'marr do. They exchange a brief glance of concern to each other. Joe's reaction wasn't exactly suggesting that he and Daisy were just sex.

When Daisy flicks her hair again and pushes herself slightly further over the barrier to get closer he has to look away. He was annoyed. She was practically throwing herself at the guy.

'cheerleader, huh?' Joe asks a question about the piece of the conversation that stuck in his mind.

'Yup.' Cassie pops the 'p' before she continues. 'She was on the LSU team until star boy over there threw a fit, he made her quit before the new year.'

'he said and i quote "my girlfriend shouldn't be cheering on anyone but me and my team"' Bella explained with detest trickling off every single word.

Joe looks back. The once flirty conversation Daisy was sharing with Lucas was no longer that. She's stood up straight now, her cheeks red and her chest moving up and down quickly. Her lips are tight in irritation. Lucas' own face is red with it's own wrath of annoyance. He's raising his voice at her but they are too far away and the stadium noise is too loud for Joe to be able to hear what's going on. She raises her voice back. Lucas comes closer. They're pointing at each other, brash hands flaling all over as they both try to express their own resentment.

Joe and the rest of them do hear one thing.

'fuck you' a harsh but shaky shout down to Lucas from Daisy's mouth before she turns to walk over to Cassie and Bella.

Lucas doesn't leave her. Instead, he follows on the field beneath her. They're bickering over each other with unintelligible words as they get closer and closer to where Joe, Ja'marr and the girls were standing.

Joe's not really paying any attention to the burnt orange wearing boy that's chasing her, he's just watching her. He's watching the way her hips are swaying in the low rise jeans. The way the tank top he loathes clings to her. The way her hair is blowing in the subtle breeze of the Texas night. The way the gloss that coats her lips makes them look juicier than he had ever seen them before. The way the stadium floodlights are making her look so unbelievably incredible. Why did she ever fuck with a lame like Lucas?

Yeah. He was a good wide reciever. He might go round one of the draft next year but Joe was going first pick.

He tried to stop himself from imagining her on the sidelines. LSU cheerleader huh. He wished he was here last year to see that. He would have noticed her. He tried to shake the thoughts of her cheering for Lucas. He hated that he got to experience that.

'Hey' Daisy is quick in her greeting to the boys. She's frustrated, everyone can tell.

A sarcastic laugh from next to them on the field causes the boys to look.

'you're not fucking serious dukes.' He's looking up at Daisy. Then to Joe, Ja'marr and Justin. Then back to Daisy. She's refusing to look at him, instead she's looking around the stadium, at the sky, at anything that isn't him. For a brief moment, it's Joe. Her green eyes catch his blue ones. Her expression is unreadable. It's empty and hollow. Joe doesn't like the way it makes him feel. He doesn't like the way Lucas Milo has made her feel.

'really. fucking really. lsu players. that's low, dukes. real fucking low' Lucas' words spit out like a snakes venom, each word poisoning Daisy with a harsh sting. Joe watches as her demeanour shifts, her shoulder rise like she's trying to protect herself from the words. Her cheeks are heating red, no longer with anger but embarrassment.

It's hard for Joe to watch.

He's watching a different girl than the one he was just beginning to know.

She meets his eyes once more but only for a second. Then she hangs her head and looks down at her boots.

'I knew this would happen. you're such a wh-'

'on my mama, you don't want to finish that sentence'

Daisy's head snaps up and Joe's turns to face the harsh voice.

Justin. Joe only now realises just how fond Justin was of the girls. How protective he had come to be since meeting them before summer.

'Oh what are you going to do' Lucas puffs out his chest in an attempt to seem bigger than he was. It's almost laughable.

'I'm gonna whoop yo ass' Justin starts moving towards Lucas and Lucas starts moving towards him.

The girls watch the entertainment unfold before them. Daisy secretly hoped that Justin would at least land a punch, just one. It didn't even have to be a hard one, just strong enough to wipe the smug look off her ex boyfriend's stupid face.

The chance never came.

Joe intervened.

He placed two hands on the chest of a smaller Lucas and gave him a forceful shove.

'we'll handle this on the field, tough guy' his words are mocking.

Lucas stares at him. Joe stares back. Daisy's eyes flicker between the pair of them. A shallow breath held in her chest as time seemed to freeze.

Joe's poise never falters.

Lucas breaks first and shoots a look at Daisy but she's not looking at him. He follows her eyes back to Joe. and it's like he suspected.

Lucas makes a last ditch effort to hit Joe where he thought it might hurt. Try to get into his head before the game.

'i'm still the guy she's here for' and with that he headed off into the locker room.

Joe was outwardly unaffected. Inside however, it stung ever so slightly like a pinch to the heart. He wasn't used to being the second choice football player. He didn't like being the second choice football player. Lucas wasn't lying either. Daisy had come dressed in burnt orange in the hopes of catching her ex's eye. Joe was merely a thought in the back of her mind.

If her ex had been some regular guy he wouldn't have cared. She could have gone back to him in a heartbeat and Joe would have been unphased. But this. This made him feel something. He wasn't used to the feeling and he couldn't tell what it was, but it was something deep and harsh, almost cutting.

