Chapter Text
"How's it feel, Joe?" a blond reporter shouted into her microphone. He grinned, the victory still fresh in his eyes. "Feels great," he replied, his answer both vague and very Joe. "Defense played well tonight but we got start looking ahead to the next game."
As the reporters hung onto Joe's every word, Ja'Marr Chase was in the background selecting a bright pink donut from a box a random NFL media staffer was holding. Giggling to himself, Ja'Marr decided to prank his QB and began weaving his way through the sea of reporters and cameras who were mostly centered around Joe and a ring of players praying together.
Ja’Marr approached from behind, keeping the donut hidden from Joe's view. His heart was racing, his eyes dancing with mischief as he listened to Joe's calm responses to the barrage of questions. He could feel the energy of the night, the electricity of victory pulsing through the air, and he knew this was the perfect moment. He could hear Tee in his head complaining about how only Ja'Marr would get away with such a prank on the Cincy QB. Ja'Marr took a deep breath, the smell of the donut filling his nose, sweet and greasy, a celebratory treat that seemed to hold a bit of magic tonight. The moment was ripe, the cameras rolling, the tension palpable, and Joe's back was turned. As if sensing the playful intent, Joe turned around, catching the gleam in Ja'Marr's eyes. The smile that spread across Joe's face was genuine, warm, and filled with the kind of affection that made Ja'Marr's stomach flutter.
"God, I love that man," he thought to himself, feeling a rush of something more than just friendship or camaraderie. It was an intoxicating blend of admiration, attraction, and pure joy to be in Joe's orbit. The way Joe's eyes crinkled when he laughed, the confidence he exuded in the pocket, the way he always had the right words after a tough play – it was all part of the magnetic pull that had drawn him in. Ja'Marr had it bad for Joseph Lee Burrow. Ever since LSU Ja'Marr admired Joe but kept a respectful distance since Joe and Olivia were happy together.
But now, with Olivia out of the picture, he couldn't help but wonder if the universe was giving him a sign. He knew Joe was hurting, though. He'd seen the pain etched into the lines of his face, heard it in the quiet moments between their banter. And even though he wanted to be the one to wipe it all away, he knew he had to tread carefully. Joe had just gone through a breakup, and the last thing he needed was more complications.
So, when Ja'Marr smashed the donut into Joe's face, it was both a playful gesture and a silent declaration of his feelings. The donut exploded into a mess of pink frosting and sprinkles, sticking to Joe's cheek and forehead as he stood still in surprise. The reporters gasped, and for a brief moment, the air was filled with a mix of shock and laughter. The moment hung there, frozen in time, until Joe's hand shot up to wipe away the mess, and smiled, half annoyed and half amused.
"Bitch" Joe said, shaking his head, his eyes twinkling, and he took a step closer to Ja'Marr, pretending to pull his fist back for a punch. It was all in good fun, but as Joe's knuckles brushed the air near Ja'Marr's face, he couldn't help but flinch. Hard. Ja'Marr knew the boys would make fun of him for that afterward. "This pretty boy and his UFC" Ja'Marr thought to himself. But Joe's next move was entirely unexpected. Instead of connecting the punch, Joe's arms shot around Ja'Marr into a friendly hug. The cameras flashed, capturing the moment between the two teammates. Ja'Marr's eyes widened for a brief second, but he quickly reciprocated, feeling the warmth of Joe's embrace. It was nothing more than a playful show of camaraderie, but for him, it was everything. The feel of Joe's strong arms around him was like a balm to his soul, a rare public acknowledgment of the bond they shared. He inhaled the faint scent of sweat and victory that lingered on Joe's jersey, and his heart skipped a beat.
As they pulled away, Joe's laughter echoed through the stadium, a sound that seemed to resonate within Ja'Marr's very core. The frosting was a sticky mess on Joe's face, but it was the look in his eyes that had Ja'Marr questioning his own actions. Was he holding onto Joe for too long? Was it just the adrenaline of the game, or was there something more behind the lingering embrace? He didn't dare voice his thoughts, afraid of what the answer might be. The cameras clicked away, their lenses like eager eyes, watching every move. The flashes were like strobes in a dance club, highlighting the moment, and making it feel like it was happening in slow motion. Ja'Marr couldn't shake the feeling that the cameras could see right through him, that every reporter and fan watching knew the truth that he had so carefully guarded. He felt the weight of his crush pressing down on him, a secret that was suddenly too big to keep hidden. Only Tee knows all the details. After a teammate hang out at Joe's, Tee had guessed about Ja'Marr's little secret and threatened to tell the others if Ja'Marr didn't give him all the details. And so, every time the liquor loosened his tongue, there was Tee, eagerly listening to his confessions. It had started out as a drunken rant but had become a regular occurrence, a chance for Ja'Marr to unburden himself without fear of it reaching Joe's ears. Tee had sworn on everything he held dear not to spill the beans, and for that, Ja'Marr was grateful.
But tonight, with the victory so sweet and the donut so close, it was hard to keep his thoughts to himself. As Joe reached for a donut of his own, a twinkle in his eye, Ja'Marr felt his cheeks warm with the anticipation of the retaliation he knew was coming. He braced himself, his eyes never leaving Joe's as Joe smeared the donut across Ja'Marr's face. The frosting was sticky and cold, a stark contrast to the heat of his blush. They both erupted into laughter, the kind that came from the pit of their stomachs, the kind that was contagious, and soon others around them joined in. It was a moment of pure joy, a moment that felt like a bubble of happiness in the chaos of the NFL season. But as Joe's hand lingered on the side of his face, gently wiping away a rogue sprinkle, Ja'Marr couldn't help but think that Joe's smile was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. It was a smile that could light up a room, a smile that could make you forget all your troubles. It was a smile that held the power to melt his heart, and he was dangerously close to letting it.
This was a real smile, Ja'Marr thought, the kind Joe reserved for his closest friends, for those who had earned his trust and respect. It wasn't the polished smile he gave to the cameras, nor the forced one he offered to his ex-girlfriend for the sake of appearances. No, this was the genuine Joe, the one who didn't need to put on a facade. It was a smile that spoke of shared triumphs and the understanding that comes from battling together week after week.
The reporters started to pack up and move on, but the cameramen kept rolling the camera capturing every second of their impromptu donut battle. Ja'Marr could already imagine the memes, the articles with clickbait titles like "The Sweetest Moment of MNF!" and "Burrow and Chase: The Unstoppable Duo!" It would be all over social media by morning, a testament to their friendship, their victory, and, if he allowed himself to hope, a hint of something more. They eventually made their way to the locker rooms, the sticky mess of the donuts still glued to their faces. The hallways were filled with the echoes of their laughter, their footsteps in sync as they approached the door to the Bengals' domain. The moment they stepped inside, the roar of the team's celebration hit them like a wave. The locker room was a cacophony of sounds and smells: the blaring victory music, the laughter between teammates the sharp tang of sweat and victory.