Heading towards implosion

We have the first time jumps of the story, I just didn't wanna bore you with details of their day to day life. But I promise I'll show some glimpses of what our favorite couple has been up to. Enjoy.

"HIT THE BREAKS!!!!" Joe's body curled up in panic, he could swear that his new, expensive Porsche would end up smacked into the rear end of the white Jeep Grand Cherokee that was driving quite slowly in front of them.

Victoria simply laughed at her boyfriend's terrified look. She swore he didn't know how to have fun. 

"Come on Burrow, I wasn't even that close" Victoria bantered him, as she kept both her hands firmly on top of the steering wheel, and her eye sight strictly on the road ahead of her.

"Jesus Christ Marlowe who taught to how drive? You have been there this close to killing us at least twice now" Joe readjusted his already tight enough seat belt, in an attempt to convince himself that he was safe.

"Uhm that would be Johnny Saltzman in 11th grade" Victoria recalled, as she lifted her right hand from the wheel, approaching it to Joe and signaling with her palm so he could place a much needed dose of greasy and already cold fries they picked up in a questionable McDonald's location just outside of Springfield, Missouri.

"Well someone should keep an eye over that Johnny dude to make sure he doesn't accidentally run over someone" Joe placed both of his hands on the sides of the passenger seat, trying to find something to grab onto. He started to wonder why he thought that letting Victoria drive was a good idea.

"Well I do recall that he was a better kisser than he was a driver, that's for sure" Victoria grinned, knowing the effect that joke would have on Joe.

He immediately changed his expression to a slightly annoyed look.

"I'm kidding Burrow, he was a terrible kisser as well" she laughed, and turned to her side to try and kiss him.

"Eyes on the damn road Marlowe!" He yelled.

"See?, I got you to forgot about the road for a full two seconds" She grinned, while she lowered the car window, so she could feel the refreshing summer air playing with her hair.

June was definitely her favorite month of the year.

And even better was getting to spend the summer with her boyfriend. They managed to make time in their busy schedules to arrange at least one little road trip a month since April came around.

They would make sure it was somewhere close enough to not have to miss more than half a day of work, but June was special. It was Victoria's birthday. The first they spent together, and that in Joe's mind was worthy of every and all celebrations they could think of.

He originally tried to convince her to fly to Paris, in his mind, it was the perfect summer destination for them, and she mentioned wanting to go there one date night they went star gazing. It took every ounce of Victoria's willpower to refuse such a tempting offer, but she knew that she wouldn't able to ditch the lab for more than three days without Sal throwing a tantrum, as quickly as she was moving forward with the writing of her thesis.

So they had to change Paris for the Joshua Tree National Park, driving all the way from Cincinnati, Ohio to California, for a whopping 29 hours of sitting on the car, or two and half days of crossing the country, if one counts sleeping, stretching, or food stops along the way.

The desert sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm golden hue over the rugged landscape of Joshua Tree National Park. The air was tinged with the scent of sagebrush and earth, a fragrant welcome to the oasis that awaited them.

As they approached the entrance of the luxurious glamping hotel, the architecture seamlessly blended with the natural surroundings. The structure, a harmonious fusion of wood and canvas, stood like a beacon of comfort in the midst of the wilderness.

As Joe and Victoria stepped onto the grounds, their footsteps softened by the carefully laid gravel paths. Towering Joshua trees framed the view, their twisted branches reaching for the sky like ancient sentinels.

The reception area exuded rustic elegance, adorned with desert-inspired decor and warm earthy tones. A friendly concierge greeted them, offering a genuine smile and a genuine welcome. They were led to their private glamping tent, a sanctuary of luxury nestled amidst the wild expanse.

The tent was a masterpiece of design, its canvas walls and wooden beams an homage to both nature and opulence. Inside, a plush king-sized bed with sumptuous linens awaited, flanked by soft ambient lighting that danced like fireflies in the desert night.