Joe wouldn't let himself lose to some texas star boy.

When the boys turn to head back to the away locker rooms and the girls go to find there seats, Daisy calls out his name.

Joe turns around.

She holds her hand up in a symbol. Horn's down.

Joe understands what she means.

A weight he didn't realise was so heavy lifted. Daisy didn’t come to the game to support the Longhorns, she came to watch them lose.

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

The marching bands trumpets sounded out as the game kicked off. Thousands of fans in burnt orange cheering as their team started with the ball.

Daisy stood watching in the bleachers and a sick familiarity filled her stomach. This wasn't her first time in Texas Memorial Stadium but she hoped it would be her last. For years she had been coming to these games with Lucas, in freshman year she would sit in the same place she was stood now, always in a jersey which said 'Milo' across her back.

She took a sip of the beer she had been able to get with her fake ID. She was only nineteen. Her twentieth birthday only a month or so away.

Never in all the games she had attended had she felt this nervous. Part of her wanted to leave but the other part of her wanted to see the look in Lucas' face as he lost to LSU. Lucas never liked losing. Countless arguments were had between them after lost games, somehow blame often being found in her. She distracted him too much. She wasn't cheering hard enough. She was too negative. The list was endless. She cursed herself for the stupid idea of coming tonight. She cursed Bella and Cassie for agreeing that it was a good idea.

When she saw her ex boyfriend warming up on the field, it almost felt like seeing him for the first time again. Her stomach torn into butterflies and her heart beating uncontrollably fast. It was like the teenage love had never died. She didn't think it ever would. Daisy truly thought that she would forever hold onto to the love she once had for him. From fifteen to nineteen, he was the only person she truly ever cared for. Her heart beat for him in a way it had never beat for anyone else.

But then she remembered that morning in April.

The one simple text message that brought her world crashing down.

'Lukey

I can't be with you anymore, Daisy. I have other priorities. We're done.'

It came out of nowhere, no warning signs. Fours years gone in thirteen pathetic words. She didn't have to ask why, she knew why. Football. The whole relationship she came second to football. Late night and early morning practices keeping him away. She fucking hated it. She hated that her world was ruled by a sport she didn't even play. She quit it all because of him.

and when she remembers how he treated her, the love she romanticises turns to anger. They were a nightmare that presented itself as an all American teenage dream.

When he came rushing over to see her after noticing her in the bleachers, warmth spread over her skin. He was happy to see her, so happy. She had forgotten just how nice his smile was and how much she loved the way the corners of his eyes crinkled. How the floodlights would catch his hazel eyes and make them look like they were sparkling. When they first got to talking, it felt like the old times. It felt like nothing had ever changed. He showered her in compliments and flirtations, she lapped every single one of them up. She asked him how football had been. That's when it went south.

'better for me since we broke up' it was like her slap to her face. A slap which said no matter what you weren't good enough for me. She didn't do enough, she didn't support him enough, she was too big of a distraction. The distance between them always causing conflict.

Then the same argument they had been having for the past three years took place. The argument about how football was ruining their relationship. At the end of it all she could let out was a harsh but shaky 'fuck you' before she tried to storm off to Cassie and Bella. That wasn't exactly that successful but she was thankful that Justin had her back.

Daisy's focus turns back to the game.

The Longhorns line themselves up for a snap. Daisy's stomach grumbled with nausea. Another sip of lukewarm beer went down her throat.

She held her breath as she watched the Longhorns quarterback throw the ball downfield. She knows whose arms the ball will land in before it happens. Lucas'. She watches as he sprints down field and no LSU defensemen can stop him. Too quick and nimble for their grasps. It's like he strolls into the end zone with cockiness oozing from his mannerisms. Touchdown Texas.

If her ex boyfriend didn't play for them she would have been happy. The Longhorns were her home team, but unfortunately he did and this touchdown felt like a kick to the chest. One which knocked the wind from him.

Lucas turns to where he knows she always sits. His arms stretch out beside him in nothing but arrogance. This was his house. He always hated that she ditched their dream of both going to the University of Texas for LSU and it would be over his dead body that they won on his home turf. Especially when she was watching.

The crowd around Daisy erupted. Every single person in her section other than her, Cassie and Bella cheered in passionate glee as the Longhorns opened up the scoring. The marching band, once again, sounding out in support and cheerleaders squealing on the sideline all while shaking their poms in the air.

'I can't believe you used to do that' Bella says to Daisy as she herself drinks from the bottle of beer she somehow snuck into the stadium. Her eyes watching the cheerleaders also.

'me neither' Daisy told her. That was a whole other life ago. The hair extensions and fake tan, the schmoozing with sorority girls, the stupid poses for pictures and the painful fake smiles. She couldn't believe that was ever her. Sometimes, the was thankful for what Lucas did, because if he hadn't she would still be one of them.

Now it was LSU's turn to drive the ball.

