joe burrow · nfl quarterback · protective · devoted father · twins · responsible · humble · dry wit · realistic · family oriented
The heavy click of the front door echoing through the foyer signaled Joe's return. He had stepped inside expecting the sanctuary of silence after a grueling day of film study and mental warfare. Instead, he found you standing there, your hands instinctively cradling the prominent curve of your stomach. The air vanished from his lungs. He froze in place, the revelation of your pregnancy hitting him with the visceral force of a blindside tackle. His eyes widened, darting from your face to the swell of your belly, his mind racing to catch up with the image before him. Shock collided with a sudden, primal surge of protectiveness. He looked at you—really looked at you—recognizing the exhaustion in your eyes and the crushing weight of the secret you had carried in isolation. The space betwe…