bengalverse

[bengalverse]

Human | Jalen Hurts

summary — After another stadium-shaking win, Jalen Hurts is stopped by a question no one’s asked him before: “How long has it been since someone hugged you?”In a world of noise, performance, and pressure, one quiet moment with a stranger reminds him what it means to be human. What begins as an unexpected encounter slowly becomes something real—something that lingers far beyond the final whistle.

words — 889

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

"How long has it been since someone has hugged you?"

The question came so quietly, so unexpectedly, that it almost got lost in the roar of the stadium.

Jalen Hurts blinked in surprise and turned slightly away from the noise—the reporters, the cameras, the chaos. Moments ago, he had led his team to victory. Again. Another touchdown. Another clutch moment that would fill sports headlines tomorrow.

But now, none of that mattered.

Because standing in front of him, just beyond the barrier, was someone who didn't quite fit into the excitement. Someone still. Someone calm.

You.

You wore a worn Eagles beanie pulled low over your brow, sleeves of an oversized hoodie swallowed your hands, and your voice—soft and trembling—had cut through the noise like a whisper in a storm.

He thought he'd misheard.

"I'm sorry?" Jalen leaned closer, even though he'd understood you perfectly. Maybe he just needed to be sure.

"How long has it been since someone has hugged you?" you repeated, softer now. "I mean... really hugged you. Not for a camera. Not because you scored. Just... because."

He didn't know how to respond.

He was Jalen Hurts—starting quarterback, face of a franchise, a leader. He was used to chest bumps, half-hugs, media smiles, sideline back-pats. But when was the last time someone had held him without a reason, without expecting something in return?

He searched his mind. Came up empty.

"I know it's a weird question," you added quickly, eyes dropping. "I wasn't going to say anything at all. But then I saw you. You looked... tired. Empty, even. For someone who just won."

That word.

Empty.

It hit harder than he expected.

Everyone else called him a warrior, a grinder, a fighter. But never that. Never honest. Never real.

"What's your name?" he asked instead.

"Y/N," you said, barely louder than a breath.

"Y/N." He repeated it like a secret. "I... don't really know what to say."

You gave a small shrug. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted to ask. To make sure someone did."

No camera. No autograph. No ticket request. Just a question. And somehow, it rattled something in him more than any fourth-quarter blitz.

"It's been a while," he said quietly. "Too long, probably."

Your face softened, like you understood more than you let on. "Me too."

For a moment, the world around you two faded. The crowd noise dulled, the lights blurred. It felt like standing in the eye of a storm—quiet, calm, untouched.

"Can I hug you?" you asked gently.

He hesitated. His gear was heavy, his skin damp with sweat. People were still watching.

But something inside him—something that hadn't spoken up in a long time—said yes.

So he nodded.

You stepped forward, slowly, like you didn't want to startle him. Then your arms wrapped around him—not tight, not forced. Just... warm.

Real.

And something inside Jalen cracked open. Or maybe not cracked—melted. Like ice that had long overstayed its welcome.

His shoulders dropped.

His breath steadied.

His pulse quieted.

Ten seconds. Maybe less. But it was enough.

When you finally pulled away, you looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry if that was weird."

"It wasn't," he said, voice low. "It was the most real thing I've felt in a long time."

You stepped back. The noise of the stadium returned. A staffer waved Jalen over—time for the press conference.

"I should go," he murmured.

"I know," you said. "I just... wanted to make sure someone asked if you were okay."

He looked at you one last time before turning toward the tunnel.

⸻

The next day, he sat alone in the practice facility. Not working out. Not studying film. Just sitting. Thinking.

The world outside called him a winner, a leader, a hero. But all he could hear was your voice.

How long has it been since someone has hugged you

He stared out the window at the field, golden sunlight hitting the empty turf.

He pulled out his phone. Opened Instagram. Something he rarely used. And typed a short story post:

"Sometimes the most important question isn't how many points you put on the board. It's when someone last held you just to say you're human."

He added a heart emoji. Not for likes. Not for PR.

But for himself.

⸻

Two weeks later, at another home game, he saw you again.

Third row. Same beanie. Same quiet expression.

You didn't shout. Didn't wave frantically. Just raised your hand slightly when your eyes met.

He smiled.

After the game, he didn't walk straight to the tunnel. He walked to you.

"I've been thinking about your question," he said.

"And?" you asked, voice still soft.

"I think... you gave me something I didn't know I needed."

You smiled, just a little. "I wanted to remind you you're more than a quarterback."

He nodded slowly. Then looked at you for a beat longer.

"How long has it been since you were hugged?" he asked.

You looked away. "Also too long."

He stepped closer. This time, he was the one to open his arms.

You didn't hesitate.

No flash. No fame. No pressure.

Just two people.

And sometimes, that's more than enough.

[bengalverse]

Only you | Ceedee Lamb

summary — A quiet hotel room. Rain tapping against the windows. In the warmth of midnight stillness, CeeDee Lamb and Y/N revisit the moment everything changed—the night “I love you” was said for the first time. Through flashbacks, soft confessions, and the kind of silence that feels safe, two people reflect on a love that started unexpectedly… and became everything. Because some moments don’t just stay in your memory—they live in your bones.

words — 1162

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

The soft hum of rain tapped gently against the windows of the hotel suite, casting a dreamy rhythm over the quiet room. The city lights blinked outside, blurred slightly by the mist on the glass. Inside, it was warm. Still. Comfortable in that way only long conversations at midnight could make things feel.

Ceedee sat at the edge of the king-size bed, one leg pulled up, his fingers absently tugging at the hem of his hoodie. You were beside him, curled under the throw blanket he insisted on stealing from the team plane because it "felt better than anything on Earth."

Your head rested against his shoulder, and neither of you had spoken in a while. But it wasn't awkward. It was that quiet that feels earned—built on safety, built on knowing.

Then you broke it. Softly.

"What was going through your head," you asked, voice low and unhurried, "when I told you I loved you?"

His breath caught.

You didn't ask with expectation. You asked with curiosity. Like someone reopening a journal to a page they barely remember writing.

And he smiled.

Not the one he used for cameras or press conferences or end-zone celebrations.

The real one.

The one that only ever came out when it was just you and him and no one else in the world to perform for.

"I remember every second," he said.

You turned to face him more, shifting under the blanket. "Do you?"

He nodded, eyes distant with memory. "You were wearing my gray Cowboys hoodie. The one you always said smelled like cedarwood and stadium popcorn."

You laughed. "It does. Still does."

"I know." His smile deepened. "You had your hair up, like you always do when you're nervous. And we were in the parking lot, remember? After that late-night diner run."

You nodded. "You dropped your keys twice."

"That's 'cause you said it out of nowhere!"

Your cheeks warmed just thinking about it.

⸻

[FLASHBACK – Six Months Earlier]

It was late—almost 1 AM—and the empty Waffle House parking lot smelled like syrup and engine grease. You leaned against the side of CeeDee's car, sipping the last of your milkshake, still giggling about how he nearly tripped over the curb trying to "race you to the car."

"I told you I don't run after midnight," you teased.

He shot you a look, unlocking the car, tossing his takeout bag onto the passenger seat. "You told me a lot of things. Like how you 'definitely' weren't hungry five minutes ago."

You shrugged. "I lied."

"You're a menace."

You smiled. And then something in the moment—maybe it was the streetlamp casting that soft orange glow on his face, or the way his curls were still damp from the shower, or maybe just the fact that your heart couldn't hold it in anymore—pushed you over the edge.

You stepped closer. Just a little.

"Ceedee?"

He turned, caught off guard by your sudden seriousness.

You bit your lip. "I love you."

It was the first time you said it.

No lead-in. No dramatic build. Just a quiet, naked truth thrown out into a sleepy night.

Ceedee blinked.

Twice.

You could almost see the processing happening in his brain—like he was scrolling through every possible response and every emotion at once.

That pause. That heartbeat between you.

You'd never forget it.

You started to panic. "You don't have to say it back, I didn't mean to make it a big—"

He stepped forward, cupped your face in both hands, and kissed you.

The kind of kiss that made your knees wobble and your heart stutter. The kind that told you everything his mouth was too stunned to say.

And when he finally pulled back, he whispered, "You just short-circuited my whole brain."

You laughed, forehead resting against his.

"Love you too," he whispered. "Always did. Just didn't know if I was allowed to say it first."

⸻

[PRESENT DAY – BACK IN THE HOTEL ROOM]

"Your face was priceless," you giggled, pulling the blanket higher over your shoulders. "You looked like I hit you with a brick made of feelings."

"I was hit. Emotionally injured. I should've filed a report," he teased, nudging you gently.

"You really didn't see it coming?"

He looked at you with soft eyes. "Y/N, I was in so deep, I didn't know up from down anymore. But hearing you say it—out loud—I swear everything in me just... settled."

You blinked, heart tightening.

"Settled?"

"Yeah." He leaned back on his palms, gaze drifting toward the rain-slicked window. "Like, for the first time in forever, I wasn't chasing. I wasn't proving. I wasn't performing. I was just... home."

You didn't expect that answer.

Didn't expect the way your chest would ache at the way he said it.

"I always wondered," you whispered, eyes on your fingers, "if it scared you. If love made you hesitate."

"Oh, it did." His voice was warm. Honest. "Because I didn't think someone like me got to have that."

You looked at him, confused. "Someone like you?"

"Yeah." He chuckled softly, as if amused by his own past insecurity. "I've had cameras in my face since college. People making decisions for me. Shaping who I am. But you..."

He turned fully toward you now.

"You never wanted the player. You wanted me. Even when I was exhausted. Even when I was frustrated after practice. Even when I couldn't explain what was eating at me and just needed to be quiet for a while."

Your throat tightened.

He reached for your hand, brushing his thumb over your knuckles.

"What was going through my head when you said you loved me?" he repeated, his voice low, reverent. "I was thinking, Thank God she said it first. Because I was seconds away from breaking."

You laughed through the tears now welling in your eyes. "That's so dramatic."

"Because it was. I loved you so much it hurt."

He leaned closer, forehead nearly touching yours.

"And I still do."

Silence stretched between you again—but this time, it wasn't uncertainty.

It was fullness.

Comfort.

Safety.

"I love you too," you whispered.

He kissed your forehead. "I know. But I'll never get tired of hearing it."

You melted into him, legs draped over his lap now, your cheek resting against his chest. His arms wrapped around you like they were made to.

Outside, the rain kept falling.

Inside, two people who once collided in a parking lot with milkshakes and unspoken feelings were now here—whole, vulnerable, deeply in love.

"You really remember everything?" you asked after a while, voice muffled by his hoodie.

"I remember everything about you," he said. "First smile. First sleepover. First time I saw you wear my jersey and almost passed out."

You giggled.

"You're such a simp."

He shrugged. "Only for you."

[bengalverse]

By his side | Tee Higgins

summary — After a brutal game, Tee Higgins is left alone in the locker room—bruised, breathless, and trying to pretend he’s fine. But when Y/N, the team’s new personal trainer, finds him still sitting in the silence, what begins as a routine checkup quietly unfolds into something more. Beneath the pain, the stubbornness, and the weight of expectations, there’s a moment of honesty neither of them expected. Because sometimes, what hurts the most isn’t the injury—it’s learning to let someone stay.

words — 1227

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

The night had been loud—roaring fans, pounding feet, electric lights slicing through the dark sky. Now, silence wrapped around the nearly empty locker room like a heavy, unseen fog.

Tee Higgins sat on the bench, his jersey damp, shoulder pads halfway peeled off. He winced as he moved his arm, pain shooting up through his side. His ribs felt like someone had wrapped barbed wire around them, and breathing came with a price. He hadn't told anyone how bad it hurt.

Just then, the door creaked open.

"You shouldn't still be here," came your voice—soft, tired, familiar.

Tee looked up, catching sight of you. Y/N, the trainer who had started with the Bengals just this season. He knew you didn't come to find anyone unless you were worried.

He gave you a half-hearted smirk. "Was just... catching my breath."

"Yeah?" You stepped closer, your expression somewhere between skeptical and concerned. "You've been catching it for forty-five minutes."

Tee looked away. He didn't like being seen like this—vulnerable, banged up, worn thin.

You crouched in front of him, setting your bag down beside you. "Take off your jersey."

He hesitated, but the look in your eyes was firm. Not cruel. Not pushy. But certain.

So he peeled off the jersey with a grunt, revealing the deep bruise blooming across his ribs. You inhaled sharply.

"I told you I was fine," he mumbled, leaning forward.

"That," you said, pointing at the swelling, "is not fine. That's likely a cracked rib."

"I've had worse."

"Not the point."

Your fingers reached out, hovering above his side, waiting for permission. He gave a small nod.

When your hand finally touched him, he flinched. "Damn."

"Stop moving around," you said immediately, your voice low but sharp. "You'll make it worse."

He froze, biting back another sound of pain.

Your hand moved more gently now, trained and sure. "Why didn't you tell anyone after the hit?"

Tee exhaled through his nose. "Didn't want out. We needed the yards."

"You can't carry a team if you're broken."

"Someone has to."

The silence that followed was heavier than anything either of you had carried all night.

You hated seeing him like this—shoulders tense, pain buried under performance. He was always the one laughing on the sidelines, picking up rookies, leading with quiet strength. But now...

"You always do that," you said quietly.

"Do what?"

"Put yourself last."

He didn't answer. You weren't sure if it was because he disagreed—or because you were right.

You reached into your bag and pulled out a cold pack. "Lean back."

He did, letting you press it gently to his ribs. He hissed but stayed still this time.

"I've seen this before," you said after a beat. "Players pushing through pain. Pretending it's not there."

"It's part of the job."

"No, it's part of the culture. Doesn't mean it's healthy."

Tee chuckled bitterly. "If I stopped every time something hurt, I'd be benched half the season."

You raised an eyebrow. "So you'd rather play broken?"

"Yeah," he said, meeting your gaze. "Because playing broken still means I'm playing."

That silence came again, but this time, it wasn't heavy—it was sharp. It cut.

You looked down at his side again, the black-blue discoloration spreading like spilled ink. You adjusted the ice slightly.

"Does it hurt to breathe?"

"A little."

"Then it's worse than you think."

"Still worth it."

You didn't realize how tight your grip had gotten on the cold pack until Tee flinched again.

You pulled back, shaking your head. "You're so stubborn."

He smiled, only a little. "You keep showing up, though."

You looked up, and something in his voice stopped you. It wasn't cocky. It wasn't teasing.

It was... honest.

"You think I wouldn't?" you asked, searching his face.

"I don't know," he said. "Some people don't stay when they see you hurt."

You swallowed, hard. That hit too close to home—for both of you.

"I'm not 'some people,'" you replied softly. "And you know that."

His eyes met yours again, and this time, there was no barrier. No act. Just fatigue, and pain, and something raw.

"You scared me tonight," you admitted. "When you went down in the third quarter. You didn't get up right away."

"I couldn't breathe," he said. "Felt like someone had crushed my chest."

You closed your eyes briefly, that image slicing through your memory like a knife. You'd been on the sideline, clutching your medical bag, your heart slamming against your ribs.

"I thought you were down for good."

"So did I," he whispered.

When you opened your eyes again, he was still watching you.

"You didn't have to come here," he said. "Most trainers clock out the second the game ends."

"Yeah, well," you replied, giving him a small smile. "Most trainers aren't me."

