#boston swag

[anqi-niuniu]

i ❤️ boston

[aprofessionalwithoutstandards]

Everyone remember to leave Bonk and fried chicken out for Scout tf2 this St. Patrick's Day

[livyelwell]

[wuntrum]

hozier playing in new hampshire. hello. can anyone hear me

[unimpressedoflife]

in conclusion

[thenewlimits]

MERCH DROP

You might have heard us play a song where we sing about how much we love New England. We couldn't help but put it on a t-shirt.

Our "New England" t-shirts are now available online and at upcoming shows.

[new30lifestyle]

NEW30 AFFILIATES

DONE BY @GABISOFM

OF

@xaewath

@dontemoree

@omgjourden

@saintl33k

@sid__titus

@antnextdo0r

[ceasarslegion]

Tboy swag is fun and all but can we also acknowledge that, just like that post to transfems about how HRT will probably make you look like someones mom and thats kinda awesome, if youre transmasc you will probably look like someones dad in your middle age and thats also kinda awesome

I dont know about you guys, but 5 years on HRT now if im not in pajamas or my work uniform i default to fits like beige shorts and polo shirts in the summer or jeans and sweater vests in the fall and winter. I wake up with stubble that im sometimes too lazy to shave and ive worked this job long enough that i dont care if i look kinda scruffy on the clock anymore. I listen to classic rock and i like to grill, i fantasize about spending vacations at cancun beach resorts sipping margaritas at the oceanside and coming back with a tan. I so naturally fall into the grill dad archetype that a garage woodshop and saying "guess theyll let anyone in here!" to my buddy at the chilis is likely in my future.

And thats like, fine. Not every trans man is going to fall into this archetype of wildcard punk fashion chanting "be gay, do crimes." A lot of us are going to be pretty regular dudes with nothing all that stereotypically "counterculture" about us. And we'll still be trans. Because you cant actually tell whos trans based on vibes alone. Its still a form of stereotyping when its an inner-community stereotype youre playing to.

And its kind of awesome to look at your future and see a middle aged grill dad (in all but the children) whose life can be made by driving a red convertible and blasting Boston down the highway halfway into a vegas road trip with the boys cracking open beers in the passenger seats, actually. Trans people are everywhere and live all kinds of lives, not just the ones you see on tumblr.

[supermallorygalaxyart]

(originally posted on instagram)

big collection of a bunch of my tmnt art for tumblr!!! :D

mikey & hobie art was for a dtiys on insta by @/cl0udy.dr3ams!

rottmnt human design notes/headcanons:

mikey: wears chewelry and has different faces on all four knee & elbow pads

donnie: wears a scoliosis boston brace that he made himself (hence the geniusbranding), had geometric edges for extra swag, and wears platform boots to be taller than leo (without them they are the same height)

raph: transfem raph truthers rise up! she has a lacey tank top for cuteness and likes to wear pigtails (in yellow hairties!) because she looks up to april

leo: ponytail is yellow. he stole it from raph who stole it from april

tmnt 2012 human design notes/headcanons:

mikey: also wears chewelry!! & he's got a crognard shirt & ICK-coloured socks :3

donnie: super robo mecha force 5 hoodie. his clothes are super patched up for a mad scientist vibe and also because he refuses to find new clothes when his inevitably get ripped and burned

raph: transfem butch raph truthers RISE THE FUCK UP!!!!!! it's important to me you know you can see his sports bra through the wide arm holes of his tank. he's the only turtle who isn't sporting merchandise of his favourite media because he's embarrassed about enjoying things BUT he did bleach dye his tank himself with casey :3

leo: space heroes shirt!! & he wears a knee brace post-shredder fight, and uses a cane alongside that post-series.

[xplainthexmen]

Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men, Episode 467 - Disorganizing Principle

In which Nightcrawler has a type; the Hill is a bad place to raise your kids up; Colossus introduces Marrow to art; we come out against autotrepanation; Mikhail Rasputin never learns; Destiny leaves clues from beyond the grave; and The Twelve looms.