Joe ran onto the field. Number nine. Dressed in the famous white, yellow and purple. He's clapping his hands and shouting at his team. He looked commanding and dominant. Daisy gulped ever so slightly. She was all to familiar with another way he could be commanding and dominant. Heat crawled up her spine and she took a sip of her beer to suppress it.

'god I hope we win' Cassie sighed as LSU readied up another snap. Nothing spectacular had come from this drive, but they were only 18 yards from the end zone so a touchdown was possible.

When the ball snapped, Joe took a moment to look around the field and figure out which was his best option. Every step and movement so calculated. He sees something before anyone else does. He releases the ball from his hand like he's fired a cannon. He had spotted Justin making a run across the end zone, only open by a small margin and yet the ball finds him. Touchdown.

The LSU band began to play. Cassie and Bella scream in excitement while jumping up and down. The crowd around them not too happy about it. Daisy doesn't scream or shout but she does applaud the touchdown. She was happy for Justin and she was thankful for the now even scoreline.

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

When halftime came the game sat at LSU 23 - Texas 20.

Thirty minutes left and everything to play for.

Daisy got some more refreshments in the form of beer. She was going to need it to get through the second half. Her nerves hadn't settled by much and the close scoreline wasn't helping.

The buzz of a message in her back pocket didn't either.

@.Milelucasford wants to send you a message.

you with burrow or jefferson? my bets on burrow. hell maybe it's both.

For a moment she felt panic. How had he pieced it together but then she remembered he hadn't and that this was just classic Lucas. Anytime she breathed near another man he would act like this, she was only shocked that he continued to do it ever after breaking her heart.

She flashed her phone to Cassie and Bella while rolling her eyes, showing off the message.

'what a loser' bella laughed.

'block him' cassie said sternly.

Daisy nodded in agreement. She never should have unblocked him. When she goes to do so another message pops up.

@.mileslucasford wants to send you a message.

whoever it is, your boys got it coming tonight.

Daisy felt uneasy at the message. She shook the feeling off and blocked him, placing her phone back in her pocket.

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

The third quarter began with a Texas drive. Joe watched on from the bench as the game was left in the hands of his defensive line. This was the most tense he had felt. Everything felt on the line and he didn't know why, it felt like an end of season championship deciding game. LSU needed to be better. Joe needed to be better. He had to play bigger, play riskier. That would be the only way he could better the defence of Texas.

The only way he could turn the horn's down.

He had been thinking about her this game, about Daisy watching on from the bleachers. About the way she looked under the stadium lights. He also thought about the way she had looked when Lucas spoke to her, the way she seemed like a shell of the girl he knew. How she had cowered and hung her head.

Lucas had pissed him off. A hot shot star boy who had an ego way too big with a game record not good enough to back it up. Joe couldn't image a world in which Lucas and Daisy ever dated. They were like opposites but then again, Joe didn't know much about the girl she was before LSU. Maybe she was more like Lucas than he thought.

Screams from the crowd pull him from his thoughts. He looks to the field.

Lucas has caught a tough ball and is running to the end zone with all the space in the world.

Touchdown to the horns.

Lucas does some stupid run around the field before he points to someone in the crowd. He claps his hands together twice. It's a taunt and Joe know's it's to Daisy.

Joe hits his hand hard against the bench in frustration.

'fuck this' Joe spits to Justin as he grabs his helmet and runs on the field for LSU's drive.

Daisy watches him run back on. For a moment, she gets to see him without the helmet. His cheeks are blushed and a wet sheen sits across his forehead. The blond hair messy and unkept, a few stray hairs curling down. His jaw is sharp and clenched. Determination written across his face. He looked good, she could admit that. Very good. So good, that the sight of him alone was turning her on.

The throw from snap turns her on even more.

It's a ridiculous throw. One that shouldn't have achieved anything but somehow it does. A touchdown by Jefferson again.

This time Daisy can't help but cheer with Bella and Cassie. I mean it was a brilliant play, one of the best she had ever seen and it meant that her ex boyfriend was now once again losing.

Joe was animated in celebration. He pounds on his chest and his team surround him. He clashes helmets with Ja'marr and claps his hands. Then he turns and jeers at the crowd, waving his hand up and down to the boos that sound out. He points at the Texas Longhorns sideline and gives them two slow claps. Daisy couldn't help but find it attractive. He looked rough and manly, she liked it. she liked it a lot.

From that point on it was like the Longhorns never had a chance.

Joe was on fire. Every pass and every play was calculated perfection. Every minute that passed painful for the Longhorns and their fans. LSU were unstoppable.

The game ended LSU 45 - Texas 30.

Horn's down. Daisy gets the last laugh.

and she is laughing. She laughing and cheering with Bella and Cassie until they notice the crowds tone shift from subdued claps to shock.

Their eyes dart back to the field.

Joe shakes the hands of some of the Texas players. It was a fun game, one he definitely enjoyed winning. All was going fine until Lucas Milo decided he wasn't done playing.

He barged past Joe with a forceful shoulder. One which rocked Joe on his feet.

'the fuck?' Joe shouted at Lucas' irritated face. The LSU players noticed and began to crowd around, ready to protect their quarterback. The Longhorns did the same with their wide receiver.