A pause.

"Good," he said, almost inaudible. "I don't want anyone else."

The air between you shifted. It was subtle—but unmistakable.

You cleared your throat, trying to ground yourself. "Okay, um... I need to tape this up. You'll need scans tomorrow. And you're not practicing this week."

"I can't just sit—"

"I'll go straight to Coach. Don't test me, Higgins."

He huffed a breath. "Fine. One week."

You moved carefully, wrapping gauze and support tape across his ribs, fingers brushing bare skin. Neither of you spoke for a while. The tension had changed. Not gone—but deeper now. Quieter.

"Y/N," he said suddenly.

You looked up.

"Thanks... for coming back."

You tilted your head. "Of course I came back."

"No," he said. "I mean it. Every time."

You understood then. He wasn't just talking about tonight.

Not the locker room.

Not the game.

He meant every time he had to put himself back together—emotionally, physically—and you'd been there. In ways others hadn't been.

"I'll keep coming back," you said, steady and sure. "Even if you keep pretending you don't need anyone."

"I don't pretend," he said.

"Okay," you replied with a quiet smile. "Then stop flinching when I touch the parts that hurt."

That shut him up.

You finished wrapping the last strip, smoothing the tape gently with your palm.

"There," you said. "Still hurts, but at least you won't make it worse... unless you do something stupid.

He gave you that crooked grin again. "Define stupid."

"Anything involving a football before your X-rays come back."

He groaned, leaning back against the bench. "You're the worst."

"Yeah, well, I'm the worst who keeps you breathing."

That earned a real laugh—short, careful, but real.

You stood, gathering your things, but paused before turning away.

"Need help getting to your car?"

He hesitated. "Can I ask for something else?"

You glanced back. "What?"

Tee looked down for a second, almost sheepish. "Just... sit for a minute?"

You blinked, surprised

"Of course," you said softly.

You sat beside him on the bench, close but not touching. For a while, neither of you said anything. You just breathed—slowly, quietly, together.

The noise of the world could wait.

Here, in this quiet space of bruised ribs and unspoken things, Tee Higgins wasn't a star or a warrior or a wide receiver.

He was just a man. Hurting.

And you were just Y/N.

Still here.

Still staying.

[bengalverse]

Can we have more dad joe plsss🥹I thoroughly enjoyed that!

Father daughter day | JB9

summary — in which Joe and his daughter spend an afternoon together as father and daughter

pairing — joe burrow x his daughter

words — 2246

*. ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

"And you're really sure I can go?" y/n asked again as she reluctantly let her husband Joe help her into her jacket.

It was Saturday afternoon and y/n was meeting up with her friends for a little girls' day out, which had definitely been lacking since she and her friends had each started a family with the Bengals players.

Joe gave his wife a serious but loving look. She had repeated the question countless times over the last twenty minutes, to which Joe had given her the same answer every time, as he was doing now.

"Yes, you can do that. You deserve the day with the girls and besides..." he paused briefly and looked down between his legs at your little daughter, who was standing between Joe's legs grinning broadly and holding on to the fabric of his jogging bottoms, looking up at him.

She was the spitting image of her father, so the question of whether she and the famous Joe Burrow might be related didn't even need to be asked.

"...besides, are we going to be alright or Butterfly?" he asked as he looked lovingly down at his daughter.

Because Harper had been nicknamed Butterfly ever since she had grown up in y/n's belly. According to Joe, the little one had never made her presence felt like a kickboxer or a soccer player, but had been very gentle against y/n's touch, which had felt like a butterfly to him - which was somehow really the case.

Harper nodded her head vigorously, causing her little pigtails of blonde hair to swing wildly back and forth. She had a pretty good head of hair for her three and a half years, which was often a source of despair.

Because Harper hated sitting still and having her hair tamed, so y/n and especially Joe - who found it particularly difficult to be strict with his little butterfly - had difficulties.

"Yes mommy, you can go and have fun. Daddy and I have fun too! Lots of fun!" little Burrow giggled and gave her mother a big grin.

Her mother's mouth twisted slightly and she seemed to think for a moment. Joe, who was able to decipher this face immediately, nudged his little daughter gently on the arm, who immediately understood what her father wanted.

"But not as much fun as you, of course, mommy. You'll do more fun things."  

Joe nodded in agreement and he and his daughter put on the same warm smile, causing Y/n to giggle softly.

"I know you'll have a lot more fun than I will, but next time we'll all have twice as much fun together, yeah?"

Y/n squatted down to be at eye level with her daughter. The little one's blue eyes gleamed with joy and excitement, which y/n could completely understand.

Harper was a daddy's girl through and through, who could never get enough of spending time together and especially alone with her father.

"Both of you be nice and don't get into mischief, will you?"

Harper began to nod wildly, so that her pigtails began to bob up and down wildly on her head. "No way, mommy. You know that."

Joe agreed with his wife, too, because what choice did he and Harper have? After all, they couldn't tell y/n what had already happened when the two of them had been alone a few times.

After all, one or two flower pots had been broken in the garden when Joe had tried to teach his daughter how to play football.

Or once the two of them had played hide and seek in the house, where Harper had jumped out of hiding and scared her father so badly that he had pulled down a mirror, which had broken and the two of them had literally raced to the nearest furniture store to get a new one so that y/n would never know what had happened.

After y/n had said goodbye to her daughter and husband with a kiss and a hug each and the front door slammed shut a few seconds later, Joe and Harper held their breath for a moment and listened.

It took a few seconds for the muffled sound of the car door closing, the engine starting and the car pulling out of the driveway, then it was completely silent and Joe and Harper were alone.

"Okay, what do we do?" Joe grinned as he rubbed his hands together and then lifted his daughter up with a sweeping motion, who squealed softly and then buried her hands in Joe's hair, giggling and giving her father a new and funny hairstyle.

In fact, Harper gave the best head massages for her three and a half years, which Joe especially loved when he was lying on the sofa and Harper was watching her favorite show and tossing her father's hair in her mind.

"Pizza!" Harper exclaimed enthusiastically as Joe carried his daughter into the open-plan living and dining area.  

"I think that's a good idea." The quarterback set his daughter down at the kitchen island and began looking for the flyer for his favorite pizza place in the drawer next to it.

Pizza was more or less an integral part of Father Daughter Day, because if there was no pizza, it wasn't an official Father and Daughter Day.

After a quick browse through the flyer, the two quickly decided on a pepperoni pizza, which was also ordered within seconds.

Now it was just a matter of waiting for the pizza to arrive, which would take a while as the pizzeria had just opened and had countless orders coming in.

While Harper fiddled with the creased corner of the rather battered flyer - as it had already been opened and closed countless times - Joe quickly connected his cell phone to the music system in the living room.

And before long, "you've got a friend in me" from Toy Story was playing from the speakers.

Toy Story was their favorite movie series and Harper especially loved the music to countless Disney movies, dozens of which she knew by heart and sang whenever she felt like it.

When the first notes of the song rang out, her blue eyes grew wide.

"How about a dance, Butterfly?" Joe grinned and lifted his daughter back onto the floor before holding out his hand to ask her to dance.

Giggling, the three and a half year old grabbed her father's hand before the two of them began to dance slowly around the living room.

Harper tried to follow her father's steps with concentration, her forehead slightly furrowed and the tip of her tongue hanging out of her mouth.

In fact, Joe often caught his daughter with her tongue hanging slightly out of her mouth. She did this almost every time she concentrated.

Whether she was outside drawing with chalk, learning something new, pushing her peas back and forth on her plate or on the sidewalk so hip that she didn't touch a groove in the stones.

When "Let It Go" came on next, Harper ran over to the couch table, where she grabbed two remotes and handed one to Joe.

Because not a single song could top "Let it go", so every time the song came on - no matter where they were - the two of them put on a little performance.

Just like now, the two of them stood next to each other on the sofa - it was their shared stage - where they bellowed the lyrics loudly into their microphones and had so much fun that they sang all kinds of songs until the pizza delivery man who rang the doorbell interrupted their little performance and more or less brought them back down to earth.

"The best pizza in the world," Harper mumbled, placing her hand on her small stomach, which was now clearly filled with pizza.

Only the white box and the pizza crust - which Harper didn't like - suggested that she and her father had just eaten a large pizza together.

"Oh yeah, but don't tell your mommy," smirked Joe, who put his arm around his daughter and gently pulled her closer, so that Harper rested her blonde mop of hair on her father's stomach and sighed with pleasure.

"Mommy's pizza is great, but not as great as the pizza here, but that's our secret too, I promise. Because we're secret agents with lots of secrets," Harper whispered as she hiccupped slightly.

Smiling, Joe gently kissed the top of his daughter's head. Sometimes he couldn't believe what a wonderful daughter he and his wife actually had.

Harper was a really sweet and adventurous girl who loved to explore the world and get up to mischief.

"How about a little power nap?" asked the quarterback, who had clearly shoveled in too many slices of pizza, as he felt the tiredness rolling over him slightly while his stomach was filling up quite heavily.

"No, Daddy. Secret agents don't do powenaps. Besides, you still have a job to do."

Before Joe could say anything back, Harper had already jumped up and run out of the room.

Every now and then the little girl would move as fast as a bouncer, so that you only had to blink once and she was gone.

Joe heard her running up the stairs and fiddling around quietly in her room for a moment, she seemed to be looking for something.

While his daughter was in her room, he began to remove the pizza box and the traces of salami and cheese from the sofa with a wet cloth, before grabbing a few blankets and cushions, which he spread out on the floor and began to build a small cave to make it a little more adventurous and cozy for the two of them.

He also picked up one or two new children's books that he had recently bought, such as a flashlight and a string of lights.

Just as he had finished and was proudly inspecting his work - the cave was a little crooked and didn't look like it would hold up for too long - Harper stumbled back into the living room.

"Wow, Daddy!" she enthused, carefully stepping closer to her father as she examined the cave.

"Secret agents need a good hiding place, don't they?" he asked, smiling as he looked down at his daughter, who was holding a small suitcase with a picture of Anna, Elsa and Olaf on it. "What's that?"

"Grandma gave it to me yesterday. There's something great in it, come and I'll show it to you in the hiding place."

Her warm little hand carefully slipped into her father's hand before she pulled him into the cave with her, where the two of them made themselves comfortable among the countless cushions in all different sizes and colors.

Harper opened the suitcase and revealed its contents to her father, which consisted of countless colorful children's nail polishes.

"Wow, that's a lot of colors. Grandma had a hard time choosing, huh?"

"Yes, but this way I can always wear something different!" Harper grinned proudly and picked out two colors.

Purple and turquoise.

"Daddy can you do my nails for me?" With her sweetest look, she looked up at her father, a look she knew she could completely and easily look around her father's finger, because Joe could never resist that look.

"Of course, but I have to tell you that I'm not a pro at it."

In fact, he had never once picked up the nail polish himself before, his wife Harper had always painted his nails while he watched.

But it couldn't be that difficult, could it?

"I always want to alternate purple and turquoise," Harrer told her father as she placed her hands on the small case and Joe opened the small bottles to carefully paint his daughter's nails.

This actually worked quite well, so that he only accidentally painted the skin around the nails a little bit a few times, causing Harper to giggle quietly.

"Wow, Daddy!" Harper gushed a few minutes later as she looked at her colorful nails. Her blue eyes shone and a broad grin adorned her face.

"Did it turn out well?"

"Yes!" Harper exclaimed enthusiastically, briefly blowing on each nail to get them dry faster - she had seen her mother do it. "Can I ask you something, Daddy?"

"Of course, anything you want, Butterfly."

Joe's voice drifted softly through the cave and the pillow rustled slightly behind him as he sat up slightly.

"Can I do your nails too?"

Again, Harper put on her look that Joe couldn't say no to.

But did Harper even need that look?

Before Joe had become a father and a child had asked him if he could paint his nails, he would have said no for sure. But now? Now he didn't even have to hesitate and so, barely fifteen minutes later, he had purple turquoise nails, just like Harper.

And after the two of them had finished their little nail painting session, they had snuggled up together in the den.

Harper's head back on Joe's stomach, while he had his arm wrapped around her and in his other hand was holding one of the new books he had bought and was now letting his daughter read.

And it wasn't long before they both fell asleep with a contented and happy smile on their faces, reviewing the successful father-daughter day in their dreams...

[bengalverse]

Off day | Sam Hubbard

❝ 𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥

𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.❞

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Carefully, Y/n pulled her cozy blanket over her with one hand while trying to balance her laptop as best she could with the other.

It was the first day of the off season.

Sam had finished all the games and y/n had taken a few weeks where she would work from home to spend more time with Sam.

Some people probably thought that the majority of the stars flew off on vacation, sunbathing and sipping cocktails by the pool as far away from home as possible.

But not Sam and y/n. The two wanted to approach the off-season as relaxed as possible, so the two had decided to tackle everything spontaneously.

And so the two hadn't booked a vacation yet, because the two wanted to do that spontaneously.

One or the other had to plan his things, know when it went where and have fixed dates for certain things.

But that was different for y/n and Sam.

The two of them had always been quite spontaneous, which they both got along with very well and it had never really caused any problems.

Satisfied, y/n sighed when she felt the big cozy pillow in her back.

She loved to snuggle up on the couch in comfy clothes - mostly she wore Sam's hoodie - and surf a bit on the laptop.

And today was just such a day.

"Are you sure it's okay if I play a little?" , Sam asked her as he unzipped the wrapper from his new PlayStation game he'd bought an hour ago.

"What was my answer the last ten times?" , y/n asked him the counter question and flipped open her laptop.

"It was : no I didn't and now play before I change my mind" , Sam quoted y/n.

"Well there's your answer."

Y/n couldn't help smirking, which is why she put her laptop on her bent knees so Sam couldn't see her face.

"Okay, thanks. I won't play for long either. After all, I'm off work now, and I want to spend the time with my wonderful girlfriend."

"Suck up," she said, but couldn't stop a smile from creeping onto her lips.

"I love you too!" , Sam exclaimed as he left the room to head upstairs to the room that was being used as a gaming and movie room.

Y/n thought about what she should do now in the time on her laptop until Sam would come back and they would do something together.

But she didn't have to think too long, because shortly after she landed on Pinterest, the app she loved so much.

There she mostly found craft ideas, which she liked to try out and often gave away for birthdays.

But also outfit, decoration, or hairstyle ideas were at the top of y/n's list of pinboards, which grew more and more on her account with every visit to the app.

And so, for now, she was busy for a few hours.

—

When y/n next glanced at the clock, she was startled to find that it was almost two hours later.

She had been quite engrossed in all the new pins, so she hadn't noticed how quickly the time had passed.

She closed the laptop and listened to see if Sam had finished his game and was in another room.

But the house was silent.

A glance outside also showed that it was getting a little dark by now.

But not because it was so late, but because a rain shower was coming.

Hopefully it would pass quickly, y/n thought to herself, as she closed the laptop and then began to fold her cozy blanket.

After making the sofa neat again, she ran over to the adjacent kitchen and filled a glass with water, which she emptied in one go and began listening again.

But it remained silent, so y/n assumed that Sam had also forgotten the time and was still playing The Last of Us.

In fact, he had been talking about the game for a few weeks, which some of his teammates were playing themselves and had inspired Sam with their talk of the game, so that Sam had subsequently bought it as well, although the Playstation had actually more or less always been just a dust collector.

