NFL Imagines

🕸 Joe Burrow 🕸

Requested by @officiallyyemilyy12

Title: Stealing the Boyfriend's Best Friend
Warnings: None

—————

Zac was in his office having a quiet moment to himself a few hours before the game.

You came in without a warning, crashing his little party to join him for much needed silence. You wanted to be with Joe and the rest of your team, but they were all too energized and hyped up at this time. You could hear them yelling encouraging things at each other as you passed by the locker room. Being around that was not a good idea for someone who was trying to clear their head and calm down.

The brunet spins his chair around to see who burst into his office. He snorts at your appearance and you smile, because you know why he's laughing, but you still ask. "What's so funny?"

"Your costume." He nods at the number 1 on your jersey. His brow raises and he meets your gaze. "Joey know about it?"

"Nope." You pop the p and take a seat in front of his desk, holding out a coffee for him. You decided to be nice and buy him one. He deserved it after last week's game. He gasp and beams, taking it with the speed of a child snatching candy from someone. "And I don't plan on seeing him face-to-face until the game so that everyone can see his reaction."

Zac takes a long sip of his coffee and sets it down. "Well, he's walking around as Doodlebob. I'd hate for you to miss that, kid."

Kid. His nickname for you. Black ink—held by the hand of Zachary William Taylor—spelled out the three letter word on the name tag you were given your very first day as assistant coach. It was a joke, since name tags weren't used in football. You learned people's names after hearing them a few times and prayed you didn't forget. Now if the players thought that was hard, imagine how the coaches feel learning the names of their players...

It's fine. It's all good. He had his laughs and made his jokes, and you let him have his moment. You had a special nickname for him, one that you came up with as soon as he stopped laughing about the one he had given you.

"Now you've got me rethinking my decision, old man." You grin and dance your fingers across the top of his desk, coming to land on the nameplate you had specially made for him. A nameplate that said 'Old Man'. At least you both accepted your nicknames and proudly wore them.

It flies over his head, being so normal to the two of you now. "You do know that Ja'Marr is never going to stop talking once he sees you?" He ask.

"Yes sir, I do." You sit back in your chair. "That's kinda the point. I love to hear those two go back and forth like a vicious game of ping pong. It's quite entertaining."

He laughs and shakes his head up and down in agreement. The cup is brought back to his lips and there's a far-off look in his eyes. You know you've lost him and he's no longer with you. He snaps back to reality (oh, there goes gravity—) and swiftly places his cup down, excitement shining in his eyes.

"I have an idea."

You pull a curious face. "Would you like to share?"

"All the guys are obviously going to take their costumes off for the game, but they'll be putting them back on for the media conference after the game," he explains. "You should too."

A smirk, mischievous and promising trouble, curls at your lips. Zac likes the look of it and for a moment, a conversation unfolds between your (e/c) and his brown eyes. You make a connection, fall on the same page, and know exactly what the other one is picturing in their head.