Beyond the tent's threshold, a spacious wooden deck extended, adorned with a private fire pit and comfortable outdoor seating. Victoria couldn't help but gasp at the breathtaking view that unfolded before them. The sun painted the desert in hues of amber and rose, a testament to the magic of the desert at twilight.

Joe had arranged for a special dinner to be prepared for them, so they could feast on the lavish meal under the stars, and he could congratulate her for her birthday when the clock struck midnight.

Later, as they lounged by the fire pit, Joe wrapped Victoria in cozy blankets, the desert night cool against their skin. The crackling flames cast flickering shadows, painting the scene in a warm, intimate glow.

"Happy birthday, my love" He whispered to her ear, as the date in his phone changed to June 30th, he pulled a little Tiffany blue squared box, revealing a pair of beautiful diamond studs.

Victoria teared up at the sight of her new pair of earrings, given to her by the man she loved the most in the world.

"Joe... they're so beautiful. Oh god, thank you. Thank you. You always manage to make every celebration unique" Victoria leaned in to kiss his soft lips.

"We aren't celebrating just any common thing. Today we celebrate your life. The biggest gift I've ever received if I'm being honest" Joe kissed her forehead.

"Thank you for doing this. I really needed it, the last few months have been so stressful, it feels like I'm not making any progress and December is only coming closer"

"I know, you've been so focused, pushing through everything. I really admire you so much. I love you, and I couldn't be happier to get to share my life with you. I'm so proud of the woman you are, Victoria Marlowe" Joe smiled at her, and proceeded to kiss her passionately.

"I've missed this. Spending quality time with you. I really needed it, you know? It feels like the physical rehabilitation center is your home now"

"Aside from my rehab appointments, I'm all yours before the season begins, it's you who spend almost all your time frolicking around with Logan"

"Would you like to join us in our frolicking, Burrow?" Victoria teased him.

"No thank you. I'd rather have you all to myself" Joe placed his hand on her cheek, staring deep into her eyes, their faces were merely centimeters away from each other's.

"You have me now" Victoria bit her lip.

"Well then, maybe I should seize the opportunity and give you a special birthday present" He placed a finger over her lips.

He picked her up from the fire pit and carried her back to their tent, while Victoria laughed the whole way there. He made sure Victoria moaned his name all night, fusing their bodies into one for hours.

The next morning, the pair decided to take a little hiking adventure through the National Park, suggested by Victoria's unwavering love for nature.

They were about 2 miles into their trek when Joe suddenly halted, pursing his lips, even if he refused to admit how much his stupid calf was hurting right now, he had a terrible poker face.

"We can take a break whenever you want to" Victoria stopped waking, concerned about her boyfriend's calf, it was still bothering him, even after almost two months of physical therapy, those damn muscle fibers were taking their sweet time healing.

"I think that would be wise" Joe replied, half smiling, trying to play it cool. He felt embarrassed enough that his girlfriend hand found him ugly crying about his season endangering lesion a couple of times, and he just didn't want to give it any more attention.

Victoria immediately squatted next to him, to try and asses any potential changes in the structure of his lower leg.

"Does it hurt? You truly are a terrible liar Burrow I can see right through you" She said as she softly stroked his calf.

"It really isn't bad. I'm just scared of putting too much pressure on it right now. I have no idea how am I supposed to play football when I'm scared of even walking a few miles more" Joe clenched his jaw.

"Well, you don't have to really worry about it for a few more weeks. Give it time Joe, I promise you it will heal" She stood up from the ground and leaned in to kiss him.

Victoria had been amazing at taking care of Joe, while balancing her crazy writing and experimental schedule she had submitted herself to from March to June.

She made sure to keep their house semi clean, food in the fridge and she even drove Joe to and from physical rehab for the first weeks of his sessions, even though he firmly opposed to it, she put her foot down.