Briefly, y/n thought about whether she should let Sam play a little more or whether she should go straight up to him.

But she decided to prepare some sandwiches first, so she got everything she needed and started to make some sandwiches.

Quietly she hummed the new Harry Styles song, while she moved her hips lightly to the beat and carefully placed the sandwiches.

A moment later, as she looked contentedly at the sandwiches piled on a large plate on the counter, she decided to check on Sam now.

It was raining outside by now, so the rain was lightly pattering against the windows.

Otherwise, it was still pretty quiet in the house, which didn't change when y/n ran up the stairs.

At the top of the house were five more rooms. One of them was the bedroom and the second one was the gaming and cinema room.

Slowly y/n walked towards the second room, where the door was ajar.

Cautiously y/n opened the door and took a look inside the room.

Sam was sitting in the corner, where there was a small PC screen on a desk and a gaming chair in front of it.

He had headphones on and probably he would get scared if y/n entered the room.

That's why y/n carefully leaned against the door and looked at her boyfriend, who she could only see from the side.

But he looked quite concentrated, so she again considered whether she should disturb him.

The decision was quickly taken away from her, however, when she glanced at the clock on the wall in the room.

By now, Sam had been gaming for over two hours, which he probably didn't even notice himself, as he was as engrossed in the game as y/n had been on Pinterest just a few minutes ago.

Carefully, she knocked on the wood of the door, which she wasn't sure Sam had even heard.

Nevertheless, she crept over to Sam on her socks across the parquet floor, which creaked softly in a few places.

He didn't have his headset on both ears properly, so he had probably already heard y/n, but made no effort to turn around to her.

"Sammy?" , she asked cautiously as she slowly moved her hand to his shoulder and placed it there a moment later.

"Huh?" , she quietly perceived from the addressed, who, however, did not take his eyes from the screen and it looked like he was just in a place where it was impossible to turn around or off now.

"You've been playing for over two hours," she said softly.

From Sam she perceived only a slight nod, which left her smiling slightly.

"I made sandwiches" , she informed him, but Sam didn't seem to really notice her sentence anymore, as he was already quite engrossed in his game again.

"You love to eat them, don't you? Extra with cheese" , she tried again to get Sam to listen to her carefully.

But no chance.

Then just differently, y/n thought to herself, as she pulled the second gaming chair over to her, let herself fall on it and then slid as close as she could to Sam.

He briefly looked over at her, but didn't think much of it, so he continued to gamble intently.

Y/n, however, began to poke him in the stomach shortly after, which didn't begin to bother Sam at first until y/n repeated the process over and over again within a few seconds.

"I'm not going to stop poking you until you give me some attention" , she let him know when she noticed that the poking was starting to make him uncomfortable.

"Okay you have my full attention," Sam said a moment later as he turned off the screen and placed the headset on the desk.

Sam leaned back and then held his girlfriend's hand, pulling her onto his lap afterwards.

"Do you know what I just told you?" , she asked him as she placed her hands on his neck.

"That I look cute gambling?" , he asked her with a grin, trying to lighten the situation a bit, because he didn't want to make y/n angry.

"No, not that. I said I made sandwiches, but you'd rather spend more time with your new game than with me."

"Aww is my girlfriend jealous of a video game?" , he asked her with a smirk as he gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"Of a video game? Never!" , she said quickly and then crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Then you won't mind if I keep playing now, will you?"

Even though Sam was joking, y/n gave him a quick evil eye and quickly exclaimed

"No! I finally have your attention now, don't I?"

"And you'll have it for the rest of the evening now, too" , Sam promised her as he stood up, picked her up and then carried her downstairs to eat his favorite sandwiches.

[bengalverse]

first night at home | JB9

summary — It's the first night at home with your newborn daughter. When you wake up in the middle of the night and Joe is no longer lying next to you in bed, you find Joe and your newborn daughter in their baby room and what you see there melts your heart

pairing — joe burrow x reader

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Your eyes filled with tears again as you followed Joe carrying the baby carrier with your newborn daughter into your home for the first time.

Two days ago, Amelia Grace Burrow had seen the light of day, making you and Joe the happiest of people and your family complete for the time being.

Amelia was almost a one-to-one copy of your boyfriend, she had even inherited his tangled, almost curly hair, which was clearly visible from birth as she had been born with an incredible amount of hair.

The living-dining room was adorned with colorful decorations. There were countless helium balloons in the shape of a baby bottle, a teddy bear, a princess and Amelia's name.

There was also a garland with 'Welcome home, baby & mommy' written on it. The dining table was heaped with presents and food so that you could only just make out the wooden top of the table.

"Wow," you marveled as you blinked hard at the tears that were already filling your eyes and making their way down your cheeks.

You had thought that your hormones would settle down quickly after the birth, as you had already been quite waterlogged during the pregnancy - but no way. Your hormones had been going crazy almost non-stop since the birth of your little girl, so you had already used up countless tissues and there seemed to be no end in sight.

"Did you do all that?" you looked over at Joe, who carefully placed the baby carrier on the couch and squatted down in front of it.

Amelia had slept all the way from the hospital to your home, which you were quite grateful for - because you had been terrified of the first car journey.

It probably hadn't been the best idea to read the experiences of other mothers on various websites, as most of them had described the first car journey with a newborn as the 'horror ride'.

But Amelia seemed to have been a calm and contented baby not only in the hospital, but also on the car journey and even now, as she continued to slumber soundly in her seat.

"The decoration? Yes. The gifts and food are from a few neighbors, but most of the things are from my teammates - most of them really went overboard with the gifts. I'm sure one or two of them will spoil Amelia as she gets older," he laughed, whereupon you joined in with his laughter.

Because you could imagine all too well how much Joe's team colleagues would spoil your daughter.

Ja'Marr, Tee and Sam in particular had adored the little one ever since they had known you were having a daughter.

The three of them had even been on hand to help set up the baby's room and had already bought countless cute outfits for Mini Burrow (including, of course, a Mini Burrow jersey from each of them so that she could - according to the boys - support her favorite uncle).

As you laughed, you began to feel your abdomen tighten slightly in pain. Even though the birth had not brought any complications, you had a painful pulling sensation in your abdomen from time to time, which was normal according to the doctors at the hospital, so you lay down on the soft cushions of the sofa next to the baby seat.

Joe carefully undid the baby seat belt and then took out your daughter, who was quite tiny, and sat down on the sofa next to you with her in his arms.

Amelia's eyes were closed and there was a pacifier in her mouth that was almost bigger than her face.

A Bengals cap sat on her head - how could it be any different, of course, because according to Joe she had to be taken directly to her favorite team.

"She's so tiny," you gushed quietly as a tear began to roll down your cheek.

You still couldn't believe your happiness about your little family, which you had wished for since you were little - it would certainly take some time before it happened.

"And so beautiful, like her mommy," Joe added, causing a soft sob to leave your lips.

"I love you so much," Joe breathed, as seconds later he carefully put his free arm around you so that your head found its place on his shoulder, where you had an even better view of the sweet little creature lying perfectly in Joe's arm, sucking on her pacifier and leaning.

"We love you too. So much," you whispered softly before your eyes drifted shut from sheer exhaustion and you too fell into a peaceful sleep.

—

You were startled out of your sleep by a scream, so that you sat up straight in bed and looked around in the dark bedroom, which was only lit by a faint ray of light from the street lamp.

You could still remember falling asleep next to Joe on the sofa. But you couldn't remember getting into bed on your own, so Joe must have carried you up and put you to bed.

But before you could turn the covers aside and swing your feet on the bed, Joe was already jumping out of bed.

"I'm going, go back to sleep," he breathed softly to you and pressed a quick kiss to your forehead before pushing you back onto the mattress and putting the covers back over you.

And the moment your head touched the pillow, you were already asleep again.

It was crazy how little you slept with a newborn and how quickly you fell asleep once you'd taken care of the baby or your partner took over.

But you wouldn't trade anything for the chance to sleep through the night again.

—

The next time you woke up and looked to your left, Joe still wasn't back.

A glance at your cell phone, which was lying next to you on the bedside table, told you that it was only 4:55am.

Carefully, your hand touched the empty side of the bed next to you, which was quite cold, so you knew that Joe must have been with your daughter for some time.

Even though you couldn't hear a sound - not even Amelia's crying - you decided to check and relieve Joe, because maybe Amelia needed her mommy now.

The wooden floor creaked softly under your bare feet as you followed the source of light coming from Amelia's nursery.

The closer you got to the baby's room, which was by far the most loving room and your favorite room in the whole house, you heard Joe's soft voice.

So as not to elicit another creak from the floor, you tiptoed the last few meters over to the bright room with the flowery wallpaper, where you leaned slightly against the door frame and took a look inside the room.

On the cozy armchair in the middle of the baby's room, Joe sat with Amelia in his arms and handed her the bottle, from which Amelia drank greedily.

Joe gently rocked the two of them back and forth while his hand held the bottle and his index finger stroked your daughter's tiny hand.

This sight made your heart warm up and your heart skip a little. It really was a beautiful view that almost brought new tears to your eyes - but only almost.

"You're really hungry, huh?" he asked softly as a smile spread across his lips.

"That's good, you'll be a big and strong girl. But do you know what you already are? My sweet girl. My sweet girl, who I will always protect. Come what may. I will also make sure that no boy will ever break your heart and if he hurts you because of Uncle Ja'Marr, I will make sure that he suffers. But also the whole team will always make sure that you don't get hurt. Because they are family. They are your uncles. You'll never be alone..I promise you that,A."

The quarterback leaned in slightly to kiss your daughter's little forehead, causing Amelia to let out a soft sweet sound.

A wide smile crept onto your lips and you couldn't stand there any longer, just watching the two of them.

You crossed a few steps before you reached Joe and Amelia, who had just finished the last of the bottle and now had a wide grin on her lips, which seemed to grow twice as big when she spotted you.

"You've discovered mommy. She probably couldn't sleep anymore because I wasn't there and you've completely taken over me" Joe grinned as he gently tickled your daughter's tummy and then put her over his shoulder for a burp and patted her gently on the back.

"How long have you been awake?" you asked Joe as you carefully adjusted the burp cloth lying on his shoulder.

"I don't know, half an hour?"

"Why didn't you wake me up? I would have done it already. You got up earlier..."

You were slightly plagued by guilt, because before you went home, you had both agreed that you would take turns whenever Amelia cried or was hungry so that you both got enough sleep.

"Hey, babe..." his voice sounded soft as he reached for your hand and stroked the back of it. "You slept so deeply and I wanted you to get some sleep after the exhausting birth two days ago. I'm fine, really. My tiredness has been blown away. I mean look at her, she's mesmerizing me."

Joe's gushing caused him to start yawning softly and it was only now that you saw clearly how deep the circles under his eyes actually looked.

"Come back to bed. Let's cuddle up in our bed as a family. And when you fall asleep, you'll sleep through the night" you promised your boyfriend and together you made your way back to the bedroom, where the three of you snuggled into bed.

Joe lying on his back, with Amelia curled up on his chest, who already seemed to be in a milk coma, with your head in the crook of his neck.

And it wasn't long before the two of you drifted back to sleep overjoyed and you could hardly wait to start the next day together as a family.

[bengalverse]

Pizza date | Sam Hubbard

summary — Sam and you spend your date at the pizzeria of Sam's friend. There you bake your pizzas together and when Sam puts pineapple on his pizza you start to tease him a bit

pairing — sam hubbard x reader

words — 1444

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Date Night.

You and Sam loved to have special dates, so a few weeks ago you both sat down together and wrote down special dates that sam and you wanted to work through in order.

The list consisted of 20 dates, of which the two of you had already completed 2 items.

A few days ago, you both had picked out a difficult recipe which sam and you tried to cook.

In fact, it had turned into a big mess, making it impossible to even begin to get the recipe right.

However, you and Sam had found out that both of you couldn't really cook, which is why your date tonight was at a pizza place.

Sam knew the owner of the small pizzeria, not far from your flat, so you two had the pizzeria to themselves that evening.

You both were going to learn how to make a pizza together - hopefully this would be easier than cooking.

But you had a good feeling when you came to a stop in front of the small and cosy looking pizzeria and waited for Sam.

You had found out by now that Sam always arrived a little later than you did, but it wasn't because he was late.

It had a completely different reason. The Bengals player never came to a date without flowers, like now.

Sam approached you with quick steps, holding a small bouquet of your favourite flowers that he had asked for on the very first date.

Sam was really thoughtful and you loved this little gesture incredibly about Sam.

"Hello y/n", Sam greeted you by pulling you into a short hug, then giving you a kiss on the cheek, making you blush slightly, before handing yo the small bouquet of y/ns favourite flowers.

"Hey Sam," you returned the greeting, smelling the flowers, which once again smelled heavenly.

"Shall we go in?" Without waiting for your reply, he had also opened the door for you gentleman like, so you quickly slipped inside.

Even though the pizzeria must have been closed for hours, the typical pizza smell still hung in the air, making your stomach start to growl.

"I think we should hurry up with the pizza baking," Sam said with a grin, who had heard your growling belly.

You looked around for a vase or something similar that you could use as a vase.

Because you didn't want the beautiful flowers to be broken by the heat in the pizzeria in the next few hours.

"Ciao" greeted you two, the owner of the pizzeria, who first greeted Sam as a brother and then pulled you into a warm embrace.

"Do you want to start right away?" , the Italian asked you two, who introduced himself as Giovanni.

"I guess my flowers need water first," you said, because you still hadn't spotted a vase.

"I'll take care of that. Why don't you go into the kitchen and put on the aprons I had set aside for you," Giovanni let you both know as he took the flowers from you.

You followed Sam into the kitchen where you found the aprons and helped each other tie the apron at the back.

On the table in the middle of the room, Giovanni had already prepared a dough for both of them and various toppings for the pizzas were in small bowls on the table.

There was indeed a huge selection, so you were already thinking about what you would put on your pizza.

Shortly afterwards Giovanni came into the kitchen and showed you both how to prepare the pizza dough professionally.

And indeed, you and Sam found out that you both were more talented at this than at cooking.

"I guess my work is done. I'll leave you guys to it. You can just drop the key in my mailbox later," , Giovanni pressed a bunch of keys into Sam's hand before saying goodbye to both of them and you and Sam were then alone.

Over the last twenty minutes you two had learned from Giovanni the perfect methods for making the best pizza dough, so there were now two perfectly and finished pizza doughs in front of each of you, waiting to be topped.

"Do you feel like listening to some music?" Sam asked as he pulled out his mobile phone and seemed to connect it to the small Bluetooth box.

"Sure," you said and began to carefully spread tomato sauce on your pizza dough.

A moment later, after Sam had connected his phone to the box, he had started one of his favourite playlists and quietly the music enveloped the room.

So, quietly but with concentration, you both began to take care of your pizza toppings.

And in doing so, both realised how different tastes actually were.

While your pizza had all her favourite toppings, Sam had spared no small amount of cheese, salami and pineapple, causing you to tear up.

"Pineapple on pizza? Really?" Almost shocked, you looked at the older man, who looked at her uncomprehendingly.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Pineapple just doesn't belong on a pizza. I'm really disappointed in you. Why are we dating again?" , you asked him playfully indignant while you just wanted to tease him.

Even though it was really a no-go for you to eat pineapple on a pizza.

