Inspired by this rambling. Takes place after the first date in Part 5 of Roll for Initiative, and after Reader visits Joe's family and Joe has dinner with Reader's Mom, but just before Part 7.

Milestones--A 'Roll for Initiative' Blurb

Series Masterlist | Joe Burrow Masterlist | Main Masterlist

_______________________

Joe turns, half aware of something that's a little too cool when he reaches out, but not fully registering it until his arm falls flat. The sheets are too cold. You're supposed to be there--warm and solid, something for him to latch onto and bring closer to him. He's not really sure who turned away first, you or him because Joe does remembers falling asleep on your chest, the gentle rub of your fingertips over his scalp until he couldn't finish his sentences anymore. But at some point in the night something shifted.

Joe lifts his head and even in the dark, with just enough moonlight bleeding in through the not fully closed curtains, Joe can see that your side of the bed is empty. He listens for a moment, trying to catch if the flush of the toilet will come or the rush of the sink. Instead there's a gentle murmur. Not loud enough for him to catch the exact words, but loud enough that he can hear something, a voice, and then a sniffle.

With a small huff, Joe pushes up from the bed, the queen sized mattress not as long as he would want to sleep on, but it's thick and plush--exactly how he'd imagined you'd want a mattress to feel. The bedroom door is slightly ajar, cracked as if someone attempted to close it but left left just enough of a gap to avoid making noise. The hardwood floors are cold against the bottom of his feet, but Joe trudges on.

Joe had barely stepped into the press conference room before the attention shifted—not just to him, but to the tiny, curly-haired toddler perched on his shoulders, gripping his dad’s cap like it was his personal handle.

The room buzzed with quiet laughter as reporters took in the sight of Cincinnati’s star quarterback strolling in with his shadow securely attached to him, Hayes’ little sneakers bouncing against Joe’s chest as they moved.

Joe, unfazed, ducked slightly to make sure Hayes’ head didn’t hit the doorway. “You good up there, bud?”

Some of these things I feel will be revealed in the coming part...BUT:

Right off the bat he noticed the passion she has...

Joe has always been a quiet guy. Hiding away in the shadows of rooms, sinking below overly boisterous conversations, letting his eyes flick around aimlessly for signs or clues as to how others were feeling. And he always saw it in her...this overwhelming joy for the things she talked about, because she could never half-ass anything, even an inconsequential conversation about whether or not water is wet, because to her everything is consequential. Everything has meaning. What else would be the point then? Joe noticed. It always made him filter out the hollow gab he felt always surrounded him and perk up in interest, because he knew if she was speaking, she had a reason.

a/n: feeling THINGS while writing this. ily for this one anon, i was thinking about this all day <3

warnings: smut & nsfw content below! (is it hot in here or is it just me)

wc: 1.3k

───────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆───────

oh my god YES YES YESSSS. you get it. YOU GET IT!!!!

absolutely. this is so them. but they’ve never actually been apart for that long. honestly, two months? it’s laughable. it’s cruel. they’d crumble by week two, if not sooner. joe’s antsy, checking flight prices at two in the morning; she’s curled up in hotel beds that feel too big and too cold without him. one of them would cave—always—and book the next red-eye without a second thought, showing up with tired eyes and open arms just to be back where they belong...together.