Joe limped back to camp, where they spent the rest of their trip relaxing in their private pool, carefully avoiding putting any strain on Joe's injured muscle. As such, Victoria was in charge of driving the whole way back to Cincinnati, this time, the ride home was spent in silence, with Joe's mind wandering, worrying about his upcoming preseason game. It was in four weeks time, and he still felt scared of even walking for more than 20 minutes.

When the date of the game came around, his calf felt as unreliable as it had been for the last few months. Not that the team came clean about the extent of his injury, as Miranda suggested downplaying the situation with his leg to the media, unknowing that it was going to come back to bite them in the ass.

The stadium lights bathed the field in a harsh, unforgiving glow. The air was thick with the anticipation of the preseason game, the current Super Bowl champions would surely cause an impression, a test of mettle for Joe and his team. But as the coin toss hung in the balance, a shadow of doubt flickered in his eyes.

The first preseason game of the year: Bengals v Panthers.

The first play, a snap that seemed to echo with the weight of the world, set the stage. Joe dropped back, but his movements were labored, a painful reminder of the calf injury that had plagued him in the offseason. His usual grace was replaced by a cruel reminder of his limitations.

The pocket collapsed, defenders closing in like a tightening noose. Joe, once a maestro of evasive maneuvers, found himself cornered, his options dwindling. He released the ball with a desperation that hung heavy in the air.

The pass, a valiant effort, sailed towards its target, but it was intercepted with a cruel finality. The opposing team surged forward, the turnover a testament to Joe's compromised mobility.

Each play seemed to amplify the ache, each step a reminder of what once was. The game slipped through their fingers, a cruel reminder of the fragility of the body in the unforgiving arena of professional football.

37-3 was the only thing Joe could think about.

As the final whistle blew, the scoreboard told a story of defeat. Joe, once a titan on the field, now stood with shoulders slumped and head bowed. His teammates offered words of solace, their support a balm for wounded pride.

In the quiet of the locker room, the weight of the loss settled in. Joe calf throbbed in protest, a relentless reminder of the battle he had fought, and lost. It was a bitter pill to swallow, a stark realization of the road ahead.

Victoria watched the whole game from a distance, seated in the lower bowl of the stadium, desperately wanting to reach him, to comfort him. So after the match ended, she got up from her seat, found her war around the stairs of the different levels of the stadium and ran into the tunnel, looking for Joe.

She analyzed every single person's face she encountered, longing for the vision of her boyfriend. Until she could distinguish his familiar silhouette walking out of the locker room.

"Joe" Victoria tried to hug him, only for her effort to be shut down, he dodged her hands before she could wrap her arms around his neck.

"Not now" he used a voice tone she had never heard, not even making eye contact with her.

"I just wanted to say I'll be here if you need anything" she tried to ignore how awkward the interaction was.

"Don't, you should just go home" He couldn't stand to look at her. It was one thing to lose in such a humiliating manner in national television, but even though he couldn't care less about what random people in the internet could say or think about him, losing like that, the current SuperBowl champions being crushed by a shitty team in front of Victoria was another level of emasculating.

Victoria was taken aback by his coldness towards her. She tried her best to brush it off, and blame his unsympathetic reaction as a side effect of the massacre the Bengals went through.

"I'll guess I see you at home" She said, defeated and sad that she would be leaving alone.

"See ya there" He turned around, and started to walk with no particular destination, without saying another word to her. He wanted to bury his face in sand, he wanted to disappear, to dissolve into the air around him, he couldn't face the media, he anticipated the load of shit that was coming his way, the way most of his self proclaimed diehard "fans" would be writing his obituary and calling for his head.

You know the way some people desperately try to pinpoint the one moment in time where they began to lose control of their lives? Where they let their close relationships slip away from their grip? This was it. He just didn't know it yet.

This was so fun to write. I'm so excited for you to read what I have in mind, I want to thank you all for being part of my little project. A special thanks to the ones that have been here from the beginning, you know who you are, ilysm ❤️‍🩹Love, phantomnarrator.