'you got lucky tonight burrow' Lucas puffs up his chest again and get's in Joe's face. Joe shoved him back, this time more forceful than the last. Joe knew he was trying to provoke him and he wasn't going to bite. He held himself to a higher standard than that, than to embarrass himself on television and see the heismann trophy slip from his grasp for unsportsmanlike behaviour.

'god you think your such hot shit' Lucas shakes his head with aggressive annoyance. Just looking at Joe's face was annoying him, especially since he knew in his gut that his ex girlfriend was messing around with him.

'I know I am' Joe can't help but let the easy cocky jab slip from his mouth. Justin laughs from beside him. The laugh stops when Lucas makes a charge at them both.

Both teams stop the connection from happening, blocking Lucas from being able to make any sort of hit. It was a pretty pathetic attempt and the motives of it are sounded out to Joe and his team.

'keep your fucking hands off my girlfriend.' Lucas yells as he's pushed back and dragged towards the tunnel.

Joe shakes his head humorously. The next time he fucked Daisy, she would taste extra sweet.

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

After the game Daisy and the girls decided to celebrate the LSU win by heading out to one of her favourite bars in Austin, one she had been sneaking into since she was sixteen.

It wasn't her idea to invite them. It was Bella's. She didn't think they would accept. Daisy was sure they would be heading straight back to Louisiana but she was wrong. Justin, Ja'marr and Joe would be leaving for LSU at seven am sharp tomorrow morning. That meant tonight was free and they wanted to celebrate the hard fought victory.

They all followed behind as Daisy led them to the small town bar at the end of the street. They weren't directly in the cities center, they were just on the outskirts but the town still bustled with civilians all stumbling, looking for a place to spend their Saturday night. The sky was dark as the hour was turning late. A crimson neon arrow pointed to the arched wooden door of the establishment.

'The Great Western Tavern' glowed in bright white bulbs.

A texas flag waving from a pole out front. Music poured from it's walls and drunken strangers fell from the doors.

Joe, being from Ohio, was wary. Ja'marr and Justin didn't seem to phased. Cassie, Bella and Daisy skipped in excitement as they approached the front of the western building.

'well I never. miss daisy dukes is that you?' The hoarse voice of an old man sat outside smoking called out just as the girls were about to enter.

Daisy head turned to greet the wrinkled and grey haired man. She tipped her cowgirl hat and gave him a wink before pushing open the doors of the venue.

So thats why Lucas called her dukes, Joe thought.

The boys followed in behind the girls. When they did they fought the urge to turn back around and leave.

It was a honky tonk.

A honky tonk filled with people line dancing, a live band playing rowdy country songs, ones which made the walls of the bar shake. Warm fairy lights and fire coloured neon signs light up the place. Wooden beams lay across the ceilings and cattle skulls hang from the walls alongside beer posters and texan memorabilia. Around the open dance floor were tables, stools and dark leather booths full of various types of people. Some looked like tourists, others looked like rednecks. Strangers all from different walks of life meeting together.

Joe hated country music. He hated this bar. He hated that Justin and Ja'marr had dragged him out with the prospect of fresh girls to hook up with. He could have been sleeping right now, but no, instead he was here. In some small town texan honky tonk listening to music he found painful and dancing he found cringeworthy.

'grab a table' Daisy turned round to face the rest of the group. 'first round is on me' with that she left to the busy bar which was located behind the dance floor in the dark corner at the back of the vast open room.

They sat and waited for her to come back with the drinks. They were in a red leather booth. The two girls sat on one side leaving a space for Daisy, while the boys sat on the other. Justin opposite Bella, Ja'marr opposite Cassie. Joe would be across from Daisy when she came back.

'you guys like the game' Ja'marr makes small talk with the girls. They were already slightly tipsy meaning they must have snook in some drinks to the stadium. There cheeks lightly flushed rose with playful delight.

'it was fun' bella beamed.

'so fun' Cassie confirmed.

'I can get you guys some more tickets for home games' Justin offers.

'we wouldn't want to leave out Daisy' Bella says with apologetic eyes. It was true. The girls would have been more inclined to get involved in one of the more major parts of LSU college life had they not have been best friends with Daisy. They used to go the games in freshman year, well Cassie did. It was before they had met Bella. Cassie would go every game to support Daisy and her cheer team but since she quit they hadn't stepped foot into LSU's stadium.

'she came tonight' Ja'marr said as he leaned back in the leather seats.

'she only came to show lucas she was doing fine without him' Cassie shrugged. Joe shuffled in his seat. Ja'marr gave him a side eye glance.

The table jumps when six beers are slammed down.

'hey y'all, sorry bout' the wait.' Daisy southern twang was now no longer just a twang. It was thicker and more prominent. Being around other texans must have brought it out, that or the liquor she was drinking. She slots herself into the booth as everyone claims a bottle.

'good game' Daisy says to them, but it's more directed at Joe than anyone else.

'thanks' He brushes off her compliment cooly.