X-PLAINED:

That one universe where Mystique raised Nightcrawler in an attic

An event in name only

Some shit that went down a while ago

The Hill (more) (again)

Uncanny X-Men #373-374

X-Men #93-94

Marrow as a child soldier

Rural Boston

Some asshole

Mikhail Rasputin (more) (again)

How to prove that you’re a god

The souls of furniture and some other things

The green psychic entity who’s been secretly controlling Mikhail Rasputin, I guess?

Ninja problems

B. Byron Biggs

Ronnie Lake

A Conspiracy

How Rogue and Destiny met

Compulsory heterosexuality

Destiny’s diaries

Prognostication vs. agenda-setting

Skrullverine’s power mimicry

How the Mannites could’ve been used in the Krakoan era

NEXT EPISODE: Secrets of Jubilee’s past!

The visual companion to this episode will be up later this week.

Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

[bl-bracket]

Guide to the BL Brackets!

Hello and welcome to the BL Brackets, where we do polls and competitions for BL characters and dramas!

Current poll: Deserved Better

Status: Round 4

(Prev polls and winners are under the cut)

What kind of characters/shows can be submitted?

Any character from a BL drama is allowed. A BL drama as I'm defining it is a live action drama from an eastern Asian country (ex. South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, etc) and is focused on an mlm/bl couple that is explicitly stated (the exception is censored dramas from China, where the relationship is very clearly stated in the source material or in the creators' intent).

Supporting characters, including female characters, are all welcome! They do not have to be the main characters to be submitted!

GL dramas or dramas where only the side pairing is mlm won't be counted for the purposes of this competition

Examples

Yes: 3 Will Be Free as the main relationship includes an mlm pairing within it

Yes: The Untamed as even though the relationship was not shown on screen due to censorship laws in China, the source material is explicitly mlm

Yes: Ink & Pa from Bad Buddy can count because even though they are a wlw/gl couple, they are in a BL series

No: Beyond Evil as even though there is a lot of homoerotic subtext, there is no actual romantic relationship explicitly stated between the two leads in canon

No: Army & Joe from The Warp Effect as they are only side characters in the show and the main focus is not on a bl pairing

No: Gap as even though it is queer, it is not centered on a bl pairing

Other questions on logistics of how the polls run? Check here to see if I've answered it already!

Last Poll: CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

Winner: Pat & Pran First Kiss (Bad Buddy) [Best Kiss Winner)

Prev Poll: Most Whipped (Season 2)

Winner: Kurosawa (Cherry Magic)

Loser Bracket: Hira (Utsukushii Kare)

Winner of All Time: Lan Wangji (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: Greenest Flag (Season 2)

Winner: Kurosawa (Cherry Magic)

Loser Bracket: Karan (Cherry Magic TH)

Winner of All Time: Kurosawa (Cherry Magic)

Prev Poll: Poorest Little Meow Meow (Seasons 2)

Winner: Jin Guangyao (The Untamed)

Loser Bracket: Vegas (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Bonus Round: Lee Dongsik (Beyond Evil)

Winner of All Time: Jin Guangyao (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: Least Rizz

Winner: Winner (Pit Babe)

Loser Bracket Winner: Su She (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: Best QL Proposal

Winner: Oyei & Cher (Wandee Goodday)

Prev Poll: Most Unhinged

Winner: Xue Yang (The Untamed)

Loser Bracket Winner: Wen Kexing (Word of Honor)

Bonus Round: Pit Babe

Prev Poll: #1 Himbo

Winner: Yechan (Love Tractor)

Loser Bracket Winner: Yai (The Sign)

Prev Poll: Horniest on Main

Winner: Kinn (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Loser Bracket Winner: Boston (Only Friends)

Bonus Round: Kinnporsche: The Series

Prev Poll: Build-a-BL

Winner: [Post Here]

Prev Poll: Best Siblings

Winner: Jiang Yanli & Wei Wuxian & Jiang Cheng (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: #1 Causer of Gender Envy

Winner: Tay (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Bonus Round: Jeff Satur

Prev Poll: Best Kiss

Winner: Pat and Pran First Kiss (Bad Buddy)

Prev Poll: Most Babygirl

Winner: Porsche (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Bonus Round: Akk (The Eclipse)

Prev poll: Bisexual Swag

Winner: Choi Yuna (Semantic Error)