Sam just rolled his eyes while a slight smirk formed on his lips and then both of you finished their pizzas and Sam put them in the oven.

So while Sam took care of the pizzas, you walked through the small and cosy pizzeria, which was decorated in an Italian style and immediately delighted everyone.

As you looked around, you still couldn't get over why he could put pineapple on his pizza when he had a huge selection of other foods.

And so you decided to tease Sam a bit as a kind of 'revenge'.

With the pizzas ready, you and Sam sat at one of the tables while a candle burned in front of you, and Sam told you what he was going to do with the rest of his football break.

You listened intently to the Bengals star as you reached for another slice of your pizza and bit into it with relish.

In fact, you hadn't thought your own pizza would taste so incredibly good.

"Shall we swap a slice?" Sam asked you a moment later, after he had finished his story.

You looked puzzled at your counterpart, who pointed at his pizza.

"Y/n? Have you lost your voice?" Sam asked you again, while his opposite continued not to say a word.

Confused, Sam raised his eyebrow, while you just looked at Sam.

Had he done something wrong?

Or was it actually still the pineapple that was on his pizza?

Sam started to ask you a few more questions, but you didn't answer them and ate your pizza in silence.

But Sam spotted a small grin on your lips, which made Sam stop worrying about whether he had done something wrong, because he knew that you was just teasing him.

And all because of the pineapple on his pizza.

But over the next few minutes, Sam began to be more and more bothered by the fact that the younger girl seemed to ignore him, so he couldn't stand it any longer.

He really wanted to talk to y/n, get to know her a little better and continue to enjoy the date, which had already been a complete success.

"Can you stop ignoring me please? I'm going crazy."

Sam started to pout slightly, whereupon you lifted his eyes and looked at Sam.

His pouting increased, whereupon you began to giggle, ensuring that you 'plan' was now noticed.

"Is this the punishment now for having pineapple on my pizza?" , Sam asked you sulkily, to which you nodded with a grin.

"Have you even tried this? It's really tasty" , he tried to convince you about the pineapple on his pizza.

"No, because it just doesn't fit" you answered convincingly, whereupon Sam held a slice of pizza in front of your mouth and asked you to try it.

And that's exactly what you did.

She chewed for a few seconds and took your time answering while Sam watched you carefully.

"It's quite good," you said, even though it tasted really good, but you didn't want to let Sam win, so you didn't tell him.

With a grin on his lips, Sam just nodded and both of you finished the rest of your pizza while both talked and a successful date slowly came to an end.

And who knew what great things the next date would bring?

[bengalverse]

Can you write more stories with Nick Bosa please 💕

summary — Nick and you have been dating for some time now without having revealed this publicly anywhere. It was supposed to stay that way. But when suddenly loads of photos start appearing online and you start getting not-so-nice messages, you decide it's time to have that one conversation with Nick.

pairing — nick bosa x reader
words — 1524

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

It wasn't exactly easy to date someone who was in the public eye and who was also adored by countless women.

There was no perfect way or right words to help you deal with such situations and certain words that weren't exactly nice.

And that's exactly the situation you're in right now.

A few weeks ago you had met the 49er defensive player at the gym, the first time you had ever entered a gym in your life and everything was new to you.

You had haphazardly tried out one device or another and had been sure that you had done them correctly until a nice man, who looked like a male teddy bear, had come over to you and helped you and improved yourself.

When you invited Nick to a coffee afterwards, where you got talking straight away and you both felt like you'd known each other forever, you exchanged numbers.

And now almost a month later, you're dating. 

It's not easy to date a football player in secret, so immediately after your first date there were a few photos and references on gossip sites on various platforms.

At first, your identity remained a secret until a few fans used their stalker skills to get your name online, along with a few not-so-nice messages.

Right now, you're sitting on the sofa with your phone, scrolling through your unread messages on Instagram.

A few of them are really nice, so words like "Nick has been beaming ever since he started dating you. Thank you for making him happy" ; "You're so pretty! Nick is so lucky, wow!!!".

But you can count these nice messages on both fingers, so it's mostly the not-so-nice messages that reach you and don't seem to be getting any fewer.

The urge to know what strangers think about you has won, so that countless tears are now rolling down your cheeks and won't stop.

It's not fair that strangers who didn't even know you wrote such nasty things, some of which were below the belt.

You knew that dating someone famous wasn't easy and wasn't all positive, but you just weren't prepared for news like this.

A quiet sob escapes your lips as you carelessly throw your cell phone on the sofa and get up.

You start pacing back and forth in the living room as you keep glancing at the clock hanging on the wall.

A few minutes ago, you called Nick and asked him to come to your house to talk to him about everything.

Nick knew that there were some photos of the two of you together online, but he didn't know that they had found your Instagram account in the meantime and were sending you private messages.

You wrestled with yourself for a long time and thought about whether you should continue to keep this from him or tell him the truth.

After a lot of back and forth, you called Nick over to your place.

When the doorbell rings, you flinch, startled, and wipe your eyes with the sleeves of your sweater.

Your eyes are still pretty red and puffy, so Nick will know immediately that something is wrong. But it makes you feel a little better to wipe away the new tears.

Before you open the door, you take a deep breath and then open the door with a forced smile, which doesn't stay firmly on your face.

Nick's happy face at seeing you again slips right off his face, so that within a few seconds a worried expression appears on his face.

Without saying anything, he pushes past you into your apartment, only to pull you into his strong arms a few seconds later.

And this embrace causes everything inside you to literally collapse like a house of cards again and endless tears begin to stream down your cheeks.

Without saying anything, Nick holds you tightly in his arms as his hand strokes your back again and again to soothe you.

Sobbing, you bury your nose in his shirt so that his scent envelops you and slowly begins to calm you down.

As the last sob leaves your lips and the shaking of your shoulders subsides, Nick lifts you up without further ado and carries you over to the living room, where he lays you carefully on the sofa.

With a cuddly blanket, he lies down next to you to cover you both and then wraps his arms tightly around you and pulls you back against his warm chest.

You feel him carefully rest his head on yours and brush his hand over your arm.

"What happened?" He asks a short time later into the silence, causing you to flinch in shock.

"They know. They know everything," you whisper quietly, your voice sounding almost hoarse from all the crying.

"Who knows what?" Nick checks again to make sure you're on the same subject.

Because in the time he's been holding and comforting you, he's actually thought that this must have something to do with you and the fans.

You gather your courage and start to tell Nick everything. From the photos of the two of you that have appeared to the account you found and the nasty messages.

As you talk, you hand him your cell phone with the messages, some of which Nick reads through and then spreads an apologetic and pained expression on his face.

You can see how these words that have reached you are hurting him and how guilty he is starting to feel, even though he is not responsible for these nasty words.

"Y/n, I-I..." Nick more or less begins to apologize. But you shake your head.

"No, Nick. Please don't apologize for those words. It's not your fault that people can be too mean and nasty."

You slowly sit up so that you can look into Nick's brown eyes, in which tears are slowly gathering and causing your heart to contract slightly.

You've never seen Nick even remotely this upset, so it hurts more to see Nick like this now than to have read the words yourself earlier.

"It really hurt to read that at first, Nick. I am honest with you and have questioned all of this and wondered if this hate is really worth us continuing to date. I know how much hate destroys people. No one deserves this hate."

You carefully place your hands on Nick's cheeks so that Nick's gaze slowly wanders up to your eyes.

He looks nervous and scared at the same time. But you can't blame him, because if you were him, you'd be just as afraid of your next words.

"But I also know that none of them know me the way you know me. Everyone will probably never be able to accept me. But it's the same outside of social media, isn't it? You don't get that in real life, but it's the same. That's why... That's why I've come to a decision."

"Y/n...I understand if this is all too much for you and you'd rather have more privacy. If that's what you want, I'll accept that and we can be friends."

Nick's hands move up to yours so he takes your hands in his and squeezes them gently, his eyes still on yours.

"I don't want to be just friends, Nick. I'm falling in love with you. So I'll tell you now: I don't care what they say. I want to be with you." Towards the end, your voice gets a little quieter and shakier.

"Y/n..." Nick starts again, but you interrupt him again.

"No, Nick. I don't want to throw away what we have because of crap like this. I like you far too much for that. I can't just ignore or dismiss my feelings because some woman thinks she's better for you than I am and tries to belittle me with her words. I'm going to deal with it. I'm not going to read one more message and stand over the fact that I, of all people, get to be by the side of a man as great as you."

"God, y/n..." Nick whispers as he rests his forehead against yours. "I'm so glad we found each other and I'm falling in love with you, this special woman."

Your eyes start to burn again, which causes new tears to gather in your eyes.

But this time not with pain, but with happiness.

Nick and his words just make the pain turn to happiness in a matter of seconds and you can't believe you have someone so amazing in front of you.

And you can hardly wait to take the next steps with Nick. Deep down, you hope that the hate will lessen and that the fans who hate will see how happy Nick is.

But even if the hate will never go away, you will find a way to deal with it even better.

Because that's the path you're going to take so that you can continue to be by Nick's side.

[bengalverse]

Love letter | Quinn Hughes

summary — in which quinn is in love with y/n the social media worker for the canucks.

pairing — quinn hughes x reader

words — 2955

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

You couldn't choose who you fell in love with.

It usually happened so quickly that you hardly noticed and couldn't do anything about it.

It was actually a nice feeling to be in love. You had the feeling that the world suddenly became carefree and you walked around with a good feeling.

You were happy to see the person again and to be near them, while the warmth shot up your cheeks and your stomach tingled.

That's exactly how Quinn felt at the moment. He was in love.

A few weeks ago, he had fallen in love with the young woman y/n, who worked in social media for the Canucks.

In a joint video, in which the young woman had asked him countless questions to create content for the Canucks fans, the two of them had had a lot of fun and occasionally got a little closer to each other, so that the odd physical contact was inevitable.

Since then, Quinn had been thinking about the young woman almost constantly.

His teammates Elias and Brock would often catch him looking over at the young woman during training, who would take photos or videos and then post them on social media channels.

This was the case again today. Practice was in full swing as Quinn gripped his racket tighter and scanned the ice ring for the woman who was turning his head.

It took him a few seconds to spot her. She was standing there with a young man Quinn had only glimpsed so far and seemed to be laughing happily about something.

Every now and then, the stranger would touch her, causing Quinn to unconsciously tighten his grip on his bat and his eyebrows to furrow slightly.

"Hey man, you're staring again." Elias came to stand next to Quinn on the ice, so Quinn saw Elias adjusting his helmet out of the corner of his eye.

Quinn knew he didn't need to give Elias an excuse, because his best friend knew about the young woman and Quinn's feelings.

A few days ago, Elias had caught Quinn staring and then confronted him, but Quinn had folded not long after and told Elias everything.

After all, there were no secrets between the two best friends.

"You should finally ask her out."

Now Elias stood in front of Quinn so that he could no longer look over at the woman who had taken a liking to him.

"Elias, I-I..." Quinn began to give his team colleague another excuse, as he had done the last few times.

But he raised his gloved hand to indicate Quinn should be quiet.

As Elias began to speak, he gave the captain a serious look.

"Quinn, you have a different excuse every time. I can see how smitten you are. But the longer you hesitate, the less chance you have. I hate to say it, but I guess that guy over there is trying to get to her himself."

With a nod, Elias gestured over to the young woman and the red-haired man, who had come a little closer to her and kept grabbing her by the arm.

From a distance, Quinn couldn't interpret the expression on the young woman's face, as she was standing with half her back to him.

"And how am I supposed to do that? Just run over and pull her away from the redhead?"

A nervous expression formed on Quinn's face. The thought of simply walking over to her and approaching her made him start to sweat.

He wasn't good at approaching women, so the thought of talking to the young woman made him want to flee.

"That's actually how you do it, yes. But I have another idea." A grin formed on Elias's face as he stepped a little closer to Quinn and then whispered something in his best friend's ear.

And this idea appealed to Quinn so much that he decided to put it into practice.

"Good morning" a smile came to your lips as you greeted your colleagues and then slipped inside.

"Good morning, y/n! Good to see you." One of your colleagues, Lucy, ran up to you beaming and then pulled you into a tight hug.

Ever since you'd taken the social media job with the Canucks, Lucy and you had become instant friends.

Since then, you've been more or less inseparable. Lucy also worked for the social media team.

She usually took over the press conferences or was there for the post-match interviews, while you took care of the social media channels and shot the occasional content video.

The brunette put her arm around you as you walked side by side through the building to the small office where you had made yourselves comfortable.

The office wasn't very big, so only two desks fitted in opposite each other and two small, cozy armchairs had found their place at the other end of the wall.

Despite their small size, you loved the office more than anything, even if you spent more time on the road than in the office.

"What's on your agenda today?" You checked in with your colleague and best friend as you opened your office door and slipped into the light blue room.

On the wall behind your desk was a huge Canucks logo painted on the wall, while on the other blue-painted walls were some pictures of the team that you had taken yourself.

"I've actually just got some paperwork today and need to make a few phone calls for upcoming interviews, you?" Lucy dropped into her desk chair while you carelessly threw your jacket onto one of the chairs and then walked over to your desk.

Before you could even begin to reply, a white envelope lying on your desk caught his attention.

It wasn't unusual for you to receive mail in the morning, but this letter was different to the mail you usually received.

You could feel that directly. Slowly, you walked over to your desk as you answered Lucy curtly.

You didn't want your colleague to get suspicious.

Your name was written on the letter in curved handwriting. There was no sender or indication of where it might have come from.

This led you to conclude that this was a personal letter.

Your curiosity grew as you began to examine the letter, but made no attempt to open it.

Who wrote you a letter?

You carefully picked up the letter. It was quite light and you could feel a note through the thin envelope.

"Who did you get mail from?" You suddenly heard Lucy's voice, who had more or less caught you in the act.

"Oh, just from a customer, nothing important," you babbled and opened a drawer in your desk to carefully put the letter inside.

Your curiosity wouldn't diminish over the next hour, but you wanted to read the letter in peace and quiet, so you had to wait until Lucy left the office and you could finally be undisturbed.

But you didn't know how agonizingly slow the time would be until then.

Four agonizingly long hours passed before Lucy finally made the effort to leave your shared office to have a conversation.

After the door had slammed shut behind Lucy, you jerked out the letter, which you carefully opened and pulled out the neatly folded paper with your heart beating faster.

With trembling fingers and increasing nervousness, you unfolded the paper before placing it on the desk in front of you and began to read.

Dear y/n,

I keep looking at you, but can't touch you.

You don't know, how much l want to. want to be near you, want you to look my way.

A moment alone with you, would be beautiful. A moment alone with you, would feel eternal.

You skimmed over the words again and again. Your heart kept leaping in your chest as you read them.

You had never received such words before. In the past, you had always found it very cheesy when your friends told you that they had received love letters or wrote them themselves.

But now that you had your first love letter in front of you, it warmed your heart.

It was really sweet to read these words that were addressed directly to you.

You didn't know who this letter was from, but you wished it was a special person.

This one particular player called Quinn Hughes.

The first time you had made a video with him for social media, you had immediately noticed how well you Both got on and you had even gotten a little closer to each other at times.

Since then, you've often thought about the captain and occasionally caught yourself looking over at him and staring at him for a few seconds, lost in thought.