'what happened afterwards, fight or somethin'?' Daisy quizzes. She knew it was between Joe and Lucas, they were playing it on the big screens but she couldn't tell what it was about.

'nothin'. he can't handle losing' Joe tells her something she already knows.

Daisy just nods her head in acknowledgement of his words.

A tension lays itself thick between them. Daisy knows he's not telling the full truth and she know's what ever happened was about her.

'anyone else want to get shitfaced?' Bella breaks the painful silence.

A mumble of enthusiastic yeahs float across the table and the night finally begins.

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

Belly laughs ring out across the table as they exchange stories from their lives. They were all getting to know each other, like properly. Like friends. The boys discuss the awkward first training session when Joe transferred over from Ohio state and how they though he was a complete asshole. How he never smiled around them and took everything way to seriously. The girls told them about how Bella first met them. Cassie and Daisy had been drunkenly sobbing uncontrollably out the front of a frat house they had just been kicked out of for being 'a bad vibe'. Bella had gone outside to smoke a joint. She asked them what was wrong. They told her all about what had happened with there ex boyfriends and how they hated all men and that they were going to run away to an all girl commune. Bella didn't know what to do so she shared her joint with them. An hour later all three of them had stolen bikes out the back of the frat house yard and were riding around campus. When the campus security tracked them down they had to ditch the bikes and run on foot to lose them. Somehow the night ended up with them in a fountain then all crashing on Bella's dorm room floor. From then on they were inseparable.

They were on round four of drinks but during round three they each took two tequila shots, so they were pretty wasted. So wasted Joe had even found himself head bopping to the country noise that rattled between the walls of the tavern.

'oh my god' Daisy shot to her feet.

'come dance with me, anyone' She looks between everyone on the table with desperation. The dance floor begin to fill up even more as the band on stage announced a special upcoming song.

'no way' Justin said pretty instantly.

'second that' Bella said.

'my feet are hurting in these new boots' Cassie said apologetically.

Daisy looked at Joe. A drunken hope blossoming in her green eyes.

'not a chance' Joe slammed her hopes down on the floor and stood on them. Her face drops and Joe almost feels bad. Her eyes filling with a sadness.

'fuck it' Ja'marr said before he downed the remaining beer in his bottle. Joe's head whipped to his teammate. Ja'marr didn't look at him, instead he just stood up from his seat at the booth.

'you gon' have to teach me daisy' His words are flirty. Both charming and teasing.

'I can do that' Daisy responds with the same charm.

'Move outta the way qb' Ja'marr has this glint in his eye. A glint only Joe can read. Ja'marr was doing this on purpose, some kind of test to see if Joe would get agitated or jealous. A test to see if what he said about just being meaningless sex was true. Joe knew that and he would prove himself right. Ja'marr was free to embarrass himself on the honky tonk dance floor while he sat on the sidelines and watched. He was free to dance with Daisy and do whatever as long as it didn't cross the line. As long as the code wasn't broken. The code being that frat brothers and teammates don't hook up with the their friends girl if they have slept with them more than three times. More often than not if they had slept with the same girl more than three times it meant something. The only thing Daisy meant to Joe was good sex. Sex he didn't want to share with people he knew.

Joe let Ja'marr out of the booth.

Daisy hooked onto his arm as they walked to the dance floor. A small cheer came from the crowd as a popular song began to play.

Fake ID - by Big & Rich.

Joe rolled his eyes, letting out huff of annoyance.

He watched as Daisy tried to coach Ja'marr on the line dance. Her beat up cowgirl boots clattering against deep worn in wood floor. Ja'marr followed like a lost puppy with two left feet, but Daisy didn't seem to mind. Her soft hair cascading down her back as she threw her head in a sweet sounding laugh while she watched Ja'marr's painful attempt to keep up.

Joe was watching with an intense glare. Sips of cold beer trickle down his throat as he tried not to let it affect him. He was irritated by Ja'marr, by the way his teammate was purposefully trying to get under his skin and tease him. He was even more irritated by the fact Daisy was still wearing the burnt orange 'i'm horny' t-shirt. He wanted to rip it off her for two different reasons.

The chorus of the song chimed through the hot and heavy bar. Voices from all around sang along. The atmosphere turning more restless and rowdy. The place getting drunker and drunker with every passing chime on the clock.

Hey mister won't you sell me a fake ID

There's a band in the bar that i'm dying to see.

Daisy grips her thumbs on the belt loops of her tight jeans as she swings her hips around and stomps her cowgirl cladded feet. Her hair swirls in the air as her head swings to the rhythm. Unified stomps sound out the bar to every beat of the live bands music. Joe swallowed as his mouth dried. The dancing he found cringeworthy only moments ago was now one of the greatest things he had seen in the flesh. Her ass looked too good in them jeans. Her stomach looked too toned under the warm orange light. Her skin looks too soft and too biteable. Memories of what's underneath the clothes flood his mind.

I got my money and you got what I need

Hey mister won't you sell me a fake ID.

Her feet cross over each other and she twirls.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

She looks over her shoulder for Ja'marr. He's struggling but she appreciates that he's at least trying.