Prev poll: Autistic Swag

Winner: Lan Zhan (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: Most Whipped

Winner: Lan Zhan (The Untamed)

Prev Poll: Greenest Flag

Winner: Tinn (My School President)

Prev poll: Poorest Little Meow Meow

Winner: Wei Wuxian (The Untamed)

[yumiis]

new southern!reader brainworms that may or may not be tx/la specific:

- schlatt's first mardi gras

- schlatt's first lsu game & his reaction to neck

- i have a friend from boston who watched me make/eat couch couche once and she called it a crime against humanity, i imagine schlatt would do the same

- the schlatt/jack manifold video where he says he's never been fishing before, that needs to change IMMEDIATELY

- same boston friend went to the rodeo w me this year and watching her get caught up in a full crowd swag surf was gen so funny, schlatt would b like ??? WHAT R WE DOING

- taking schlatt to an astros game and him being very confused when deep in the heart of texas comes on

- back to fishing: im gonna miss her by brad paisley is a top 5 for him bc of how funny he finds it

🎲 anon

oh my god schlatt's first mardi gras would go INSANE. he'd start drinking at 9am and stop drinking at 11pm. it's his new favorite holiday

LMAOOO HIS FIRST LSU GAME WOULD GO CRAZY

OKAY BUT CONSIDER. READER MAKING SCHLATT GUMBO OR JAMBALAYA?? OH HE'D LOVE IT

he needs to go fishing IMMEDIATELY‼️ he'd definitely have so much fun on a pontoon boat

THESE ARE ALL SO GOOD 🎲ANON THANK YOU SO MUCH

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

I'm OFFLINE UNTIL MID-SEPTEMBER, but you can catch me in person at BURNING MAN! On TUESDAY (Aug 27) at 1PM, I'm giving a talk called "DISENSHITTIFY OR DIE!" at PALENQUE NORTE (7&E). On WEDNESDAY (Aug 28) at NOON, I'm doing a "Talking Caterpillar" Q&A at LIMINAL LABS (830&C).

#20yrsago EFF wins Grokster! Software doesn’t have to be easy for Hollywood to wiretap! https://web.archive.org/web/20041026154633/https://www.eff.org/IP/P2P/MGM_v_Grokster/20040819_mgm_v_grokster_decision.pdf

#15yrsago Poor design-choices in the Star Wars universe https://web.archive.org/web/20090821185001/http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2009/08/bad-designs-in-star-wars.php

#15yrsago Computers’ limitations, as seen in 1967 https://web.archive.org/web/20090823020726/http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/08/19/computers-their-built-in-limitations/

#15yrsago WMD swag from a chemistry conference https://web.archive.org/web/20090824144536/http://cenblog.org/2009/08/19/wmd-goodie-bag/

#15yrsago Entertainment Weekly ad with a video-screen glued to the pages https://web.archive.org/web/20090821204702/https://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/08/cbs-embeds-a-video-playing-ad-in-a-print-magazine/

#15yrsago Brutal military dictatorship that backs Fiji Water https://web.archive.org/web/20090816093201/http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/09/fiji-spin-bottle

#15yrsago Sipping Spiders Through a Straw: funny monster lyrics to traditional tunes https://memex.craphound.com/2009/08/19/sipping-spiders-through-a-straw-funny-monster-lyrics-to-traditional-tunes/

#10yrsago Copyright extortion startup wants to hijack your browser until you pay https://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-outfit-wants-to-hijack-browsers-until-fine-paid-140816/

#10yrsago Militarized cops: arms dealers bribed Congress to ramboize Barney Fife https://www.motherjones.com/criminal-justice/2014/08/how-defense-industry-made-room-militarized-police-today/

#10yrsago How the US government exerts control over ICANN https://www.michaelgeist.ca/2014/08/government-control-internet-governance-icann-proposes-giving-gac-increased-power-board-decisions/

#5yrsago New Hampshire court to patent troll: it’s not libel when someone calls you a “patent troll” https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/08/patent-troll-sues-over-patent-troll-label-loses/

#5yrsago An appreciation for Samuel Delany https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/books/samuel-delany-jordy-rosenberg.html

#5yrsago More than 20 Texas cities and towns have been taken hostage by ransomware https://dir.texas.gov/news?id=210