But what if the letter wasn't from Quinn at all, but from Alex? Alex had been very close to you recently and you had caught him looking for physical contact again and again.

Alex was a really nice young man, but you just wasn't attracted to him.

The thought that the letter could be from Alex made your face contort slightly and you put the letter aside.

Your fingers reached for the envelope, which you began to shake and shortly afterwards a small Post it note in the shape of a heart fell out.

You had completely overlooked the post it so far, so you reached for the pink note with a pounding heart and turned it over to reveal the writing.

If you're brave enough to find out who I am, meet me in the parking lot at 7 tonight.

Once again, no signature under the message. There wasn't even a single letter that would have given you any idea who had written you this sweet letter.

Your heart was almost pounding against your chest as you glanced at the bottom of my computer screen to see what time it was.

By now it was 6:30pm and so you still had some time before you would meet the unknown love letter writer.

Nervously, you started to slide around a bit on the black office chair.

You were really curious to find out who was behind the sweet lines.

But even though the message was really sweet, you were afraid that it might just be a joke.

After all, the Canucks boys had the occasional challenge and banter amongst themselves.

But had you really become one of her victims? With the best will in the world you couldn't really imagine that, as everyone was incredibly nice to you and treated you as if you'd been part of the team for ages.

Of course, you never know what makes other people tick and even though you couldn't imagine for the life of you that this letter was just a joke, you decided to be careful.

But despite all this, you wanted to know who was behind the letter and so you decided to go to the place where it was said and find out who it was.

Your heart beat a little faster against your chest with excitement and nervousness.

You hadn't mentioned the letter to Lucy once, so you had to come up with an excuse to more or less get rid of Lucy at the end of the working day an hour ago, as she was desperate to have a drink with you.

The last hour that you had spent alone in your office had gone by rather agonizingly slowly, even though you had already prepared a post or two for the next few days on social media.

But now it was time to find out who had written you the letter.

With every step you took closer to the parking lot, your heart began to beat faster and faster, making you feel like it could jump out of your chest at any second.

You buried your hands, which had become sweaty again, deeper into your jacket pockets, where your right hand played with your bunch of keys.

You were incredibly nervous, so your hand needed something to do and you were a little more distracted.

When you arrived at the parking lot, your eyes wandered nervously back and forth.

In addition to your car, there were four other cars in the parking lot, but you couldn't identify their owners.

Since you didn't know exactly where to wait in the not-so-small parking lot, you positioned yourself a little more centrally in the large parking lot so that the unknown person could easily spot you.

A glance at your cell phone display showed that it was still five minutes until 7 pm.

You used the time to take a few more deep breaths and try to calm yourself down as best you could.

Luckily, it wasn't a dark time of year, so you didn't have to be afraid of the parking lot, which was usually only dimly lit by a few lanterns in winter.

Although the weather was pretty gloomy today and the clouds were increasing, it was bright enough that you had a good view of all the creepy corners and only had to run a few meters to your car if necessary.

Your eyes scanned your surroundings and every time footsteps came closer, you looked hopefully in the direction they were coming from.

But none of them paid any attention to you and shortly afterwards, all but one of the other cars pulled away.

So the last car, which was not too far away from yours, had to be the car of the man who had written you the letter.

A few more minutes passed, during which the nervousness began to creep up inside you again.

And then suddenly the time had come.

From a distance, you could recognize someone. The person was wearing a dark blue hoodie that clearly stood out.

His hood was pulled over his head and his gaze was slightly lowered, so you couldn't tell who it was yet.

On his shoulder was a sports bag, on which you could see the Canucks logo from a distance.

So it was a player, you thought, as the stranger came closer and closer to you and your nervousness grew so much that your heart began to pound in your chest again.

He seemed to be moving in slow motion and took forever to get to you, so you started moving without thinking twice and ran towards him.

When the two of you finally came face to face, the stranger slowly lifted his head and pulled the hood off his head, revealing thick brown hair.

And your heart literally skipped a beat as you struggled not to clasp your hands over your mouth.

Because standing in front of you was none other than Quinn Hughes.

The man you had gotten a little closer to some time ago.

The man you got on well with straight away.

The man who made you laugh.

The man you couldn't stop thinking about.

"Quinn..." His name left your mouth in an almost whisper.

The person opposite you nodded in response, a shy smile on his lips and he began to clutch the handle of his sports bag like a lifeline.

Suddenly he seemed so shy and embarrassed. Very different from your video shoot.

He cleared his throat. "Hello, y/n."

"The...the letter...it's from you?" To be on the safe side, you checked again. There was a little fear in your voice because you wanted the letter to be from him.

"Yes, I wrote the letter."

Embarrassed, Quinn looked at you and ran his free hand through his thick hair, brushing a few strands that had fallen into his eyes out of his face.

"Wow...I mean...those words really touched me" You babbled on, which made Quinn's cheeks turn a light shade of pink.

"Really?" he asked hopefully. He couldn't seem to believe that you were reacting so positively.

You began to nod eagerly.  "Yes, really!" 

Quinn began to almost beam and seemed to spend some time searching for the right words, which made you slightly nervous.

"I'm not really good at talking, that's why Elias gave me the idea of the letter. I thought you thought this was just a joke and you weren't even going to show up, but I'm really relieved you're here."

Now it was Quinn who was babbling nervously as his left hand moved to the back of his neck, where he began to scratch himself in embarrassment.

"Really? I thought it was a joke too, since the name wasn't signed. But I was too curious and wanted to see who was here."

A nervous laugh leaves your lips, causing Quinn to start laughing as well.

"Wow...that's really something."

Quinn smirked slightly before gathering all his courage and finally the sentences he would have loved to ask you already left his mouth.

"Y/n I know this might be risky because you work for the same team as me. I don't know exactly what the contracts and agreement are here, but I think you realize there's something between us too, don't you? Would you...would you go out with me?"

His eyes looked at you with an almost hopeful expression, while your heart stumbled again and you began to feel the warmth rush to your cheeks.

And it actually didn't take you long to give Quinn a suitable answer.

Because the answer has been on the tip of your tongue for a long time and you were finally able to say it out loud.

"I would love to go on a date with you, Quinn."

[bengalverse]

Lego date | Joe Burrow

summary — Joe and you building some Lego together

pairing — joe burrow x reader

words — 1694

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

"Tell me how you’re ever supposed to choose one here." Cocking your head you look up the large shelf that held countless Lego sets.

"If I find the answer, i'll be the first to tell you" replied Joe, who was standing a bit away from you and had taken a step closer to the shelf to get a closer look at the different lego sets.

You two were in a toy store that had a huge selection of lego, so it would be almost impossible to decide on a set that both of you wanted to build together.

You let out a slightly annoyed sigh, while you took your eyes off the many colorful boxes and turn to your boyfriend, who was holding one of the many boxes in his hand and seemed to be studying it carefully.

"What do you have there?" , curious you stepped over to Joe to take a look at the set.

"Chewbacca." Joe turned the box in your direction so you could catch a glimpse of the traced image of Chewbacca.

"Looks really cool, but if you remember we just put something together last week from Star Wars" , you reminded your boyfriend as you stepped towards the shelf again, tilting your head slightly as you began to pattern the colorful boxes once more.

"But Star Wars is cool. Especially Chewbacca. That one has to be in my collection," Joe started to convince you, so however, you shook your head with a smirk and reached for a box.

"I'm more here for."

You held the box with the time machine from Back to the Future in front of Joe's nose.

"This is really cool, too." , Joe replied as he put Chewbacca back on the shelf and you then took the box off to get a better look at the back to the future car.

"So this?" , you tried to get Joe to take this box to the checkout so both of you could make your way back home as quickly as possible, where you would put your comfy clothes back on and you both would then build the set together.

"I don't know..." Joe hesitated, so he put the box back on the shelf and began rubbing his chin.

The little wrinkle under his eye that always formed when Joe was thinking showed you that Joe wasn't really having an easy time deciding on his set.

But with such a large Lego selection, could you blame him?

"Or the house of Home alone," you pointed your finger at the matching set of Joe and your favorite Christmas movie, which you both watched together as a kind of tradition every Christmas.

"There's too much to choose from" , Joe almost whined, running his fingers through his blond hair, which subsequently sat rather tousled on his head.

"I know, but we can take one now and then in the next few weeks we'll get the others" , suggested you, trying to make Joe's decision a little easier, which, however, became anything but easy for Joe.

"Then I'll have to decide which set I'll take home first...", Joe whined almost like a little child, so that you held your hand over your mouth as a soft giggle escaped you.

It was kind of cute to see Joe standing desperately between the two shelves, just unable to decide.

"I guess that's the way it is." , you smirked as you buried your hands in your jacket pockets and slowly walked along the shelf to make the wait a little more exciting.

In the background you could hear Joe muttering softly to himself as you looked at all the different sets.

It was really amazing what Lego had produced in the meantime for sets and especially the prices were sometimes quite a number for themselves.

"Honey?" you heard Joe ask a few minutes later, so you turned around and looked over at your boyfriend.

"Yeah?"

"I think I've decided."

You walked over to Joe and was quite excited to see which set he had decided on and would build them right at home with Joe.

"Which one did it turn out to be?"

Without saying a word, Joe held out the box containing the Chewbacca Lego figure to you.

In fact, you had actually known from the beginning that Joe would choose this figure, as he had been quite blown away when he had pulled it off the shelf.

"Please don't be disappointed" Joe started the sentence almost pouting, while he saw that you was not too enthusiastic.

"I'm not disappointed." , you replied truthfully and pressed a gentle kiss on your boyfriend's cheek to make it clear to him once again.

"But you were probably hoping it would be a different set, since it was already Star Wars last week..."

"It's okay, Joey.Really. You decided on the set and now we're going to build it right at home."

In response, Joe merely nodded, clearly seeming to wrestle with himself over whether he should actually take Chewbacca.

"You know, we'll take Chewbacca with us and you pick out a set for that too, okay? Then we'll both be happy," Joe suggested after a few minutes of deliberation, so you summarily agreed and went off in search of a set to take with you.

It took a few minutes before you found what you were looking for and came over to Joe with the box behind your back.

"Did you find anything?" , he asked as he lifted his eyes from his phone and looked at his girlfriend.

"Yeah, and I already have a really cool idea of how we're going to place this at home," you replied with a grin, holding out an flower set to Joe.

A grin formed on Joe's lips before he rolled his eyes slightly. It had somehow been clear to him that you had chosen the Lego flowers

"Please," you almost pleaded when you realized that Joe wasn't too keen on the idea. You put on your puppy-dog eyes and pulled a slight pout, which you knew Joe couldn't very well say no to.

And sure enough, it worked. Joe sighed softly before putting the phone in his pocket and then a slight grin formed on his lips.

"How could I ever say no to that face?"

"Woohoo!" , you exclaimed joyfully while pressing the box against you.

Joe pressed a feather-light kiss to y/n's forehead before taking her hand, fingers intertwined, and the two made their way to the checkout.

And you couldn't tell which of the two was happier with their Lego sets, because the two were positively beaming.

About twenty minutes later, you had made yourselves comfortable on the soft carpet in front of the living room table on which you now wanted to build your Lego sets.

A soft drink and a few snacks of your choice were also waiting for you.

While Joe was connecting his cell phone to the Bluetooth box, you were already opening the box of Lego flowers and pouring the contents onto the table.

You could hardly wait to assemble the colorful Lego bouquet and then place it in a fancy vase on your living room table where everyone could see it.

"So we're going to start with the flowers?" Joe noted with a grin as he sat down opposite and reached for the assembly instructions.

"Yes, you were allowed to buy Chewbacca, but that doesn't mean we have to build him first." You give your boyfriend a cheeky grin and then tear open the packaging of the components with the large number 1 on them.

"Then the poor thing will probably stay in its packaging for a while longer," Joe sulked almost dramatically, which made you start to laugh.

Sometimes your boyfriend was really childish. But this childlike nature was a special part of Joe that you loved so much.

Because of his childish nature, you would occasionally do things together that you had loved doing as children.

Even the Lego dates that you and Joe used to go on were more or less your joint highlight.

So not only could you build various sets together, but you could also get the Lego sets that your parents used to say no to.

"If you finish my flowers quickly, we can finish Chewbacca today," you try to motivate Joe, who looks down at all the little Lego pieces with his eyebrows drawn together.

"This is going to be a lot of work." The person opposite you grumbled slightly as he picked up a few small pieces and began to assemble the first flower.

"Don't be like that" You smiled as you kept handing Joe a suitable piece, certain that you would make faster progress this way.

A few hours later, you had managed to finish assembling both sets. While Joe's Chewbacca had now found his place on the sideboard under the TV, your flowers had found a special place on the living room table.

"I think I'm getting old. My muscles hurt from sitting on the floor all day" You were almost moaning as you began to massage your neck.

"My poor darling," Joe grinned as he put his arms around you and pulled you closer to him. "Then the next Lego dates will probably have to be canceled."

"Says the guy who last night was still secretly trying to circle countless sets in the Lego catalog that he still wants like a little kid."

In fact, Joe had been sitting on the sofa last night with a Lego catalog and a pen, circling some sets that he wanted to get later.

When you came into the living room, the quarterback had shoved the catalog under the sofa cushion in a panic, hoping you wouldn't discover it.

"You got me," your boyfriend sulked, causing you to grin wryly.

"Of course I did, but I saw that there were some good sets in there."

"So you're going to build them all with me?"

Joe lowered his eyes to you and looked at you almost hopefully.

"I will be. Luckily, we still have an incredible amount of time together in which to build various Lego sets."

[bengalverse]

being sick | Sam Hubbard

In which y/n is ill and sam lovingly cares for her

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

In the last few days, y/n had tried to pretend that everything was fine. But today, right after she got up, she realised that she couldn't pretend that everything was okay today.

She hated it when she got sick and had to stay in bed and let others do things for her.

Snuggled in a blanket, y/n sat on the sofa, remote in her left hand, browsing various streaming platforms for something to watch so that the next few days would at least be somewhat acceptable.

However, she wasn't quite in the mood, so she just stared at the not-so-small TV and operated the remote control almost as if by remote control.

And thus she only noticed that Sam had come to her when he wrapped his arms around her from behind and pressed a gentle kiss on her neck.

Y/n turned her head around to Sam, who gave his girlfriend a warm smile and then sat down next to her on the sofa and put her legs over his thighs.

"Hey, babe. You okay?" Sam eyed y/n for a few seconds, during which he noticed how pale and tired she looked.

"Hm," y/n merely answered him, tugging briefly at Sam's hoodie, which she was wearing, before placing the blanket over her legs and then leaning back.

"Is that my hoodie?" , he asked y/n with a grin.

"It was the cosiest one I could find," , she answered him shrugging her shoulders and then rubbed her forehead behind which it suddenly started to hurt.

"My hoodie looks cute on you." Sam leaned forward slightly to give his girlfriend a kiss on the forehead, noticing that she was almost glowing.

"Are you cold?"

Y/n shook her head and at the same moment pulled the blanket up to her chin.

In truth, she was incredibly cold, but she didn't want to admit this to Sam, because she didn't want to be a burden to him.

After all, she was an adult and could take care of herself - even when she was sick. Because it was difficult for her to accept help from others.

Because she didn't know it any other way. She had been on her own since she was a little girl and this had only changed a year ago when she met Sam, who literally carried her on his hands, read her every wish from her lips and helped her as much as he could.