Joe takes another sip of his now warming beer.

His light eyes hadn't left her body. Cassie and Bella noticed it. They looked at Justin, when he couldn't meet their eye-line they knew something was up. Cassie and Bella knew about the hook up at the frat party a month ago, but what they didn't know was that it was now a regular occurrence between their best friend and the star quarterback.

They girls focus on Joe's body language.

Joe focusses on what's happening on the dance floor.

Daisy was no longer following the routine. She had given it up when there was no hope of Ja'marr being able to follow it. Instead the pair of them are dancing together. Daisy's hands are on Ja'marr's shoulders and his own lay loosely on her hips, touching the soft bare skin that lay between the end of her cropped top and start of her denim jeans. They spin around together. Her green eyes gleamed and it was like the sun radiated from her skin. She was happier than Joe had ever seen her.

Bella watches as Joe's grip on the glass beer bottle intensifies. His knuckles tainted white. His jaw clenching stiffly and his lips tightening. She stores it as a mental note. One she would bring up later.

Joe tries not to let it phase him, but he didn't like the show that was happening in front of him. A teammates hands on the hips that he grips. A whole bar of people watching as she swings her hips in a seductive way.

When the song was over he was relieved.

Ja'marr and Daisy engage in a brief discussion before she heads off into the crowd and he comes back to the table. Ja'marr was sweaty and breathless but Joe lacks any sympathy. Not after the stunt he just pulled.

'Daisy just went to catch some air out back' Ja'marr threw a thumb over his shoulder and pointed into the crowd.

'I'm gonna grab another beer' Joe stood up. Ja'marr's eyes squinted at him. He knew he wasn't going to get another beer.

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

Fairy lights strung from fence post to fence post illuminating the small garden of the bar. The night sky was dark, but warm. Like a comforting blanket cloaked around the venue. Daisy loved it here. She would always come, sneaking out of her apartment any chance she could to join her high school friends. Lucas would sometimes come, but he wouldn't let her dance. He was over protective like that. He only let her cheer because it was for him.

She pulled out her pack of marlboros, taking one in her mouth. She lit it and inhaled. She only smoked in Austin.

'those are bad for you'

She doesn't have to look to know it's Joe. She takes another drag of the tobacco filled paper. The end glows orange and ash gets taken away into the sky by a subtle breeze.

'many things are bad for me' Daisy eye's trail up his body. He was one of the things that were bad for her. Douchebag, egotistical, narcissistic, frat boy quarterback who only cared about fucking women and playing ball.

'ok' Joe says with a stifled laugh. He didn't know why he had come out here looking for her, it was like his legs were on autopilot. He walked out here without making any conscious thought to do so.

'soooo' The silence is deafening between them. Joe can't stand it.

'cheerleader with a football ex huh.' It's the wrong thing to say but he couldn't help it. He wanted to know more.

Another deep drag of the burning cigarette. A long exhale. Daisy wets her lips and nods.

'friday night lights shit.' It's a joke but she doesn't laugh when she says it. She takes a brief breath in.

‘thanks for winning today.’ Her words are sincere, and more meaningful than Joe was used to hearing from her.

‘thought you were a longhorns fan’ Joe tries to lighted the atmosphere with a small joke. One that doesn't land the way he wanted it too.

‘i was’ Daisy's response was shallow and blunt. She didn't want to elaborate or go into details about her old life. She knew Joe was trying to get something out of her but she was too stubborn to let him in.

Joe just nodded before looking out to the night sky. That weird tension wraps itself around them again. It the tension that comes when they know it’s going to happen again. When they know that in a short while they will once again be entangled in each others arms and bed sheets. When they know they will be leaving behind sloppy breathless kisses and marks which signify they were there. Purple nips on her chest and scratch marks on his back. They just had to fill up the time until it got there.

‘you look good under the floodlights’ Joe's voice is hoarse and low.

‘you look good on the field’ a hunger creeps its way into Daisy's words.

‘if we’re going to do this ‘one time thing’ regularly we should establish some ground rules’ Daisy takes another drag of her cigarette. Joe nods in agreement. Ground rules would make sure this never turned complicated.

‘rule one. no strings. just sex’ Joe starts it off.

‘that means we can hook up with other people’ He explains further. Daisy scoffs but nods her head in agreement. Of course that’s his first rule she thought.

‘rule two. we keep this private. I don’t want people knowing i’m sleeping with you. it’s bad for my image’ Daisy says. Joe rolls his eyes.

'being seen with me is the best thing for your image' He snarks back. A part of his ego damaged by her half joking words. Daisy hardens her lips in an attempt to hide her smug smile. Joe had taken her bait.

'how so?' Daisy entertains his words before taking in another tobacco filled puff.

'I'm the best college player around right now and i'm fucking handsome' Joe's words are only a small percentage humorous. That makes Daisy laugh as she exhales her cloud of grey smoke. Joe doesn't understand why she's laughing, everything he said was true.