#5yrsago Owner of Phoenix apartment building serves eviction notices to every tenant so he can turn their homes into unlicensed hotel rooms https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/phoenix-landlord-evicts-tenants-short-term-rental-wanderjaunt-11345084

#5yrsago Ecofascism isn’t new: white supremacy and exterminism have always lurked in the environmental movement https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/15/anti

#5yrsago A cycle of renewal, broken: How Big Tech and Big Media abuse copyright law to slay competition https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/08/cycle-renewal-broken-how-big-tech-and-big-media-abuse-copyright-law-slay

#5yrsago The TSA strip searched a grandmother on Mother’s Day and now says that she’s overreacting because it’s no different from a locker room https://professional-troublemaker.com/2019/08/19/tsa-forced-strip-search-no-more-offensive-than-voluntarily-using-a-locker-room/

#1yrago SoCal Gas spent millions on astroturf ops to fight climate rules https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/19/cooking-the-books-with-gas/#reichman-jorgensen

On SEPTEMBER 24th, I'll be speaking IN PERSON at the BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY!!

[unopenablebox]

a review of the decorative light fixtures adjacent to gate B25 of boston logan airport

partitioned orbs and bulbs, with swag (yellow)

the sweep of the swag invites you in for further contemplation of the orbs, and lends dynamism to the static light arrangement. unfortunately, the effect of the yellow color is harsh and overwhelming in its already hostile context. the effect is well-intentioned, but ultimately afflicts rather than soothes. 2/5 stars

white meringue convolution

challenging to photograph, reasonable to view. there were four of these arranged at intervals above the entrance to a bar and grill. i appreciate their unexpected fussiness and novel visual effect; when one is trapped in an airport for more than six hours, ruffles are one of the rarer textures to encounter, and thus one of the most exciting. they lose points for uninteresting arrangement, making the bar and grill look even worse by comparison, and kind of hurting my eyes. 3/5 stars

partitioned orbs and bulbs, with swag (green)

relaxing, soothing, delightful. a juicy, candied green that feels at once energizing and comforting. the exposed green bulbs are better modulated by the green tint than their yellow counterparts, and no longer convey an air of hostility to life. the swag is subtle and easy to overlook, but this reflects its relative lack of necessity for drawing the eye to the recontextualized light fixtures. these green things are the only thing i want or need to look at for the remaining 1.5 hours of my stay. 5/5 stars

[chaotic-aro-incarnate]

10 BL BOYS I WILL THROW HANDS FOR

Was tagged by @scarefox for this (technically my main blog but I post my bl stuff on here lol) and am very excited

I imprint on characters like nobody's business so this is a list made for me

EDIT changed the gifs because apparently the way I did it didn't properly link to the creators (only on desktop at least). should be properly credited now

In no particular order

1) Sound (My School President)

Starting the trend of lonely queer teenagers that I get a little too attached to, it's of course Sound. Like I was already a fan of Sound and intrigued by the concept of SoundWin (at the time people didn't know it was going to be the main secondary ship) but when the medal scene happened and Sound gave this so sad ans soft "oh no" look I was gone. That is my son and I WILL fight anyone and everyone for him

2) Nuengdiao (Never Let Me Go)

Another lonely queer teenager I decided to protect. I loved Never Let Me Go so much and Nueng was my special little babygirl and then Our Skyy 2 came out and it was like oh...... I will kill for him. Look I love Nueng and he did nothing wrong and also that scene where he's forcing Palm to put the gun to his head while screaming at him to shoot him leaves rent free in my mind. He's so traumatized and lonely and he's like 18 I would do anything for him especially throw hands

3) Typhoon (Star in My Mind)

Fun fact! I had to stop watching Star in My Mind because I got so unreasonably attached to Typhoon that I couldn't bear the thought of him not getting a happy ending. I wanted him to end up with Dao so bad because it would make him happy and I knew that if I kept watching they would either break his heart OR show that he's actually not that great of a guy, both which were unbearable to me. So I simply cut my losses and live in the fantasy that he got everything he ever wanted.