"You can tell me the truth. I know this is incredibly hard for you, but you are sick and it is my job to nurse you back to health. And I will."

Sam picked up another blanket from the floor, with which he covered y/n, carefully laid her legs on the couch and then got up to fetch her water and tea from the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything else besides tea and water?" , he called into the living room as he fetched a glass from the cupboard.

But there was no reply from the living room, so Sam raised an eyebrow in confusion and made his way back to the living room, where he found his girlfriend asleep.

Carefully, he put the blanket more neatly over his girlfriend, who was almost on the floor, and slipped back into the kitchen, where he quietly left the kitchen door ajar and then called his mother to ask her what the perfect remedy was to get y/n back into shape.

After his mother had told him some of the things Sam had noted down, Sam set off for the supermarket where he would get all the things.

—

"Darling? You need to eat..." Gently, Sam stroked the wet strands of hair from his girlfriend's face.

He was reluctant to wake her, but he was sure she had hardly eaten, or possibly not eaten at all.

He only got a grumble in reply and shortly afterwards y/n slowly opened her eyes and sat up.

Her clothes - Sam's hoodie, rather - were clinging wetly to her, which made her face pucker.

"Do you want me to take you to the bathroom first so you can shower?"

Sam set the bowl of chicken soup, which he had made from his mother's recipe, down on the table.

"Too weak," y/n mumbled softly and stretched her arms up to indicate Sam to take off the wet hoodie.

A moment later she was rid of the wet hoodie. But the t-shirt she was wearing underneath was also wet.

"I'll get you a new shirt." Sam pressed a kiss to y/n's forehead again and then ran upstairs where he got one of his shirts from his wardrobe.

He knew how much y/n loved to wear his hoodies or shirts.

Shortly afterwards he had also helped y/n out of the wet shirt and put a new one on her.

Now y/n lay in his arms and ate the chicken soup while Sam stroked her damp hair.

"I don't want to infect you..." , y/n mumbled with her mouth full.

In fact, y/n was the kind of person who always worried about others before they worried about themselves.

"That's okay. And then you just nurse me back to health the same way I'm nursing you now."

"But I can't do chicken soup."

"Oh, I couldn't make that either. My mom helped me," , Sam admitted honestly, eliciting a small giggle from y/n.

"It tastes good"

After y/n had eaten it all, she snuggled tightly into her friend's strong arms and closed her eyes again for a few seconds.

She still didn't really feel better, which was of course normal as one couldn't get better within a few hours after all, but with her caring friend by her side she felt she was on the road to recovery.

She enjoyed lying in his arms, feeling him gently stroking her hair and pressing a soft kiss to her hairline every now and then.

And a week later, when Sam had given y/n all his care, closeness and attention, Sam was the one who took y/n's place on the couch, because he had caught it from her.

But he put up with the flu, because he didn't regret being there for y/n and nursing her back to health.

[bengalverse]

Little Burrow | Joe Burrow

In which little burrow suprises his dad during training

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

"Mommy! Mommy! I'm ready," y/n's son Mason shouted as he came running into the kitchen.

Y/n lifted her head from the lunch box she was preparing for her three-year-old son and looked over at Mason.

The little blond-haired boy proudly presented his mother with his Bengals jersey, which he was wearing backwards, but looked so proud because he had put it on by himself, so y/n let out a soft "naaw" before lifting her son up and gently tickling his belly, causing him to giggle loudly. 

"You did great, buddy. But we need to get your jersey on right, okay?" Smiling, y/n sat her son down on the countertop and began to put the Burrow jersey, which he wore almost daily, on him the right way around.

"Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals? Nobody!" , Mason began to chant after wearing the jersey the right way around and snagging a cracker from the lunchbox y/n had just prepared.

"I hear you're ready to cheer on Daddy and the rest of the team at practice already?"  Y/n lifted her son up to put him back on the ground, where he gave her a big grin and then clapped his hands enthusiastically and shouted "yes."

Just like Joe, his son shared an enthusiasm for football, so much so that Mason had been talking about nothing else at times since he could talk, and y/n wouldn't be surprised if their son together eventually followed in Joe's footsteps.

"Football with?" , Mason asked y/n as she stowed the lunchbox in Mason's backpack and then tucked her cell phone and front door key into her purse.

"We don't need that one. There are lots of them at Daddy's trainings camp. I'm sure you'll get to play with one." She tousled Mason's hair, which made him giggle.

"Come on, let's go see Daddy."

She picked her son up and carried him into the car, where she put him in his car seat, buckled him in, and moments later left the garage with the car and headed to the training area with Mason to surprise Joe.

—

"Mommy! Mommy! Hurry! "Mason shouted excitedly when they arrived at the training ground and could hear the shouting of the team from far away.

"We're almost there!" y/n smirked slightly as she grabbed Mason's hand and ran over to the field with her excited son, who kept pulling on his mother's hand to show her to hurry.

From a distance, she recognized the team, which was completely engrossed in practicing a few plays, so that y/n and Mason could sneak up unnoticed, although y/n was sure that Mason would betray them sooner or later.

"Daddy?" , Mason tilted his head questioningly as the two arrived at the edge of the field and y/n spread out a blanket on which she and Mason could sit for the next few minutes, keeping Mason occupied every now and then when he wasn't excitedly watching them practice.

"Daddy's over there," , y/n said as she pulled Mason onto her lap and pointed her fingers over to the field where number nine was located.

Wide-eyed, Mason watched his father begin to practice a few throws, at which point Mason kept applauding and began to giggle softly.

With a smile on her lips, y/n watched her son.

"Hello Mason, hello y/n. Good to see you guys." , the suddenly heard Zac's voice next to her, so she lifted her head and smiled at the head coach.

"Hey, Zac. You alright?" Y/n stood up to greet Zac with a quick hug before Zac crouched down and gently tickled Mason's stomach.

"All great and I see you guys are too, right buddy? Are you rooting for your daddy?"

Mason answered Zac with a giggle and then began clapping his hands.

"He couldn't wait to get back here. He actually wears the jersey almost every day." , y/n said rolling his eyes slightly, which made Zac laugh softly.

"That's great, isn't it? That way we're already working on good young talent. Joe said he should play football soon too?"

"No," y/n said quickly, but had to grin.

"I see you haven't agreed yet," Zac replied with a grin, and then picked up Mason, who began to sing The Bengal Song again.

"Shall we go say hi to your daddy and do some exercises with him?"

Zac got a wild nod in response, so the Bengals' boss headed out onto the field with Mason on his arm.

"Listen up guys! I've got a new arrival here!" he shouted across the field, causing everyone to pause in their movement and look to Zac and Mason.

Immediately, the players' expressions brightened and they all began to greet Mason in confusion, causing him to press himself slightly shyly against Zac.

"Look, there's Daddy," he distracted Mason as they came to a stop just before Joe.

He lowered Mason, who moments later spotted Joe and ran toward him, stumbling slightly.

"Hey, Buddy," Joe, who by now had crouched down and spread his arms, greeted his son, who threw himself into his arms.

"Daddy! Daddy!" , his son shouted excitedly and began to tell him that he was wearing Joe's jersey and was eager to play with him.

With a big grin on his lips, Joe pressed a kiss to his son's forehead before picking him up and carrying him over to Logan, Sam and Tee.

"Hey little superstar," Sam greeted the little one and tousled him through his hair, causing Mason to giggle softly.

"Are you training with us today?" , Logan asked Mason, who started nodding vigorously shortly after, making the three of them laugh.

"Let's go then." With a grin on his lips, Tee grabbed the football and thus the four of them began to play a little football with Mason, cheering loudly for Mason every time he threw or caught the ball.

And from the edge of the field, y/n watched them grinning broadly while she held the cell phone in her hand and filmed them all for some time to have some memory of today.

—

"You really need to come back here with Mason" , Logan all but pleaded as he pulled y/n into a tight hug of greeting, then gave her a pleading look as he let her go again.

"Oh, yeah." , Sam agreed with him.

"Please," , Tee was almost pleading.

"I wouldn't mind either" , Joe agreed with his colleagues, after pressing a kiss to y/n's lips. He held the sleeping Mason in his arms, who had fallen asleep after an exciting half hour playing with the boys.

"Don't worry, boys. I'm sure Mason will be begging me to come back here every day now. And he won't stop until he's big enough to be on the field himself."

A big grin formed on the faces of Logan, Sam and Tee and they were satisfied with the answer, so after a short small talk they disappeared into the cabin and left the little family alone.

"That was really a lot of fun. I hope to do this a lot with Mason," Joe enthused. Joe enthused, unaware that y/n had prepared something for Joe and Mason at home, which of course had to do with football.

And who knew if Joe himself would be sitting in the stadium in a few years to watch his own son play and cheer him on.

[bengalverse]

Crush | Joe Burrow

In which Joe asks you how to know if you're in love with someone

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

The fresh smell of coffee and sweet pastries hit Joe's nose as he pushed open the woodsy door of his favorite coffee shop.

He quickly slipped into the air-conditioned interior and took a quick but searching look around.

His gaze stopped at his regular table, where he did not discover the person he had hoped for.

For at his regular place sat a mother with her little son, who could not have been more than two years old.

The little boy was sitting in a high chair eating his cake while his mother sat next to him, proudly watching her son as he clumsily shoved his fork into his mouth.

"Excuse me young man, may I?" , an older voice snapped Joe out of his daydreams, bringing Joe back to the here and now.

"Yes, please?" Joe asked kindly as he looked to the older lady who was balancing several coffee mugs on her hand while holding a large café bag in the other.

"Could you maybe..." , she began the sentence, but Joe knew directly what she wanted from him and opened the door for the elderly lady, who thanked the quarterback.

"Do you want me to take something from them and accompany them?" , he asked her politely as he followed her a step outside, but the elderly lady shook her head.

"Oh, thank you very much, but my car is right over there."

Awkwardly, the older lady tried to balance the coffee mugs, which were in a designated position, as she began to rummage in her bag - possibly looking for her car keys.

Without thinking twice, Joe took a step towards the elderly lady to take the coffee mugs from her, so that the lady could look for her keys in peace.

She gave him a quick look of thanks before digging her key out of her pocket and holding it up in the air.

"Found it," she said with a smile, taking the coffee mugs back. "Your girlfriend must be very lucky to have such an attentive man in her life."

Joe raised one eyebrow in confusion, while his gaze continued to rest calmly on the old woman, who put the coffee mugs, which had slipped slightly, back down neatly.

"In fact, there is no one at my side" , Joe said.

"Oh, but then your future girlfriend will have it especially good with you."

The older lady patted Joe's hand briefly as she thanked him again and headed across the street to her car.

If she ever becomes my girlfriend, Joe thought to himself as he turned and made his way back inside the café.

—

"Can I get you anything yet, Joe?" Maxime, the waitress, asked him after he had sat down on one of the tables at the end of the café, where he hopefully remained undiscovered as much as possible.

But he was not too worried about that right now, because it was just early noon and therefore the rush in the café was not too big, so he had to fear that he would not be able to get out of taking pictures and signing autographs.

Because there were actually often one or the other day, on which it remained impossible for him to remain unrecognized.

"Uhm" , he said, pausing as he considered whether he should really order already.

After all, there was still nothing to be seen of y/n far and wide. Probably one of her university classes went on a bit longer again or she was delayed by one of her lecturers.

"I'll wait", he said after a short consideration, because he decided to order only when y/n would be with him.

For he knew how much she hated cold tea. In fact, y/n preferred tea, which Joe could not understand.

After all, how could anyone perk up without coffee?

"Alright. Just let me know if you want to order." , she let him know before turning away and then beginning to attend to other guests.

Joe sat back and reached for his cell phone, which he had placed next to him on the table, to see if y/n might have texted him that she was running late.

But nothing.

Briefly, the quarterback considered calling her. But he decided against it, because he knew that y/n had always kept her appointments and if something had come up, she had canceled.

While Joe waited, he glanced through the large window, which revealed a view of the adjacent park, where all the blooming flowers and shrubs could be seen up to here, bathing the park in a beautiful colorful blob.

Shortly after, his cell phone rang, causing him to wince in shock before he answered without looking to see who was calling him.

"Burrow?"

"Hello my favorite quarterback! I hope you're not waiting too long for me at the coffee shop. I've been delayed by my annoying lecturer! I just got out of college..." , y/n began and Joe listened to her get upset with her lecturer, which made Joe smile.

"Oh man, I think this calls for a large coffee and a raspberry muffin now?" , Joe asked, knowing he had hit the mark.

"Yeah, did you order already?"

Joe heard y/n cross the street as the traffic noise suddenly doubled.

"No not yet, I was going to wait for you. Do you want me to order takeout and meet you there? I think after this stressful college day you could use some fresh air" , as Joe spoke he had gotten up and walked over to the counter, in front of which he joined the small line.

"How do you always know exactly what I need right now?" , he heard y/n sigh contentedly at the other end.

"Um, I guess I'm a good best friend and listener?"

"Okay, okay, okay. Now don't praise yourself too much. I'll see you at the bench in the park in five minutes!"

Before Joe could say anything else back, y/n had already hung up and Joe looked at his lock screen for a few seconds, which showed himself as the background, before it was his turn to order.

—

Searching, Joe looked around again while holding the two mugs in one hand and a small bag containing a raspberry and a blueberry muffin in the other.

Unlike the café, the park was quite crowded, so he let his gaze wander more slowly through the surroundings in order to be able to discover y/n.

Around him, a few people were walking their dogs, and on the small playground that was a bit away from him, a kindergarten group was playing, which seemed to be on an outing.

But he couldn't spot y/n among all the people, so he let out a light sigh and kept his eyes on the path.

With quick steps y/n entered the park and dodged the one or other dog, which romped across the path without a leash.

Her eyes searched the park for Joe, whom she spotted shortly after, standing with his back to her.

She was quite sorry that Joe had been waiting in vain at the café for the last few minutes.

But even though she couldn't help it, since her lecturer, who had gone through the homework assignments with her, had held her up, she felt guilty.

And that's why she hurried to get to her best friend, which is why she almost ran over to him and then snuck the last few feet towards him and covered his eyes.

Joe flinched in fright as it suddenly went dark in front of his eyes and he felt cold hands on his eyes.

But he relaxed immediately as he caught the all-too-familiar scent he had smelled countless times before and given away himself.

"Y/n!" , he said directly and within seconds his hands were removed from his eyes.

"How did you know?" , y/n asked sulkily as Joe turned to face her.

"I smelled your perfume. Maybe next time you should wear something more inconspicuous."

Joe handed y/n her coffee mug, which contained her favorite tea, from which y/n took a big gulp and sighed with pleasure.

This was exactly what she had brought now.

"Hm..." , she murmured as she pressed the still lukewarm cup against her palm and then dropped onto the bench behind her.

"You're unfair, Burrow..." , she mumbled as she reached into the bag and then bit into the raspberry muffin.

"What did I do now?" , Joe asked, eyebrows raised in confusion as he also reached for his muffin and bit into it as well.

"Oh, nothing."

The muffins were still warm, just the way the two liked it best, which is why they hurried to eat the muffins as quickly as possible.

"How was your day?" , she asked Joe and he began to tell her about the elderly lady at the café.

Attentively y/n listened to him while she kept breaking off a piece of the muffin and then shoving it into her mouth.

