no take-backs ~ jo.bellingham
pairing: jobe x black!reader
warning/notes: emotional distress themes, feelings of isolation, comfort, fluff
summary: what started off as a bad night turns into a beautiful forever with jobe
a/n: hi lovelies, sorry for being gone for so long, second semester started and all of a sudden my extra time disappeared, I am going to try my best drop a few more this week :)
The house in Dortmund was dead silent, save for the rhythmic, aggressive patter of cold winter rain against the bedroom windowpane.
You were sitting on the edge of your bed, your knees pulled tightly to your chest, shaking so hard your teeth were practically chattering.
The cry had started small—a tight, suffocating knot in your throat—before completely fracturing into deep, racking sobs that robbed you of your breath.
You had lived your entire life learning how to be self-sufficient.
You didn't know what it felt like to be genuinely cared for, to have a safety net, or to experience the kind of soft, unconditional love that didn't demand something in return.
Up until now, vulnerability always felt like handing someone a weapon to use against you later.
So when the weight of everything hit you tonight—the loneliness, the sheer exhaustion of holding up your own walls—it felt physical.
Like your lungs were collapsing.
You stared down at your glowing phone on the nightstand.
You’d been talking to Jobe for a few months now. It was fresh, gentle, and easily the softest thing you had ever known, but calling him right now felt terrifying.
He had early morning training with the squad. He needed his sleep.
Another sob tore through your chest, taking the last of your restraint with it.
With shaking, numb fingers, you hit his name and pressed the phone to your ear.
On the third ring, a quiet click sounded through the speaker, followed by a thick, heavy-with-sleep rasp.
The moment his name slipped past your lips, your voice completely broke, giving way to a small, breathless hiccup that betrayed everything.
On the other end of the line, the sound of rustling sheets stopped dead. Jobe was wide awake in a fraction of a second.
"Hey, hey—what’s wrong? What happened?"
His voice lost all its sleepiness, dropping into a sharp, focused low tone.
"Are you hurt? Talk to me."
"I’m—I’m sorry," you choked out, wiping desperately at your face with the sleeve of your oversized hoodie.
"I know you have training early...I’m so sorry, Jobe, I just...I can't be by myself right now. I’m really upset and I just... I physically can't do this alone tonight."
"Stop apologizing," he commanded softly, the sound of a belt buckle clicking and a drawer sliding open coming through the receiver. "Don't say another word. I’m coming to get you."
"I don't give a damn about training right now," he cut in gently, his tone absolute. "Stay right where you are. Lock your doors, stay inside, and I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Okay?"
True to his word, fourteen minutes later, the low rumble of his car engine idled outside your front door.
You pulled on a pair of shoes, unlocked the door, and stepped out into the crisp, biting night air.
The second you stepped onto the driveway, the driver’s side door swung open and Jobe stepped out.
He just closed the distance between you in a few long strides, wrapped his massive arms around you, and lifted you slightly off your feet, burying his face into the side of your neck.
The physical impact of his chest against yours made you choke out another small cry.
You buried your face into his shoulder, your fingers locking onto the fabric of his hoodie.
He felt solid, warm, and impossibly real.
He held you tight enough to keep you from falling apart, one hand cupping the back of your head, swaying you gently in the quiet street.
"I've got you," he murmured into your hair, his warm breath fanning across your scalp. "I’m right here. You’re safe."
He held you until the worst of the shaking stopped, then gently guided you into the heated passenger seat of his car, buckling you in himself before rounding the hood.
He didn't force you to explain the tears.
Instead, he put the car in drive and headed away from the city center, taking the winding, quiet roads that carved their way up toward the high hills overlooking the sprawling lights below.
When he pulled up to the dark, secluded overlook, the entire city looked like a blanket of golden stars beneath the heavy winter sky.
The air outside was freezing, the wind sweeping over the edge of the hill with a low whistle.
Jobe turned off the engine, grabbed his heavy winter jacket from the back seat, and rounded the car to open your door.
He reached out his hand, helping you out, and walked you over to the wooden barrier facing the view.
"Here," he said, slipping out of his heavy coat despite the freezing bite in the air.
"Jobe, no, you'll freeze—"
"Quiet," he murmured with a small, crooked smile, draping the massive, warm jacket over your shoulders.
