In which the rookie Ben Gal falls for Cincinnati's number one quarterback.
Now that football season is upon us I thought it would be fun to write a little Joe Burrow story.
Started: October 12, 2024
Finished: May 18, 2025
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Five years later
The late spring sun filtered through the sheer curtains of a white-painted house in Cincinnati. Outside, the garden was beginning to bloom — tulips, daisies, and Alessandra's favorite: pale blue hydrangeas. A breeze danced through the open window, carrying the distant sound of birds and children laughing from down the street.
Inside, the scent of freshly brewed coffee mixed with pancake batter.
Joe stood at the stove, wearing a Bengals T-shirt and grey joggers, flipping a heart-shaped pancake with unnecessary flair. "Boom," he whispered, proud of the golden-brown perfection.
From behind him came the pitter-patter of tiny feet.
"DADDY!"
Joe turned just in time to catch his daughter as she sprinted into the kitchen, her messy curls bouncing wildly.
"Hey, bug!" He lifted her into the air. "You hungry?"
"Starving! Mommy said I can have two pancakes."
"Only two? I was gonna give you three." He winked.
Alessandra stepped into the kitchen next, barefoot and glowing, her belly round beneath a flowy maternity dress. Five years after their wedding, she was still Joe's favorite sight in the world — even when she hadn't brushed her hair yet.
"Morning," she said, yawning as she leaned into his side.
He kissed the top of her head. "How are my girls this morning?"
"Mila's been singing into her hairbrush since 6:45. I'm pretty sure she's forming a band."
Mila— their four-year-old firecracker of a daughter — grinned, syrup already dotting her cheek. "We're called The Glitter Sharks."
Joe choked on a laugh. "That's... actually terrifying."
Mila rubbed her belly and smiled. "This little guy better come out chill, because he's got a lot to keep up with."
Joe placed his hand gently on her stomach. "You think he'll be more you or more me?"
