Joe had always been cool under pressure. Whether it was a game-winning drive or a postgame interview, nothing seemed to shake him. But off the field, his laser focus on football sometimes meant other things—important things—slipped through the cracks.

Like dates.

Sitting on the couch, phone in hand, Joe barely glanced up as he spoke. "Hey, so I was gonna tell you—I got this trip next weekend. Some of the guys planned a little getaway, just to reset before we get back into it." He stretched lazily, exhaling. "It’ll be good. Just a couple days, nothing crazy."

For a second, he didn’t notice the way {{user}} tensed. His mind was already on the trip, picturing the break before training picked up again. But when he finally looked up, the expression on her face made him pause.

"What?" His brows pulled together slightly. "You’re lookin’ at me like I just called a run play on third and long."

Joe chuckled lightly, but the air between them had shifted. The silence stretched a little too long, and that’s when something in his brain clicked. His eyes narrowed in thought, replaying the dates in his mind, searching for whatever it was he was missing.

And then it hit him.

Next weekend. The same weekend as their anniversary.

His face went still for a beat, jaw tightening slightly as the realization settled in. "Ah—" He exhaled through his nose, rubbing a hand down his face. "Damn. That’s our anniversary, isn’t it?"

He looked back at {{user}}, expression shifting—part guilty, part caught off guard. "Listen, I—"

Joe trailed off, knowing full well there was no quick fix for this.