It swallowed you whole, smelling heavily of his cologne and warm cotton.
He stepped right up behind you, pulling you back against his chest and wrapping his long arms around your waist, cocooning you in his warmth.
He rested his chin lightly on top of your head, his hands folded over yours at your waist, holding you tight against the cold wind.
For ten minutes, neither of you spoke. You just stood there, anchored by his steady heartbeat against your back, watching the city lights flicker in the dark while the warmth of his body slowly chased the last lingering cold out of your bones.
You let yourself sink completely into his embrace, realizing with a quiet, overwhelming clarity that this—this safe, protective softness—was what people meant when they talked about love.
Slowly, when your breathing had completely evened out, you turned around within his arms to face him.
Jobe’s arms stayed loosely around your waist.
The cool winter air had turned his breath to small plumes of mist, but his eyes were dark, soft, and entirely focused on you.
You looked up at his strong jawline, the quiet strength in his features, and the absolute tenderness in his gaze.
"Yeah?" he answered softly, leaning down an inch.
"I'm so in love with you," you whispered, the truth slipping out effortlessly, stripped of any fear or hesitation.
A slow, breathtaking smile broke across Jobe’s face, illuminating his features.
He let out a quiet, breathless laugh, his hands sliding up from your waist to cup the sides of your face, his thumbs gently wiping away the dry tear tracks on your cheeks.
"Good," he murmured, his voice dropping into a thick, velvety register. "Because I'm completely in love with you, too. Maddeningly so."
He leaned down and pressed his lips to yours.
The kiss was instant heat against the freezing night air—passionate, deep, and utterly unhurried.
Jobe tilted his head, parting your lips with a smooth, possessive slide of his tongue that made your knees turn to water.
You reached up, tangling your fingers into his hair, pulling him closer as he deepened the angle, taking his time to drink you in.
His hands moved from your cheeks down to your waist, pulling you flush against his hips, kissing you with a slow, rhythmic intensity that made the rest of the world completely fade away.
When he finally pulled back, both of you were breathless, your lips swollen and warm, your foreheads resting together in the quiet space between you.
Jobe gave you one last, lingering kiss on the corner of your mouth before flashing a mischievous grin.
"Now, stay right here. I’ve got something for you."
He jogged back to the car and popped the trunk, returning a moment later with a plaid wool blanket and a brown paper bag he’d grabbed from a late-night drive-thru on his way to your house.
He spread the blanket out near the edge of the overlook, away from the muddy path, and pulled you down to sit next to him.
He wrapped half the blanket around your shoulders and the other half around himself, sandwiching you against his side.
Out of the bag, he pulled two hot coffees, a box of warm, glazed donuts, and a packet of sweet gummies.
"Best late-night gourmet dinner Dortmund has to offer," Jobe joked, nudging his shoulder against yours as he handed you a steaming cup.
You laughed—a real, genuine sound that made Jobe’s eyes light up with pride—and took a sip of the sweet coffee.
For the next hour, the heaviness of the night was completely replaced by a quiet, intimate peace.
You sat at the edge of the cliff under the stars, sharing donuts, brushing crumbs off each other's jackets, and talking about soft, easy things—childhood memories, his favorite obscure music tracks, and the ridiculous antics of his teammates.
Between sentence breaks, Jobe couldn't keep his hands off you.
He’d steal sweet, powdered-sugar-tasting kisses from your lips, trace slow patterns on the back of your hand, or pull you in by the back of your neck just to press a lingering kiss to your temple while you spoke.
For the first time in your life, as you sat wrapped in his jacket, listening to him laugh under the winter sky, you knew what it felt like to be completely, safely loved.
The drive back from the overlook was bathed in a gentle, contented quiet.
The sky was just beginning to turn a soft, bruised purple along the horizon when Jobe pulled into the driveway of his house.
He didn't even ask if you wanted to go back to your apartment; he simply parked, walked around to open your door, and led you inside by the hand.
He led you straight upstairs to his bedroom, pulled an oversized, freshly laundered hoodie out of his wardrobe for you to sleep in, and tucked you into his king-sized bed.
The sheets smelled faintly of cedar and his cologne, wrapping around you like a warm cocoon.
The moment your head hit the pillow, the sheer exhaustion of the night caught up to you.