'i've done the star football players trophy wife thing since I was fifteen, I don't need you for it to be my image' Her words hit Joe like a punch to the gut, one which was unexpected. Now he's remembering the way Lucas still called Daisy his girlfriend on the field, and the way that they shared four years of their life together before she ever even knew Joe existed. Daisy had been known for the last four years as Lucas Milo's girlfriend. That makes Joe feel sick. Like he had lost a game he never knew he was playing. He had to catch up.

'What's rule three?' Daisy breaks the silence she created.

Joe looks at her, he really looks at her. His sky blue eyes darken to a harsh indigo, his brows ever so slightly furrow. He takes a step closer to her and she doesn't move, her poise not faltering. They're close now. Joe takes the cigarette from her hand and steals the last toke before throwing the bud on the ground beside them. Daisy's face contorts in annoyance. The last drag of a drunken cigarette was the best part and he had stolen it. A sexual pressure forms between them as their eyes scan each others. Both of them searching for the signal. Daisy looks him up and down. Joe does the same. The once cool night in Austin now felt like the death valley desert, heat stinging at their skin. Joe's eyes linger on her top. He carefully takes the bottom hem in between his thumb and his index finger gently feeling the ribbed white fabric.

Daisy's breath catches in her throat. The top was just a joke, a play on words. She used to wear them to games all the time when she came to watch Lucas during freshman year but she wasn't with Lucas anymore.

She watches Joe's face twist in brief disgust and listens as he kisses his teeth. He lets the fabric drop. It clings back to her skin with a light slap sound. Dark eyes meet her own once more.

'don't wear this shit again'

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

Daisy lay in the floral bedsheets of her childhood bedroom. Her night felt unfinished. She left the bar with the girls and Joe left with the boys to head back to the hotel. It was 4:10am and they would be on their coach back to Baton Rouge in three hours. Daisy knew Joe would be sleeping but she stay lay awake yearning for his touch.

Joe lay in the plain bedsheets of his hotel room. His night felt incomplete. He didn't want to have to leave the bar with just the boys but he had no choice in the matter, Daisy didn't want the girls to know about them. Rule number two. The team coach left for Baton Rouge in three hours but he couldn't sleep. Thoughts of her touch on his skin and kisses on his lips kept him awake. Joe knew she would be asleep but he had to at least try.

Daisy stared up at her ceiling like a silent prayer to god to give her some relief.

When her phone buzzed it was like he answered.

@.joeyb_9 sent you a message

Hilton Hotel, 1617 N Interstate Highway 35, Austin, Texas.

Room 87.

She hated the fact she got out of her bed with no hesitation. She hated the way she put on a nicer pair of sweats and a clean top. She hated the way she triple checked herself in the mirror before she snuck of her room. She tiptoed around the living room where Cassie and Bella slept on a blown up mattress, grabbing her keys from the kitchen island and slipping on her uggs.

What she hated most was the flashbacks to high school. Sneaking out to meet the football star downtown, she had lived this life before. She had to remind herself this was different. She wasn't a teenager and she wasn't in love anymore. The stakes weren't the same. This was just something casual, something transactional. She gave the apartment one last glance over before she carefully shut the door and twisted her key in the lock.

The clock struck 4:57am and Joe had lost hope in her coming. He could see she had read the message but the journey shouldn't have taken this long. A light sting to his chest as he felt rejection for the first time in a long while. He grabbed a cup of water from the bathroom and looked out the hotel window as the sky was just beginning to get lighter.

A faint knock makes him turn around.

He walks to the heavy door and pulls it open.

There she stood.

It was like seeing an oasis in the desert.

Joe plays it cool. He doesn't want her to know he had been pacing around waiting to see if she would turn up. He tried to hide the feeling of desperation that had clawed away at his stomach. He had found himself scrolling through images on her instagram, his eyes looking and lingering longingly on her body. It was pitiful. Joe snapped out of it and closed his phone once he realised his stalking went over the line of casual. That was too dangerous of a game to play. They needed to not get too involved.

'though you weren't coming' His words are unemotional and unconcerned. Blue eyes trail her body. She's wearing something casual. Black sweats with a grey jumper. Her hair is down but ever so slightly messy. She isn't wearing any makeup. Joe wasn't expecting her to be but he hadn't been able to imagine her without it. She looked the same, if not better. A more natural beauty, with radiant skin and light brown freckly washed across both cheeks. The skin around her light eyes was softly puffy, a testament to the lack of sleep and late hour.

'uber took a wrong turn' Daisy answered back with a mirroring coolness, like she wasn't already dripping in her panties at the sigjht of him. Joe was shirtless, his golden blond hair messy and some small purple lsu training shorts on his bottom half.

Joe responded with a brief nod before he moved out the way to let her in the room, quickly scanning the corridor before shutting the door and locking it.

Daisy placed her keys on the table with a clank.

The atmosphere was strange, they both knew what they were here for but there was now a hesitation. Neither of them knowing how to break the tension between them. A kiss felt too personal, like the greeting of a girlfriend. Getting straight to it felt to rushed, almost too rude. With every second that passed a thicker tension built. Daisy had to be the one to man up and make the first move.

'stop staring and just fuck me Joe' Brash and bold. Joe didn't need to hear any further instructions.

-౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ -

Stomach down, ass up. Their favourite position. She's bend over the hotel bed and the warm smell of sex rung in the air. The before sunrise light creeping in through the beige linen curtains of the hotel room. The lighting was low but enough for Joe to see all the parts of her body he wanted too.

His thrusts into her from behind and she's gripping onto the cotton sheets in euphoric ecstasy. His hands grip on her hip bones as his guides her back to his length. The sound of sticky skin slapping ringing out across the room. Daisy muffles her moans into a pillow beneath her. She had to be quiet, if Joe's coaches found out he had brought a girl back he would be in some serious trouble but he was making it difficult.

Smack. a stinging blow to the sensitive skin of her ass as he picks up the pace. A muffled yelp into the pillow.

Joe throws his head back in pleasure as he too struggles to keep control over his heavy grunts. Closing his eyes and looking up to the ceiling.

'god bless texas'

words of sweet satisfaction as he continues to pump into her from behind. When his stroked begin to grow sloppy and slower Daisy takes over, she begins to push herself back onto him. Her arched back moving forwards and backwards as she moans in delight, letting Joe catch his breath. He keeps a guiding hand on her waist and lets the other grip her hair with tug.

'you take me so well' He praises her.

Joe regains control of the situation and flips Daisy so she's on her back and laying underneath him. He pins her hands above her head as he lay sultry kisses across her collarbone and down her stomach. She wriggled around in pleasure. Moans of his name slipped from her swollen lips.

Joe let's go of her hands and he delves further and further down her stomach, leaving kisses along the way. Daisy knows what's coming and she gets even wetter at the thought alone. Her hips buck and let Joe know how bad she wants it. How bad she wants to feel his tongue on her sensitive center.

Joe places kisses all around her clit but never touches it. Daisy grows more frustrated with every peck. He's teasing her, edging her closer and closer to the ecstasy she so deeply desires but not letting her have it.

'Joe' Daisy's words are merely a pathetic whimper. She feels him smile as he lays down another peck on the top of her thigh.

'beg for me' He whispers. Daisy had never begged a man for anything, she didn't want to start now so she remained quiet.

When she gave no response Joe hovered his mouth close over her clit, close enough so that she could feel his own plump lips a hair width away. Uncontrollably, her hips buck once more and her center connects with Joe's lips for a second. The second was enough.

'pu-please' Her hands tug at his hair as she almost cries out her pleas.

'please, Joe. please give it to me'

Joe looks at her desperation with a twinkle in his now almost black eyes and a smirk plastered across his face.

'did he ever make you beg like this' Daisy knows who Joe is referring too. She stays silent, because truthfully Lucas never had. He hardly made her cum. He never went down on her.

'i didn't think so' was all Joe said before he placed his mouth on her clit, nipping and sucking at it. She tasted like honey, a sweet nectar that tasted even better after what Lucas had done on the field.

Daisy's hands grip at his hair, pulling lightly as the feeling of pleasure swirled in her stomach. Joe's tongue began to swirl and he inserted two fingers inside her dripping hole, sliding them in and out at a painfully slow pace. Daisy's breaths were hot and heavy as she could no longer control her bodies reaction to his touch. Her legs began to shake furiously as her climax neared. When they would lock up tight around Joe's head, he would push them apart once more with rough force. A rough force she found herself enjoying.

'keep em fucking open' He would command.

Joe quickened the pace of his fingers inside her. The pressure of her climax building and building, every lick and every pump bringing her closer and closer the feeling she had craved since she first saw him on the football field.

'Joe' Her moans now loud, the premise of being quiet no longer a thought in her high mind.

'fuck, 'm cumming'

As Daisy came to her own climax, Joe pushed himself back inside her and began to thrust deeply chasing his own. Moans filled the air and their foreheads pressed together.

'fuck, oh my god' Joe said as he came close, only a few strokes away from finishing.

'Daisy' he whispered in euphoria and he pulled himself from her and let his load land on her bare chest.

He slams down on the bed next to her, both of their chests rising and falling harshly as they try to catch stolen breaths. After around a minute, Daisy gets up and grabs a hand cloth from the bathroom and cleans herself up.

She walks back into the room and begins to put her clothes back on.

'when you back in Baton Rouge?' Joe asks her, still lying in bed.

'flight leaves at seven thirty tonight.' He nods in acknowledgement.

'I'll probably see you monday then' Joe tries to subtly let her know that's when he wants to next hook up. It doesn't work.

'yeah. maybe.' Daisy finishes putting on her shoes and ties up her laces. Joe just rolls his eyes. Pleasantries no longer being exchanged and the conversation turning back to simple blunt small talk.

Daisy grabs her keys from the table and heads towards the door.

'bye' She calls out as she opens it.

'later' Joe mumbles out, now all of a sudden tired.

When the door shuts, he drifts off to sleep.

An hour later, his alarm sounds out and wakes him up. He packed his things and headed down to the bus.

A long journey back to Louisiana.

౨ৎ

[funnyjb]

Joe in amory (march 1)