#fossiles

Masterlist

A/N: THEY WON! 😭🧡

With the beginning of the off season, Joe feels an unusual excitement. The season hasn't been anything different from the previous years but, the off season has a particular event this year. 

Joe has been reading about the discovery of fossils about a new species, in a lucky hit, that fossils will be exposed for a couple of months in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, plus there will be multiple activities around with the archaeologists who discover them.

Could he be more lucky?

Joe didn’t waste another second, reserved his flight and rented a nice and far away house where he will spend, according to the web site 3 months the exposition will be there.

The first day, first activity. The skeleton of the big fossil will be exposed along with a talk of the paleontologist who discover, 3 months ago. 

Y/N Dunne, is a renowned paleontologist that has been known for being brilliant and has the tenacity of bravery of looking in places where no one has dared to even consider it. 

The fact she and her team has been rewarded year by year and always found a way to have multiple discoveries is only proof of how good she is. 

But, she’s slippery as hell; only with a long anticipated schedule, museums, society and even her own laboratory has got her to give more than one talk. In her words, in a magazine. “I prefer being outside looking for something no one could imagine instead of talking about what people, who have more speaking skills like me, could do 100% better.”

So when Joe heard she actually will be leading the exposition, his thrill only increased. 

The moment he arrived at the museum, he felt like a little kid. Wearing a cap and sunglasses, he knows no one could ever expect Joe Burrow to assist in something like that.

The moment he parked, he saw old people chatting as they walked inside of the building, young people with notebooks and backpacks and a few kids with dinosaur t-shirts. 

He thought some of those shirts were pretty cool. 

Joe approaches a man in control of the entrance, to ask about the conference as he shows his virtual pass.

“Oh, last room.” The man takes out a name tag. “Here. Welcome to the museum.”

Joe smiles, the tag is black with white letters, where you can read the name of the exposition, down Y/N name as VIP pass.

“Yeah, I know, I know, you're getting me dizzy.” 

Joe was moth opened when he saw crossing the big room, Y/N smiling as a girl helped her to accommodate the lapels of her shirt.  

The girl laughs as they keep walking. 

Joe entered the room where a massive grey blanket is covering a big structure that is settled in front of chairs. He rushed himself to pick a chair in the first rows, finding one next to an old couple, who couldn’t avoid being curious about the man who sits next to them with cap and sunglasses.

Joe smiles as waves his hand.

A man appears on the platform announcing it will begin in 3 minutes. Joe smiles bigger, definitely calling the attention of the woman. 

“Fossile fan?” 

Joe chuckles. “Very much.”

The woman smiles. “I’m Julian and he’s my husband Tom.”

Joe shook their hands, as he introduced himself as Joe, nothing else. Before the same girl he saw with Y/N approaches the old couple, smiling and giving them the same pass as Joe and a banner.

“Thanks darling.” Julian beams holding the woman's hand before she disappears. Julian smiles tenderly at the banner before looking at her husband who simply nods.

“Here.” Julian gave him to Joe.

He turns around noticing no one else has one, so he doubts in taking it.

“Oh please, darling, take it. We have a wall of this at home.” Julian laughs putting the banner in Joe's hand.

He’s definitely confused. 

“Our granddaughter always makes sure we have something for each one of her works.”

Joe choke with inside words. “You grand…”

“Y/N is our granddaughter.” Finally Tom said a word. “Such an incredible girl.”

Joe replay must wait because the lights turn soft and Y/N appears on the stage with a paper in her hand, a little smile on her face, people clapping right away.

It took Y/N a few minutes to relax but the moment she did, her talk came out freely and comfortable; interacting with the public, making deep questions that caused more than one to keep thinking along her speech and impressed everyone with her knowledge and the recent discovery.

“Sorry, I gave you the full picture but keep it away from you at the same time, so allow me to keep your mouths that open.”

The public giggle, some closing their mouths as observers around the room making more people do the same. Even Joe hides his smile among the sleeves of his hoodie feeling shy under her eyes that probably isn't looking at him.

“Ladies, gentlemans and kids, let me introduce you to the biggest star of the room.” Y/N hands raise as the gray sheet raise too 

In front of everyone's eyes, a massive skeleton of a dinosaur appears; big bones in the legs and spine, strong bones around the tórax, massive head and the tiny bones that put it together make them feel, yeah, probably that one will cause more nightmares than you can imagine.

“Here is where you clap.” The sarcastic comment makes the public explode in laughs as they raise and clap for her.

Joe takes his eyes from the big skeleton in front of him to the girl, who lets her shoulder relax as she goes down with cheeks bloated with air, the same girl that helps her with the lapel smiles hugging her tight.

A man appears in front of the fossil. “Ok ladies and gentlemans, if you have any questions about the exhibition, please, approach me, Apollo, Ava the girl that is waving her hand.” He points to the girl next to Y/N smiles. “We would be glad to answer all your questions, thank you.”

