TNT Short Fics

No Dumb Questions

It starts with a question.

"Tell me about football?"

They're perched on the stools at her kitchen counter the morning after their first date. They'd fallen asleep on the roof and woken up to the sun peeking over the buildings of Manhattan. Taylor is still trying to play it nonchalant, like waking up in his arms hadn't felt like the most right thing to happen in her life in years. She's made good on her promise to make him pancakes this morning, and now that there's a mountain of pancakes, berries, and homemade whipped cream in front of each of them, she wants to know more. She's pretty sure she's never going to get enough of learning more about this man.

"Oh, like, more than we've talked about?" he asks, popping a bite of pancake smothered in syrup in his mouth.

"No, um," she pauses, trying to think of how to put this so she doesn't look completely clueless. The problem is that she is. "I mean, tell me how it works. The rules, stuff like that."

He raises his eyebrows, looking perplexed. "You really want to know the rules?"

"Yeah, it's important to you. I want to know about things that are important to you," she looks down blushing, feeling like she's giving too much away. She busies herself with adding cream to her coffee before continuing "I know more about what goes into singing the national anthem at a football game than the actual game. I mean, I started watching Hard Knocks but it doesn't explain the basics. Plus, I have had enough of creepy Aaron Rodgers for a lifetime."

He barks out a surprised laugh at that and shakes his head. He can't believe this girl. Setting his fork down, he looks around at the items scattered on her counter.

"We are going to need some props."

*******

It continues through the rest of August. He finds a better season of Hard Knocks, and they watch it at the same time over Facetime, a point of connection until they can see each other in person again. And then she surprises him with more.

"Hey Sweetie, how was the show?" he inquires.

"God, Trav, so good. The crowd was amazing. The stadium felt like it was shaking they were dancing so much." she enthuses as she props the phone against the nightstand to pull the towel off her wet hair. He loves seeing her like this. Completely undone and in PJs but with cheeks still pink from the adrenaline of playing before a crowd.

"That's fucking electric. Big plans for tomorrow before the next one?"

Her eyes light up on the screen. He leans forward, interested to hear what has her so excited.

"Oh yes, such big plans. I'm going to lay in this massive bed," she says, laying back with a wink, "And..."

"I'm listening."

"And eat snacks and watch Quarterback," she finishes with a smirk, knowing she's got him.

It throws him off before he catches on, "Wait, what?"

"I want to know more about the game. I hear there is a really hot guy in it too."

"I mean..."

"That Kirk Cousins is so wholesome," she says smugly."

He sits back from the phone and gives her a skeptical look. "You're rude."

"You like it."

"I do," he agrees without missing a beat. He's not going to even remotely pretend he's not down bad for this girl. He shakes his head before continuing, "You know, Tay, you don't have to watch it."