"And then she said: but then your future girlfriend will have it especially good with you". , Joe finished his narrative, eliciting a giggle from y/n.

"How sweet" , she said, dragging out the word 'sweet' impossibly, causing Joe to roll his eyes.

"But while we're at it, how are things with the women?" , y/n inquired as she wiped the crumbs off her pants and then sat down cross-legged, looking curiously at her best friend.

In doing so, however, she concealed from Joe the fact that she was incredibly fond of the quarterback. If 'fond' wasn't a bit of an understatement, she had actually fallen a little in love with Joe.

But she would never tell him that openly, because she didn't have a good feeling about it.

After all, the two of them were friends and that could or would ever become more, could not happen.

Because that's exactly what the two had sworn to each other a few years ago, so that in the end, in the worst case scenario, their friendship wouldn't break up exactly because of that.

"Uh..." Joe began the sentence, but left it hanging in the air, unfinished.

Joe thought about how he could best get around this answer. But he might not have had a chance with y/n to avoid this question so easily.

Because y/n was a person who didn't make it too easy for other people to simply dodge questions, which is why Joe decided on a counter question.

"How do I know if I have a crush on someone?"

Joe slowly sat back as he buried his trembling fingers in the pocket of his hoodie, swallowed briefly, and then looked everywhere but at y/n.

He tried to ignore his heart, which slowly began to snake faster against his ribs, as best he could.

Stay cool, Burrow, he told himself quietly in his mind, trying to relax a little.

But the fact that y/n next to him remained silent didn't ensure that he succeeded in doing so right now.

So he loosened his gaze from the point he had fixed until just now and looked over at y/n.

Y/n thought for a few seconds about Joe's question and how she could best answer him.

"Well, you can't stop thinking about them, you feel strange when they're around and you want to -" Y/n broke off the sentence when she noticed that Joe was looking at her strangely. Almost staring at her strangely.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" The question slipped quietly from her lips as Joe had come dangerously close to her, so she could hear her heart hammering almost continuously against her ribs, and she suddenly felt quite warm.

"Because...Because I have a crush on you..."

[bengalverse]

Special gift | Nick Bosa

In which Nick gives y/n a special gift to help her not miss Nick too much on the days he is away.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Being in a relationship is not always easy. Especially not when you haven't seen each other for the last few weeks.

That's exactly how it was with y/n and Nick.

Y/n had a lot to do at work, which is why he had to work overtime almost every day. While Nick had slowly started training again to prepare for the upcoming season start.

And so it happened that the two saw each other only briefly in the morning and had a breakfast together before the two went in separate cars on the way to work.

Then, while Nick stood on the court and trained, y/n fought through reams of paperwork that dragged on until late in the evening, so she usually didn't enter her home until the sun went down.

Some days Nick was still awake at that time waiting for his girlfriend, but on other days, on which your training was too exhausting, Nick had already sunk into the land of dreams.

And also today it looked as if y/n would again have no togetherness with her boyfriend.

Because when she closed the front door it was already dark in the whole house and not a single sound could be heard.

She sighed sadly as she quietly closed the door behind her and slipped out of her tight shoes, in which her feet had been aching for half the day.

A hint of exhaustion spread through her as she slipped barefoot into the kitchen to grab a snack from the fridge.

Turning on the light, she was startled to discover a small folded cardboard house on the kitchen island.

Confused, y/n frowned and dismissed the thought of the snack for now, because the little cardboard house, which even had her name on it, caught her attention.

Slowly she opened the cardboard house at the top of the roof and carefully took a look inside.

Out came a pink plush frog wearing a mini 49ers jersey with Bosa flocking. Next to it was a small note that read "Look what I made for you...do you like it?" , it said.

Quietly y/n giggled up and pressed the fluffy frog against her chest.

She loved stuffed animals, especially cute frogs. She already had a few of those, but this pink plush frog was definitely her new favorite.

And the highlight was definitely the Bosa jersey.

"Press his heart" , she suddenly heard a deep voice behind her, which made her jump around, startled.

Leaning against the wall, her boyfriend Nick stood with his arms folded in front of his chest, watching his girlfriend with a smile.

Y/n was sure he had been standing there for a few minutes, but she hadn't really noticed him because the cardboard house had caught her attention directly.

"Excuse me?" , she asked her boyfriend as she looked at him, perplexed.

"You have to press here." Nick approached his girlfriend, carefully grabbed her hand and together with her pressed the spot of the frog's heart, whereupon she felt a small resistance and shortly after Nick's voice filled the kitchen.

"I love you"

But it was not Nick who had said those words, but the frog that had Nick's voice in it.

Y/n's eyes grew wide as she looked back and forth between Nick and the pink frog.

Nick had actually made her a frog at Build a bear and added a personal message.

"This...This is the cutest thing I've ever gotten!" , y/n whispered, touched, as a few tears rolled down her cheeks, which Nick gently wiped away.

"I know we don't see each other too often right now, which of course will change again soon when you have less to do and I'm more back into training rhythm." , gently Nick reached for his girlfriend's hands and looked into her eyes. "I know how much you miss me and I thought the frog would be a good substitute for me when I'm not around."

"It is," y/n assured Nick as she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and again pressed on the frog's heart and Nicks' "I love you" echoed through the kitchen once again.

"The most beautiful gift I've ever received. And definitely a good replacement for you, but really no one can replace you" , y/n murmured against Nick's lips before she put her lips on his teaching and kissed him.

And even though it was already pretty late, the two of them didn't care for a few minutes. Because now was the time when they could finally spend a few minutes undisturbed again, before it would start tomorrow morning again with their separate everyday life.

[bengalverse]

Helpful words | Travis Kelce

In which y/n is afraid of becoming a bad mother. She reveals these doubts to Travis, who does everything he can to prove to y/n that she will be a good mother

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

After the last baby things have been stowed away in the closet, your gaze wanders once again through the finally finished baby room.

A smile forms on your lips as your hand rests on your round belly.

Over the last two months, Travis and you had done a lot of work in the nursery to create a beautiful room for your unborn daughter.

Now the room with the light pink walls and white furniture was finally finished and it couldn't be more perfect.

Even all the clothes that you had just sorted into the wardrobe were already waiting to be worn by your little Peanut.

Peanut was the nickname Travis had given your daughter as soon as he found out you were pregnant.

Since then, the nickname has been used by both of you whenever you address the little one.

You already had a name for your daughter, but you didn't want to announce it to your families until she was born, so it was still Peanut.

Your finger gently stroked the many different items of clothing that not only you and Travis had bought, but had also received as gifts at the baby shower.

It was about time to pick out the first outfit for Peanut, as it could be any day now.

Your hospital bag had been in the trunk of your car for weeks, but you hadn't yet been able to decide between all the cute outfits which one you should take to the hospital and dress your daughter in first.

"Honey?" Travis, who had just come back from running a few errands at the supermarket, called out because you were hungry for ice cream and your husband had run straight out to get it.

"Baby room!" you shouted back as you pulled out a hanger or two to look at the outfit on the hanger.

There was too much choice and each outfit seemed to get cuter so you just couldn't decide.

Why was that so damn hard? Even with your daughter's name or the design of the nursery, it hadn't even been that difficult.

A loud sigh left your lips as you closed the closet doors louder than you intended.

"Everything okay?" Travis asked directly as he stumbled into the baby's room, looking at himself with a worried and anxious look at the same time.

"I can't find a suitable hospital outfit for Peanut!" you sobbed as countless tears began to roll down your cheeks.

"Hey," Travis began as he crossed the last few feet over to you and then pulled you into his strong arms. "We'll find a suitable one."

His hand gently stroked your back as a few more tears soaked Travis' shirt slightly.

"How am I supposed to be a good mother if I can't find anything suitable for the hospital?" A loud sob left your lips.

The pregnancy hormones once again had you completely in their grip and you began to doubt yourself.

"Hey, sweetheart," Travis' voice rang out softly as he pushed you back a little so you could look at him.

"Huh?" you sniffled as you lifted your gaze and looked into your husband's eyes.

His eyes radiated calm and warmth, making you feel a little better, but despite all this, your hormones were still on a rollercoaster.

"You'd be a great mom." Travis wiped his thumb across your face to wipe away the tears that were still rolling down your cheeks. "You're going to do amazing, darling. I can already see how much love and security you give Peanut, even though she's not even here yet. You talk to her every day, sing or read to her. And just because you can't decide what to wear right now doesn't mean you'll be a bad mom."

The tears slowly began to dry as Travis' hand placed itself on your stomach and gently stroked over.

"Your mom is going to be a great mom, isn't she Peanut?" As Travis spoke, he squatted down to be more or less on the same level as your daughter.

It took a few seconds for your daughter to kick your belly like she was saying yes.

"See, even Peanut agrees with me." Travis looked up at you and gave you a soft smile.

And this situation once again caused new tears to roll down her cheeks. But not out of desperation, but out of love.

Those words from Travis and the light kick from your daughter caused you to become quite emotional now and once again you were clearly shown how much you loved your husband and your unborn daughter.

"Thank you," You whispered, while Travis wrapped his arms around you again and buried his face in your hair.

"The truth," he replied gently as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head and you stood there for a few minutes just enjoying each other's closeness and affection.

"And now let's pick out an outfit for Peanut together. With all your super cute stuff, it's going to be hard even for me to pick just one." 

Travis took your hand while he opened your daughter's closet with his other hand and looked through all the clothes.

And indeed, your husband felt the same way as you did. He couldn't decide either, so you both picked out your top two favorites and in the end, after a long back and forth, you finally decided on an outfit that your little Peanut would wear first.

And it shouldn't be too much longer before that day finally comes.

[bengalverse]

Protecting Boyfriend | Quinn Hughes

summary — During the Canucks home game, a man says some not-so-nice words to you because you're wearing a Hughes jersey. When Quinn finds out, he does everything he can to protect you and makes sure you get the pep talk you need to hear

pairing — quinn hughes x reader

words — 2165

warning — not-so-nice- words

A wide smile formed on your lips as you entered the Rogers Arena.

Today would be the game against the Coyotes that you've been looking forward to for the past week.

You can't wait to support your boyfriend Quinn and the rest of the team live in person, and then at home, in your own stadium.

You slowly walk down the stairs to your seat, from which you have a perfect view of the entire ice.

But from your seat you not only have a good view of the field, but also of the Canucks players who are seated not far from you.

That way, if your boyfriend wasn't on the field, you'd get a good look at number 43.

You can hardly wait for the stadium to fill up and the 1st period to begin.

In fact, it doesn't take too long before the stadium starts to fill up and various people fill the seats with their jerseys bearing the shirt numbers of their favorite players.

Today you are also wearing the blue Canucks jersey with Quinn's number on it, which you wear at every game you attend.

From the beginning, it was natural for you to show up at your games in his jersey and not to wear any expensive clothes to make your appearance at Quinn's games a kind of catwalk.

There were many wives or girlfriends of players who used the games to get themselves all dressed up and did half a shooting during the game to get likes and attention on Instagram or various other platforms.

But you've never been like this before. Supporting Quinn has always been your number one priority and that will never change.

"Hello," an older man in a Canucks jersey greets you as he sits down on the happy seat next to you.

"Hello," you reply in a friendly manner and give the man a friendly smile.

As your gaze begins to wander through the now full stadium and the noise level slowly rises, you feel a gaze on you.

Slowly, you turn your face in the direction of the man who had greeted you kindly just a few minutes ago.

Now there's a crinkled look on your face as he eyes you intently and begins to make you feel uncomfortable.

You've always been a little reserved around strangers, so the words that now leave your mouth surprise you.

"Is everything all right? Or is something wrong?"

The man begins to mumble something into his beard, which you can't understand due to the volume level.

"Excuse me? What did they say?" you ask as your heart starts to beat a little faster with nervousness.

You just want to watch the game in peace, without incident.

"I said that it's obvious that you're wearing a Hughes jersey of all things, like almost all the young women here."

"What makes you think that?"

The confusion was written all over your face. Of course you know that there are a lot of fans wearing the number 43 jersey, but there certainly weren't that many in the stadium just now.

"You young women now only pick players who look good. Most of you aren't even interested in the sport itself," he rants, causing you to look shocked.

You expected anything, but not this. What is wrong with this older man? And above all, what the hell did he have the nerve to say that to you?

Stunned, you start to shake your head and just as you've thought of the perfect answer, it gets loud and the teams enter the ice.

Probably better that way, because at least the man next to you was quiet and you could more or less enjoy the game.

Because you wouldn't let him ruin the day you've been looking forward to for a week.

—

The man had actually kept his mouth shut to you the whole game.

But when Quinn scored a goal and you, like several other fans, jumped up and cheered loudly, you heard other comments coming from his direction, but you couldn't hear them over the loud cheering and music.

Now the game is over, which the Canucks won 2-1.

A broad smile returns to your face, but it is immediately extinguished when the man next to you stands up and gives you an annoyed look.

"Well you fangirl? Did you even watch and understand the game? Or were you just undressing Hughes with your eyes?" His voice growls slightly, making you flinch and reflexively wrap your arms around your body.

This can't be true. Why can't the man just leave you alone and make his way home?

Even if you were just a fangirl who was only there because of Quinn, that wouldn't be his problem.

You just shake your head and leave your seat.

As you climb the stairs to get to the exit, you try not to let on too much how much the man has intimidated you and you're starting to panic.

It's all good, y/n. Just keep walking. You'll be with Quinn in a minute, you repeat the phrases over and over in your head as you leave the stadium, a light breeze blowing through your hair.

You breathe out deeply and close your eyes for a few seconds before opening them again and mingling with the crowd of fans to get to the back of the stadium.

There you will meet Quinn so that you can finally embrace him and congratulate him on his victory.

As you reach the back entrance, where a barrier has already been erected in front of the exit and one or two fans are already waiting to intercept their favorite player, you look around.

So as not to get in the way of any of the fans, you stand in the corner of the barrier so that everyone else has enough space. After all, you're not there to get autographs or photos, but to wait for your boyfriend.

But luck was not on your side. A few seconds later, the man you just met stands next to you and looks at you with an annoyed expression.

"Well, are you trying to get your hands on Hughes?" There is disgust in his voice. He speaks so quietly that only you can hear him.

Your heart begins to hammer faster against your ribs as your hands claw at the barrier and you try to stay calm.

"Stop it," you whisper on the verge of tears, which makes you angry with yourself for showing the man weakness.

But you can't do anything about it. The words and the way he treats you start to burn on your soul and reopen some old wounds.

You don't have an answer ready, but if you were honest with yourself, no perfect answer would shut the man up.

As the first players come out of the stadium and start signing autographs and taking photos with their fans, you stand on tiptoe to get a better look at when Quinn will finally arrive.

Quinn was never one of the first to leave the dressing room and then the stadium, so it would be a while before he arrived.

You would survive these few minutes - hopefully.

"Don't get your hopes up, sweetie. Hughes would never take you home," the man laughs as he steps closer to you.

"If they only knew..." You mumble, unaware that you've just spoken your thoughts out loud as you take a step to the side to put more distance between you.

"Excuse me?" the man hisses.

"I said, if they knew," you start and then gather all your courage for the next words that leave your mouth. "He's my boyfriend."

The man next to you starts to laugh out loud, attracting the attention not only of the other fans, but also of one or two of the players.