Jobe slid in beside you, wrapping a heavy arm around your waist and pulling you flush against his chest, his warm breath resting against the back of your neck until you drifted off into the deepest, most peaceful sleep you’d had in months.
When you finally woke up, sunlight was streaming through the heavy blackout curtains, painting warm golden stripes across the duvet.
You reached out instinctively to your side, but the space beside you was empty—the sheets cold. Panic flickered in your chest for half a second before your eyes landed on the nightstand.
Sitting next to a steaming mug of tea was a plate covered with a warm paper towel, and a handwritten note resting against a sleek, iconic red jewelry box.
You sat up, pulling the duvet around your shoulders, and picked up the note. Jobe’s handwriting was bold and a little messy, written in black ink:
Had to run to early morning recovery and a quick team meeting, but I’ll be home by 11:30 AM. DO NOT leave this house. You’re staying with me today. Eat the breakfast—I made the pancakes soft just the way you like them, plus some eggs and sweet potatoes.
See you in a bit. – Jobe x
A slow, helpless smile spread across your face as you set the note down.
Under the paper towel was a full spread—fluffy pancakes, scrambled eggs, and roasted sweet potatoes, still warm.
You ate sitting propped up against his pillows, feeling a strange, wonderful sense of belonging settle over you.
At exactly 11:28 AM, the front door clicked open downstairs, followed by heavy, quick footsteps heading up the stairs.
Jobe pushed the bedroom door open, still in his official club track kit, carrying a massive, breathtaking bouquet of white lilies and dark red roses in one hand.
The second his eyes caught yours—sitting up in his bed, wearing his hoodie, looking rested and soft—a radiant, unreserved grin broke across his face.
"Look at you," he murmured, setting the massive bouquet on the dresser and walking straight over to the side of the bed. "You actually listened to me and stayed."
"I ate all the pancakes, too," you said softly, looking up at him as he sat on the edge of the mattress.
"Good girl," he murmured, leaning down to capture your lips in a long, lingering kiss that tasted like cold winter air and sweet peppermint.
He cupped your cheek, his thumb gently stroking your skin as he pulled back just an inch. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," you admitted, reaching up to touch his wrist. "So much better."
Jobe smiled, his eyes dark and brimming with intention.
He reached over to the nightstand, picking up the small, heavy red Cartier box sitting beside your empty plate.
He didn't open it right away. Instead, he took your hand, holding it gently between both of his.
"Last night, you told me you’d never really known what it felt like to be loved properly," Jobe said, his voice dropping into a low, serious register that made your breath catch. "And I swore to myself on the drive home that I was going to spend every single day making sure you never, ever feel that kind of uncertainty again. I don't want 'talking.' I don't want vague. I want the whole world to know you're mine, and I want to be the guy who takes care of you for real."
Inside sat two gleaming Cartier Love bracelets in polished gold.
On the smooth metal of the one sized for your wrist, delicate cursive lettering was freshly engraved:
[Your Name] & Jobe — 04.08.2026
You stared down at the polished metal, the date gleaming under the bedroom light, a lump forming in your throat—not from pain this time, but from a sudden, overwhelming wave of joy.
"Oh Jobe..." you whispered, your eyes welling up.
"Let me put it on you," he murmured softly.
He pulled the delicate gold band from the velvet cushion, using the tiny gold screwdriver to carefully lock the bracelet around your wrist.
The metal felt cool and solid against your skin—a permanent, physical anchor.
Then, he handed you the screwdriver and held out his own wrist, letting you lock the matching band into place on him.
When the tiny screw tightened into place, Jobe leaned in, taking your face in both hands and bringing his mouth down on yours in a deep, fierce, and utterly possessive kiss.
He pulled you straight into his lap, wrapping his arms around your waist while your fingers tangled into the short hair at the nape of his neck.
The kiss was slow, hot, and full of a quiet, solid promise—no more walking alone, no more holding up walls, no more cold nights.
"You're my girlfriend now," Jobe whispered against your lips, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of your mouth, then to your cheek, then to your jawline, making you giggle as his stubble tickled your skin.
"Official. No take-backs."
"No take-backs." you echoed, resting your forehead against his, your hand resting over his heart where the gold bracelet on his wrist caught the light.