4) Bai Lang (My Tooth Your Love)

One of those "he just like me fr fr" characters who I would do anything for. He's my specialist little boy and I love him so dearly. Here's to having your trauma swag bewitch the local hot autistic dentist body and soul.

5) Han Ying (Word of Honor)

Talk about my specialest boy. Ying'er is my guy through and through. He deserved so much better and in every WoH fic I have written (they are all still in drafts) he lives and is happy no matter what. He IS my sweet cheese, my rotten solider, my good time boy. I will continue writing him getting railed to the high heavens by Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing like he deserves. He is incapable of being anything other but the goodest boy possible and I will die on this hill

6) Boston (Only Friends)

He is the worst. I would move mountains for him. Enough said.

7) Pluem (Ghost Host Ghost House)

Look this man has been going through it AND he manages to be the like the most flirtatious and romantic guy around? Give me your secrets sir. Also say the word king and I'll do it. This show broke me on so many levels but a lot of those levels were tied to anytime I saw him break down

8) Ye Huo/Fire (Guardian)

A recent (and somewhat obscure) pull as I am currently watching Guardian and was just exposed to his character today but he is my guy and I will defend him to the death. The only weaker point for me than a lonely gay teenager is a self appointed older sibling who sacrifices everything for their younger siblings. I was really like man this guy is an asshole for so long but then the truth of how he was saving the boys at the fighting ring came out and I was like oh no that's my son now and I need him to live and be happy. I have not finished his arc yet so I am scared that it'll be a tragedy BUT he is my wonderful son all the same and I will throw hands for him in an instant

9) That (Manner of Death)

The return of troubled teenagers I need to adopt and protect against all costs. I WILL fight anyone for him even though he's like a rebellious teenager who does crime and I am a strange looking college student who he would not respect but it's the thought that counts

10) Mark/Village Head Ma (Love Tractor)

Why is there a random white man living in rural South Korea? I don't know!!! They never address what he's doing there. But I literally love this man. There's a reason I made him to be my pfp for bl-bracket. Seriously he's the best and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. Best character ever written. In my heart he's got the spirit of Quincey Morris form Dracula in the long tradition of just having a random American man in your story with no explanation

Tagging others!!!!! @saturnskyline @non-binarypal7 @supernovasimplicity @vegussy and anyoen else who wants to!!

There's been so many of these types of challenges/tag things lately that I have not kept track of who has or hasn't done which ones so sorry if you've already done something similar

[ladylooch]

Letters in Your Last Name - Chapter 34

A/N: Another time jump! Also, I still love the smut in this chapter. Also, the moment in their bedroom together before the game. That's the good stuff 🤌🏻

Word Count: 4.2k

Warnings: SMUT 18+ Content, dreaming big dreams as a wild fan ☠️

Minnesota Wild head to their first ever Stanley Cup Final Berth. Fiala scores twice in Game 3 win over Bruins. See You In St. Paul: Wild force Game 7 against Boston.

The kids and I are playing in the back yard while Kevin takes his pre-game nap. This will be the last one of the season. Tonight, is game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final at the Xcel Energy Center. I watch as Luca rushes next to Lacey at the portable water table. He sweetly shows his little sister how to scoop the water with the buckets. Lacey giggles excitedly as Luca dumps the water back into the table, making the water splash onto her face.

“Is that fun, baby?” I ask her, smiling at her big grin.

To anyone looking into our backyard, we look like a normal family enjoying a warm summer day. However, we are anything but that. Tonight is the biggest game of our family’s hockey life. The series against the Boston Bruins has been a battle from the first puck drop. Both teams are evenly matched across the board and every mistake must be capitalized on. The Wild have switched off wins each game so far this series. To say it has been stressful to watch would be an understatement. Kevin has handled the series well. He’s playing some of his best hockey and he has certainly been the most electric I’ve ever seen him in his career. Truthfully, I think it helps to have the kids around for a distraction from the seriousness of it all.

My phone begins to buzz in my hand and I look down, seeing Lauren Hartman’s name flash on my screen.

“Hi!” I answer.

“Oh my god. Tell me you’re as antsy as me about this game.” She groans.

“Definitely.” I confirm with her. “Kevin is taking his nap right now and I have no idea how he is able to sleep. I don’t think I’ve slept well since the series has started.”