Confused, Dakota, Conor and Elias look in your direction. It took a few seconds for the three's eyes to grow wide as they recognize you and realize what's happening right in front of them.

"Hey, man. Do you want an autograph too?" Dakota asks as he approaches you and the man.

Dakota gives you a warm and gentle look, trying to make you realize that everything is going to be okay.

"Oh, I'd love to!" The man beams now and starts to engage Dakota in a conversation in which he is overly friendly.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Elias run back into the stadium, followed shortly afterwards by Quinn.

Relief spreads through your body as you spot Quinn, who looks anything but pleased.

He looks angry.

Elias must have summarized everything for Quinn.

Several fans start yelling for Quinn, but he only has eyes for you.

He approaches you with quick steps, puts his hands on your hips and lifts you over the barrier.

"Are you okay, babe?" You ask him as you feel his tense muscles under the suit.

"I should ask you if you're okay, if anything. Why didn't you say anything?" Quinn looks down at you with a worried expression.

"I couldn't have said that during the game..." you begin, but are immediately interrupted by Quinn.

"But during the break. You could have texted me or come to the dressing room."

Quinn strokes your hair gently as he continues to look at you with concern.

His muscles relax slightly under your hand, which is still on his chest.

But you know that won't last long.

"I wouldn't take her home tonight!" A voice calls out, making you flinch.

Immediately, Quinn's muscles tense again as his face becomes angry again and his hands automatically clench into fists.

"Quinn..." You begin, but Quinn doesn't seem to hear you at all.

He gently pushes you over to Elias, who has become like a big brother to you over the last few years, when you've spent a lot of time with him and Quinn.

"Elias..." You mumble anxiously as you look up at the blond.

"Don't worry, y/n. He won't do anything stupid," Elias promises you, but you're not even sure if you can really believe his words.

From a safe distance, you watch Quinn more or less stumble the man together.

As you do, you pick up a few scraps of words, like "My girlfriend...She doesn't deserve this...Greatest person on earth...Our team doesn't need fans like you..."

It's not long before the man is taken away by security and Quinn returns to you.

Sniffling, you throw yourself into his strong arms, which he wraps tightly around you and presses you gently against him.

"I'm sorry," Quinn mumbles into your hair.

"It's not your fault," you sniffle as you look up at him and see a few tears in his eyes.

"But he hurt you and said things to your head that no one should ever hear. And if you get hurt, it hurts me here too."

Quinn reaches for your hand and places it where his heart is.

"Oh, Quinn..." you whisper as countless tears begin to roll down your cheeks.

He was incredibly sweet to you and now, after you had to hear those nasty and caustic words from the man, he made sure that you were moved to tears.

"If that happens again - which I hope it doesn't. Would I like you to come straight to me, Elias or another one of my colleagues, yes?"

Quinn looks you in the eye and then kisses your forehead.

"I promise," you murmur as you snuggle back into his arms and enjoy his strong, warm arms.

All the words that had hurt you just a moment ago disappeared as if by magic while you were in Quinn's arms and enjoying his closeness.

"I want you to forget all those words that man banged on your head, y/n. You know none of those words are true. I know it's hard to get these words out of my head, but I hope they help you. You're the best person I've ever met. You are the love of my life. You're always there for me, you make me feel better no matter how bad I'm feeling, you make me laugh and just your presence makes me feel good. I love you y/n and I could go on and on, but then we'd be here until tomorrow and I hope these words help you forget all the crap he's thrown at you."

His words caused a tear or two to roll down your cheeks. You were touched by how lovingly he treated you and had the perfect words to make you feel better.

And Quinn's words actually manage to put all the man's words out of your head once and for all.

Quinn was not only your friend, but also your protector.

Even though you do this side of him and you like how protective he is of you, you hope that something like today won't happen again.

[bengalverse]

Dog sitting | Sam Hubbard

summary — In which you are initially just the dog sitter for Sam's dog, until it suddenly seems to become something more

paring — sam hubbard x reader

words — 2655

You go through your thoughts again to make sure you really have everything you need while you take a look in your bag.

Your wallet, toiletry bag, charging cable, a change of clothes and a little make-up are there, as are your cell phone and dog biscuits.

Your car keys are in your hand, so you've thought of everything. Before you zipper up the bag, you check the contents one last time to make sure everything is there.

You would only be leaving home for one night, so forgetting something wasn't too dramatic, but better safe than sorry.

"Let's go" you mumble to yourself as you leave your home and pull the door shut behind you.

The sun shines down from the sky and gently tickles your nose with its rays, making you sneeze.

It had been quite cloudy for the last few days, so the sun is high in the sky for the first time in several days, making sure that half the neighborhood is out on the street or in their gardens.

Waving to your neighbors, you walk over to your car, where you stow your bag and then get in and push your sunglasses up your nose before driving off.

The roads were pretty busy in this beautiful weather, so you make the fifteen-minute drive today in twenty-five minutes.

However, a glance at the clock on the dashboard tells you that you're still well on time.

A sigh of relief leaves your lips as you skillfully steer your car up the bright driveway and come to a stop next to the dark SUV.

A few seconds later, you walk up the narrow gravel path to the front door, where you press the doorbell button, followed by a bark and the silhouette of the dark dog appearing in front of the door.

It doesn't take long for the door to open and the dark fluffy dog slips between Sam's legs and comes running towards you.

You quickly take one of the dog biscuits out of your bag and then get down on your knees to greet the fluffy dog.

"Hello Leo, look what I've brought you" you greet him with a smile and hold out the dog biscuit to Sam's dog, which is eaten within a few seconds.

Preparing the cookies had taken up a little of your time, so you smile at the speed with which Leo ate the cookie.

"So, did you like the homemade cookie?" you ask Leo, who snuggles up to you and you start stroking his ear.

In response, Leo licks your face once before sticking his nose in your pocket and looking for more cookies in your bag.

"Leo, out!" Sam admonishes his dog and gently pulls him away from you and your bag by his collar. Sam gives Leo a command to go back into the house and shortly afterwards the furry friend disappears back inside.

"Do I get the same warm welcome?" Sam asks you with a grin as you stand back on your feet.

"I'm afraid I didn't bake any cookies for you. Sorry, Hubbard, but I only have one favorite in your house," you joke as Sam pulls you into his warm arms and you smell his aftershave, which smells much more intense than usual today.

"Ouch, that hits me hard," he replies jokingly as he lets go of you and closes the door behind you after you step inside.

There is already a travel bag and a small rucksack in the hallway.

Sam will be heading out in a few hours with a few colleagues from his The Sam Hubbard Fondation and staying away for a night, so you've taken over the dog-sitting part.

For about a year now, you've been looking after Leo regularly when Sam has away games or other important appointments so that Leo isn't alone.

"Maybe you'll get cookies next time," you reply with a gentle smile and follow Sam over to the kitchen.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asks as he opens the fridge and takes a look inside.

"Do you happen to have any iced tea?" You put your bag down on the counter and then look over at Sam, finding it incredibly difficult not to stare at his muscular back, which is even more visible thanks to the tight-fitting T-shirt.

"Peach iced tea? Sure, I got it specially. As well as a few snacks to make dog-sitting somehow bearable for you" he replies with a grin and then hands you a can of cold iced tea.

"Very generous of you, Hubbard" grinning, you open the can and take a big sip. Only now do you realize how thirsty you actually are.

"Always," he comments with a grin, before also taking a big gulp from his water bottle and then bracing his muscular arms on the counter opposite you.

Just don't stare, y/n , you admonish yourself and direct your gaze to the can in your hand, on which you begin to read the label.

"So..." Sam begins after a few seconds of silence, causing you to lift your gaze and look into his eyes. "Leo was out about half an hour ago, so you don't have to go out again until this evening. He's also just eaten, so you won't have to give him any more until about..."

Before Sam can even begin to continue the sentence, you put your hand on his forearm to make him stop.

"Sam," your voice sounds softly in the room. "You don't have to tell me all that again. I know how to feed Leo, how often he has to go out and what I have to watch out for. This isn't the first time I've looked after him."

"Sorry," Sam mumbles more to himself as he starts to take another sip and you quickly remove your hand from his arm as you realize what you just did.

You and Sam have known each other for a while, because back then Sam was looking for a dog sitter and noticed your ad.

From the first time you met, the chemistry was right not only between you and Leo, but also between you and Sam.

In the beginning, you were only with Sam when you were looking after Leo, but now Sam and you also spent time together from time to time, which Leo was particularly happy about, because the little four-legged friend loved you more than anything.

"When will you be back tomorrow?" you start to turn the conversation to another topic, as you notice that the atmosphere between you is a little tense at the moment due to your brief contact.

"Around three pm. You don't have to stay with Leo that long if you have plans. You're welcome to bring him back here after lunch and give me the key again another time."

"No, it's all good. I've got nothing planned for tomorrow. Besides, I like spending time with Leo." And with you, Sam, you continue your thought quietly.

Because you actually had a little crush on Sam, but who could blame you with the handsome Bengals star?

"Okay, great. I have to get going. If there's anything, just give me a call, okay? " Sam puts his bottle of water back in the fridge before he walks over to Leo's basket and starts to scratch him behind the ears and says goodbye to him.

The way he treats Leo so lovingly makes your tummy tingle and your heart warm.

There is almost nothing more attractive than men who are so sweet with animals.

"I will," you promise him as you follow Sam into the hallway, where he puts on his rucksack and then reaches for his travel bag.

" See you tomorrow, y/n. And don't let the puppy eyes wrap you around their fingers too much. "

Sam pulls you into another hug, whereupon you wrap your arms lightly around him and feel Sam hug you tightly for a few seconds and you can usually feel him burying his nose in your hair.

"I can't promise anything," you say, giggling as you release your embrace again. "Have fun, Sammy. Drive carefully and come back safely."

"I'll write to you when I get there. See you tomorrow." Sam raises his hand in farewell before leaving the house and pulling the door shut behind him.

You stand there for a few seconds, literally staring at the door, until you hear the engine of his car start and the car leaves the driveway shortly afterwards.

"And what are we two pretty ones going to do while your master is away? " you ask Leo as you flop down on the sofa and put your feet up.

Leo literally jumps up from his basket and a few seconds later finds himself lying half on top of you on the sofa.

"I guess that means cuddling, huh?" you ask with a grin and bury your hand in the dog's fluffy fur, which you start to cuddle.

Leo's head lies on your stomach and his dark eyes look up at you sadly.

"You miss Sam already, don't you? " you ask and get a quiet whimper in reply. "Shall I tell you something? I already miss him too. I wish he was here now too."

A soft sigh leaves your lips as you continue to cuddle Leo.

Hopefully Sam will come back soon so you can spend time with him again.

— —

Although Leo missed Sam a lot at first, you quickly managed to distract him from his grief.

After a long scratching session, you played a bit of ball and frisbee together in the garden until it was time for the evening walk and then you both had dinner.

You then fell asleep together watching an episode of Criminal Minds and spent the night on the sofa instead of in Sam's guest room.

Sam didn't really like it when Leo was in bed with you, because his dog had his own rules and wasn't allowed in the guest room. But no matter how often you took Leo out of the guest room, the little four-legged friend would always sit in front of the door howling, so you let him in every time.

But you were spared this by sleeping on the couch.

"Look Leo, we've just finished our lunchtime round and it won't be long before Sam arrives" you stroke Leo gently through his fur before leashing him and making your way back to Sam's house with him.

For the last forty-five minutes, you and Leo have been running through the forest, playing fetch and catch.

Now not only was Leo dirty, but so were you. Your shirt and pants were covered in various splashes of dirt and dog paws, so you had to go straight home and shower as soon as Sam got home.

But it was worth it, because the walk and playing fetch and catch were so much fun for you that your mood had doubled.

And perhaps Sam's arrival also played a part in this.

As Leo and you walk up the driveway, exhausted, you can see Sam's car parked next to yours from a distance.

Confused, you glance at your watch and are shocked to see that it's already half past three.

Damn, you'd actually forgotten the time. Hopefully Sam wouldn't get angry.

You quicken your steps and then enter the hallway with Leo, where you first clean his feet properly and then brush the dirt from his fur before letting him inside the house.

Shortly afterwards, you hear Sam's voice.

"Hello, buddy! Oh yes, I've missed you so much too! Have you had a nice walk and worked off your energy?" as Sam speaks, you keep hearing a soft laugh, which warms your heart again.

Leo is probably giving out his favorite dog kisses again.

As Sam's footsteps approach, you're in the middle of cleaning your shoes somehow. But it would probably be smarter to let the mud dry first so that you can get it off better.

"Oh, wow. I guess I can answer the question myself as to whether that was a successful walk," Sam says with a grin as he begins to look you over.

"It really was," you beam in his direction, wiping some dried mud from your face. "Only I guess I really need a shower and should get home now..."

"You can shower here and put some of my clothes on," Sam babbles almost in a panic, afraid that you might disappear at any second.

"If that's okay?" you ask, almost shyly. The thought of wearing Sam's clothes triggers a tingling sensation in your stomach that you probably won't be able to get rid of any time soon.

"Of course. Go ahead and take a shower. The towels are under the sink, but you know that. I'll put something for you to wear outside the door and make us some tea in the meantime."

Without waiting for your answer, Sam disappears upstairs and leaves you behind.

A good fifteen minutes later you come into the living room, freshly showered and wearing Sam's clothes (which you had been standing in the bathroom for a few minutes smelling with your nose).

Sam is sitting on the sofa and his eyes widen when he spots you in your clothes. A quiet 'wow' leaves his lips, which makes you wonder whether you might have imagined it, as quiet as it was.

Embarrassed, you sit down next to Sam on the sofa and then reach for the cup of tea, from which you carefully take a sip.

"How was your trip?" you ask as you notice that Sam is just staring at you, which makes you feel quite nervous.

Sam begins to tell you happily about his trip and as you listen to his words, you keep sipping your tea.

"And how was it here? Did everything go well?" Sam asks you afterwards.

"Everything was great. Leo was easy to look after as always and we had a lot of fun. Or did Leo?" you ask and look over to the basket where Leo is lying with a chewy bone, which he is chewing on with relish.

"I'm glad." Sam scoots a little closer to you, causing your heart to start beating faster and you nervously turn the cup in your hand back and forth.

"Are you okay?" you ask nervously.

"You still have some dirt on your face" he lets you know, whereupon you start to wipe your face in panic.

"No, wait, I'll help you." Sam stretches out his finger and gently wipes your cheek. His face is so close to yours that you can feel his breath lightly on your cheek.

Sam's proximity makes you so nervous that a slight shiver runs down your spine and makes you swallow.

"There, gone," he lets you know as he leans back a little, then takes the cup from you and places it on the table.

But instead of Sam leaning back again and widening the distance between you, he narrows it again.

"Sam...what...what are you doing?" you ask nervously as the tips of your noses brush lightly.

"I want to kiss you so much, y/n. I've had this thought since yesterday and I just can't get it out of my head," he begins honestly, brushing your nose again before looking you in the eye.

"Can I kiss you?" he almost breathes against your lips, causing the butterflies in your stomach to wake up and start doing somersaults. But Sam suddenly seems pretty nervous too.

"Yes," you breathe back and Sam bridges the last few centimetres between you until his warm lips are on yours and he kisses you.

You've both been waiting for this moment for so long and now it's finally coming true.

The dog sitting couldn't have ended any more beautifully.