Among talks and greetings people fade away along the exhibition. Joe wants to say goodbye to Julian and Tom but by the time he turned around a member of staff was leading them to Y/N who was receiving hand shakes and praisings of people who were searching for her.

Joe smirks, he has a nice amount of fossils to see and he couldn’t wait.

“Doctor Dunne?” Y/N sees her grandparents walking to her along with a staff member.

“Oh, thank you.” Y/N smiles, hugging them. “Teenagers, so, what do you think?”

Tom patted her back before letting her go and grabbing her hand. “You were fantastic darling, really impressive.”

Julian touched her cheek. “So proud of you honey.”

Ava scrubs her nose, she hates to interrump the familiar moments between Y/N and her family but there is purpose behind this and they must attack right away.

“Ava, darling I see you, just let me hug her one more time.” Julian mumbles hugging Y/N one more time.

Ava giggles. “Sorry, but people are searching for her.” 

Y/N sighs recharging all the energy she could from her grandparents. 

“Dinner on me, just let me wrap this.” Y/N whispers before being led by Apollo with the last indications.

“And remember, just keep it cool.” Apollo smiles, shaking her and patting her shoulders.

Y/N take a deep breath. “You make it look so easy.” 

Apollo put on his show smiles, Y/N guess all the people finally enter the conference room.

It’s been 4 years since they've been digging, investigating and visiting a special area in Africa with the certainty that according to the vestiges and bones they found in the surrounding area, something big could be buried there. For every big excavation you need money; money they've been working to get all this time but isn’t enough so they decide to use their biggest, literally, card, hoping among the charity, business people and big laboratories they could get and win the attention and finance the last part of it.

When the director of the museum offered the space they felt they won part of the lottery, still they needed the complete prize.

After 30 minutes of a long and detailed talk and explanation, Y/N found a room with narrowing eyes, clicking pens and whispers, waiting for an answer.

“You mention this will be here for three months, are you expecting to keep the attention of people during all those months?” One of them asked.

“Yes, we prepared a lot of activities for all ages and people.” Y/N sit straight. “I’m putting my faith in this knowing I will get something important.”

Apollo and Ava keep answering questions and explain things with their eyes going to that small hallway expecting the suits and fancy clothes to come out.

Until they appeared, dispersed among the room, at the end Y/N came with a calm face and a sign of ok in her hand; politely they excuse jogging to her.

“Well…” Ava asks, grabbing her hand. 

“We have three months to months to keep this flow of people and if we made it…” Apollo sighs. “And if we made it, we have a little bit more than we need.”

Ava screams internally from the way she gets down her head and shakes Y/N arm and Apollo makes a fist resting his forehead on Y/N shoulder, it’s more than they expect. It meant hard work but they prepared for a year for this.

“So, don’t take me wrong but go! We have work to do.” Y/N giggles as they spread back to their places with a big smile on their faces.

For 1 hour, Y/N has been talking personally with business people explaining what they see and giving them curious details, increasing their chances to get that inversion, however during those talks, a curious guy stole her attention from time to time.

Big man, who leans to read the notes in every fossil, bone or representation of an animal; he takes his sunglasses to put them back again and walk to the next one. If she wasn’t paying attention for more than 3 seconds she could miss the fact he takes notes on his phone and smiles. 

He has a curious expression when he reaches the big boy, a mix between admiration and nostalgia, he finally takes his sunglasses, raising his eyes to the big mouth over him.

“Apollo, do you mind…” Y/N points to the ladies that call for a quick explanation. 

Apollo smiles, shaking his head. Y/N apologize and walk to the guy who is standing, so concentrate as the bones could actually see something.

“My big friend is telling you something interesting?” 

Joe giggles, he isn’t actually paying attention to anything more to the amazing structure in front of him, if he focuses enough he can imagine a dark grey dinosaur ready to attack.

“Do you think he was young or old?” Y/N tilts her head. “I know, I know it is a partial skeleton still being examined but what do you think?”

Y/N smiles, but she guesses he hasn’t finished speaking. “I believe it’s a young one, I mean, I don’t know the results of the osteology but the thickness of the bones and probably the growth of the teeth could mean he’s young or well…” He giggles as scratch his neck. “Sorry, I read a little bit of that.”

Y/N notices he knows more than he believes. 

“Actually, we are almost sure, it’s young.” Joe almost cracked his neck going back to his normal position and turning to his left. “The osteology gives good information about it, however we need more data but it's a narrow approximation."

Joe pressed his mouth in a line, hiding his smile, feeling his ears turning red and his cheekbones unable to not raise. In front of him is the one and only, Y/N Dunne, Doctor Dunne for Christ sake.

“But hey, you made a very nice guess with the teeths.” Y/N praise the fact he stops for more than a second to observe in detail the big teeths.

Joe feels shy with her praise.

“It’s true you found it on the hillside of a volcano?” Y/N chuckles, she heard that theory when she announced the discovery through an article.