“Ryan is too! Meanwhile, I’m resisting the urge to do tequila shots in the middle of the day.”

“Hey, it might help.”

“Probably except with my luck I’d end up passing out through the game. What are you wearing tonight? I’m struggling with what will bring the most luck.”

“Not sure yet, but probably something that goes with our jackets for the playoffs.” Each playoff season, the WAGS order a few articles of new swag to wear to support the team. This year, we picked a black leather jacket with the last name and number stitched on the back in forest green. Sparkly jewels line the outline of the stitching to make the lettering pop.

“Oh! Good call… Now I just have to figure out jeans and shoes….”

I look over at Luca and Lacey, noticing immediately at how tired they both are. Lacey is getting whiney and Luca is rubbing at his eyes more and more with each passing minute. I know if I don’t get them out of their suits and into bed soon, a meltdown will be imminent.

“Laur, I gotta go. Kids are hitting their limits. I’ll see you tonight though!” I click the end button and stand, walking towards the kids. “I see some tired babies.” I murmur, kneeling between them.

“I want to nap with daddy.” Luca tells me with a pout. He’s a little old to be napping, but with the late night we have, it’s necessary for him to at least rest.

“Not today, baby.” I smooth his dark locks from his forehead and give him a soft smooch. “Daddy needs to sleep well for the game tonight. I bet he will snuggle with you tomorrow to make up for it.” I nuzzle my nose into his neck before swinging Lacey up into my arms. She settles into me immediately. Her wet hair tickles my face as I reach for Luca’s hand, leading both of them into the kitchen to dry off.

When I enter our bedroom after putting both Luca and Lacey in their rooms, Kevin is up. He is moving quietly around our bedroom, putting on his tie, then his suit pants. He seems lost in thought, so I’m not sure if he even notices that I’m here with him.

“You look great.” I tell him. His head snaps to me quickly, confirming he had no idea I was with him. He tilts one side of his mouth into a quick smile.

“Thanks,” He says simply, moving around me to the bathroom. He grabs his hair gel and rubs it between his hands before he rushes his fingers through his hair. My lips tilt into a smile at how damn good he looks. How lucky am I?

“How are you doing?” I ask. Normally, I wouldn’t press much but the butterflies are dive bombing the walls of my stomach right now and it feels harder to avoid it than face it head on.

“Fine.” He responds, grabbing his cologne and spraying a few spritzes onto his body. He washes his hands quickly, then fixes a stray tendril of his hair that keeps trying to dip back to his forehead.

“At least you can shave your face tomorrow.” I say, trying to break the tension I see in his body. As is customary in the playoffs, the Wild players have all been growing facial hair since the beginning of the post-season. Whether it really brings them luck is up for debate. But hockey players are knowingly superstitious, so it’s best not to bring up the validity of the tradition.

“Yeah, that will be nice.” He murmurs as our eyes meet in the mirror.

Silence consumes our room as he adjusts his tie and tugs the ends of his dress shirt down towards his wrists. All of his shirts and suits are custom made to fit him perfectly. There is something about watching him get ready for games that always makes my heart flutter in response. I step towards him and wrap my arms around him, resting my head against his back. He places his hands on the bathroom counter and we stay like that for several moments. I struggle with coming up with words to say to him. I’m so nervous I could puke. I can’t imagine how he feels right now.

“Luca said to tell you good luck.” I finally say, breaking the silence and glancing at him in the mirror. Kevin smiles in response.

“I love that kid.” Kevin tells me, turning so he is holding me to his chest. “My favorite son, for sure.” He jokes with me, kissing my lips softly before stepping out of the bathroom.

I watch as he puts his shoes on and his cuff links before he pulls his suit jacket over his broad shoulders. I walk over to him as he buttons the jacket. He turns to me and I reach for him, smoothing his jacket down anxiously. He hands me his tie clip and I secure it to his dress shirt perfectly in the center.

“I think you’re ready now.” I whisper. I bite my lip as I feel the tears pinching at my eyes. This moment. Everything he has worked for. I’m overcome with the emotions of it all coming to a crescendo tonight. What if they win? What if they don’t? I gulp back the lump in my throat and push a happy grin onto my face.

