burning red • joe burrow

011

tara hasn't been cleared to go back to work yet, and is currently still on bed rest. she was in the hospital for three days and has been home for two.

she's been bored out of her mind. she decided to face time joe.

"i'm locked away in my room." tara said groaning once joe answered the phone.

"it's so you can heal the right way, tara." joe said.

"ugh, you're on their side?" tara whined. she hates being dependent.

"no, i just want what's best for you." joe said.

"i've been in my room for two days, i haven't seen light in forever." tara dramatically explained.

"you have a window in your room." joe said shaking his head.

"do you wanna come visit your favorite fire survivor?" tara asked.

"i will later," joe said. "i have practice at 2:00."

"it's 1:30." tara said. joe definitely didn't seem ready for practice.

"frick!" he said jolting out of bed. "talk to you later."

"mhm, see you later." tara said laughing, then she hung up the phone.

• • •

it was around 6 now, joe said he was on his way. she heard the door open downstairs and a bunch of people laughing.

she waited about five minutes, nobody has come into her room yet. she slowly got out of her bed, and walked downstairs.

who knew walking down a flight of stairs would leave you that out of breath. she stood at the bottom of the stairs, holding on to the banister, catching her breath.

"tara," lily said, laughter was dying down. "what are you doing down here?"

"i, uh." tara said catching her breath. "i wanted to come down here."

"are you ok?" joe asked, she looked like she was about to pass out.

"mhm." tara said, she didn't feel okay. her head was spinning and she could barely breath.

"no," tara said correcting herself. she felt her legs giving out.

joe and tee walked up to her. she put her arms over either of their shoulders and they helped her to the couch.

she plopped down and rested her head on the pillow behind her. "you have to pace yourself, you haven't done anything the past couple of days and you can't just take on a flight of steps." evan said.

"i know, i just felt like i could do it." tara said. she definitely overestimated herself.

everyone joined her on the couch. "would you rather fight the person on your left or your right?" jamar asked.

"mmm," charlie said. she was sitting next to evan, she was on the end of the couch. "probably evan."

evan was in the middle of charlie and rory. "rory, charlie scares me." evan said. charlie shot him a glare.

rory was in between evan and tee. "evan, he's a lot nicer than tee, and he's my boyfriend."

"joe." tee said. he was in between rory and joe. "i don't want to fight a girl."

"i'm choosing tee, for the same reason." joe said.

"oh," tara said. "well i was going to chose you." tara was in between joe and lily.

"i'm gonna chose tara, she's quite crippled at the moment." lily said.

"well played." tara replied. she wouldn't do very good in a fight at the moment.