“Am, no, it was a hillside, kilometers away from a volcano, believe me if it would be next to one for sure we wouldn’t find this complete."

Joe nods and takes the bravery to ask a few more questions that she gladly answers, correct the mistakes he had and let her be impressed by the fact this guy knows more than he actually believes.

Joe feels comfortable once he loses his inhibitions of being wrong, she doesn’t make him feel like he just made the biggest mistake on earth, she helped him to clarify his mind and correct him between humor and sarcasm.

Y/N turns around softly seeing Ava moves her hand and points to a potential investor who is about to leave the museum.

“Well, I have to leave but hey, if you’re not too busy, you should come from time to time to the museum, we will have a lot of activities, maybe you will find something you like.”

Of course Joe knows that.

“Thanks, I… I will.” Joe extends his hands. “I’m Joe.”

Y/N smiles tenderly and grabs his hand carefully when she notices the scar in the back of his hand. 

“Y/N Dunne.” 

“Oh I know.” Joe this time, couldn’t reprimand his smile. “Sorry, I… I’m a big fan of your work."

“Thanks.” Y/N take her hand. “I mean it, take your time, I can imagine a few things you could like.”

Joe nods, seeing her walk away; when she finally disappears as she accompanies a couple he feels his heart coming out of his chest. This is what it feels like? Meeting someone you admire and actually believe you won’t cross more than eyesight with her? 

Because damn it, he feels he just made a dream come true.

°

Y/N sees him everyday the first week, even at the end of the day, she sees the same Joe B. register in 3 different activities that makes her grin when she collects the information.

Joe at the other side, spent amazing hours in the museum; he has been learning more than he imagined, even he has his own made fossil, he could swear it could pass like a real one, not counting the fact until know, a few people and kids approach to him very discreetly and ask for autograph or talks a brief moment with him.

This weekend they don’t have anything scheduled, just the museum will be open. When he asks Ava, she said they will rest and do a little backroom jobs with some examples.

Still, he took a walk around the museum and the other rooms even though he has been there many times.

At the distance Joe sees Y/N with what he bets is her work clothes; brown shirt, black jeans and a white lab coat walking outside of the room that is close and a banner that said, “Only authorized personnel”. 

Joe shutter for a second but he approaches Y/N, without her notice; her eyes on her phone as she types something.

“Doctor Dunne?” Joe feels nervous, he doesn't want to trouble her, he just wants… He doesn't even know what he wants.

Y/N raises her geez smiling when she notices him. “Joe, hi.” Y/N sees around, no one is there, after all there isn't anything to see or do. “What are you doing here? We don't have anything scheduled." 

“Oh, I know, it’s just, I was bored and I'm already getting used to coming here everyday.” 

Y/N giggles, putting her hand on the pocket of her lab coat. 

“Do you want a coffee? We’re on a break and I really need one.” Y/N claims taking a deep breath.

“Oh, I don’t drink coffee but I’ll gladly go with you, if it’s ok.” Y/N nods pointing as they walk outside of the museum.

In the nearest cafeteria from the museum, she ordered her usual coffee and saw Joe. “Are you sure you don’t want anything?” Joe shook his head. “A cookie, a slide of cake or a cupcake?” 

In the last option Joe eyes bright, making her chuckle. “And a chocolate cupcake.”

Joe by force of habit led her to an outside table where she can breathe fresh air, he bets she’s been overwhelmed by the controlled and monitored air, and she actually loves it, fresh air calms her mind.

The talk goes on with the same comfort and calm that the first day, this time adding a few private details; friends, family and job; he smartly avoids the QB talks. For her, he just works in the sports world, nothing to add.

Her clock announced her break is over.

“I have to go back to work.” Y/N stands. “Thanks for the talk Joe, it was really lovely.”

Joe smiles, seeing her, and remembering the funny question a kid made a few days ago.

“Can I ask you a question?” Y/N stops for a second and looks at him with curious eyes.

“Sure.” 

“Well, if I were a fossil, and I would be buried in the hillside of a volcano, would you think you could find me?” Y/N laughs headbackwards, she knows where the question came from.

It’s one of Ava's activities, thinking about a place you would like to be if you were a fossil and how you will be discovered. The first time Ava told them the activity Y/N chose what used to be a lake and she wanted to be discovered by a curious kid walking around, and just dig in that place because felt it could find something interesting..

The fact Joe added a fragment of their past conversion was cute.

“It took my time for sure, you probably won’t be complete, I mean after all it is an active volcano but…” Y/N fakes thinking with her hands on the lab coat pockets. “I will find you.” 

Joe somehow feels flatter. “And put you in the mysterious fossil room, and add your tag with a special touch.” 

Y/N laughs one more time when she hears his bubbly laugh, shaking her head. “Have a nice weekend Joe.”

Joe waves his hand, seeing his intact cupcake and the lipstain in her coffee cup.

Oursins à tous les stades.