“I have to go.” Kevin advises me. His eyes search my face but I’m not sure what he is looking for.

“Yeah, okay.” I step to the side so he can walk around me to grab his watch. He comes back to me and gives me a soft, sweet kiss. He rests his forehead against mine as our eyes stay closed. “Good luck.” There are so many more words I want to say, but I know now isn’t the time.

“I’ll see you after.” He tells me, giving my hand a squeeze before he begins to leave. The reality settles between us that the next time we see each other, the game will be over. He may or may not be a Stanley Cup Champion.

“Kev.” I call to him just as he steps into the door frame of our bedroom.

“Yeah babe?”

“No matter what happens tonight… we love you.” Kevin, who is still working on strapping his watch to his wrist, stills. His brown eyes melt and he sighs, walking back over to where I’m standing. He gathers me into his arms and breathes in deeply while we hug. I squeeze him one last time before we part.

“I love you.” He says simply before he walks out of the bedroom and into the greatest moment of his career. _ _ _

Overtime in Game 7 with the Stanley Cup in the building has got to be the most intense anxiety I’ve ever experienced. Yet, here we are. After 60 minutes of battle, the score couldn’t be decided and the game needs extra minutes to determine this years’ champion.

I watch intently as the Bruins cycle the puck in the Wild zone. I feel antsy watching, knowing that if the puck doesn’t get out soon, this likely won’t end well for our tired defensemen. Kevin is on the ice; his positioning is perfect defending at the point. I watch as the Bruins defenseman winds up for a slap shot and it hits Kevin’s shin pads, bounding back into the neutral zone. The biggest mistake- one that defensemen will see when he closes his eyes for the remainder of his career.

“Kev!” I gasp, watching as Kevin flies forward towards the puck. The Bruins defenseman has reacted, but too slow. Soon, it’s just Kevin and the goalie as he darts down the ice on an obvious break away. “Kev.” I say again quietly, almost begging.

Everything seems to slow. I put my hand to my chest and hold my breath watching as he locks eyes on the net. The arena is buzzing with excitement as he moves the puck off the boards and heads closer to the center. He stick handles once more to change the angle at the last minute. He flicks his wrists and snipes the puck into the top, left hand corner of the net. My heart lurches into my throat as I watch the white twine snap in response to the puck.

“Yes!” I scream as the horn blares and the fans roar. “Oh my god! Oh my god!” I jump up and down, reaching for Laura as we both celebrate. The noise in the arena is deafening as everyone yells in disbelief and celebration. I pull away from her and turn, watching as the Wild bench clears rushing to Kevin. Helmets, gloves, and sticks litter the entire ice as they pile together in the corner. Kevin disappears from view while sobs clutch my chest in suffocating heaves. He did it.

“Mama!” Luca yells from behind me, his eyes wide and his face scrunched up in response to the noise.

“It’s okay baby!” I say to him. “I know it’s loud. Daddy won!” I kneel down and hold him tight, trying to gasp for air around the incredible excitement and overwhelm for Kevin. My lips press to Luca’s cheeks and he buries his face into my side as I stand again.

“The Minnesota Wild are your Stanley Cup Champions!” The announcer yells as confetti falls into the general seating area. I laugh in response, tilting my head back and feeling the paper settle into my hair. Kevin just won the Stanley Cup. He is finally a Stanley Cup Champion.

“Everything is okay.” I say to Luca again. I turn and see Laura holding Lacey who is watching with wide eyes like her brother. I turn back to the rink and point down to the ice where Kevin is still being mobbed. “Let’s look for daddy.” I tell Luca as I pull him onto my hip. He’s gotten so big it’s hard to hold him up here, but he needs the comfort. It’s so loud. I’m grateful for the baby headphones both of the kids are wearing. Eventually, the Wild players pull apart from one pile and focus on giving hugs all around. I see Kevin and Luca points excitedly. “Wave, bubba!” I tell him as Kevin looks our way. He searches for us and when he finds us his eyes brighten and his smile somehow gets even wider.

“Woo!!” I yell to him, bouncing with Luca who puts his hands in the air. I blow him a kiss as tears fill my eyes and stream down my face. Everything he has ever worked for has lead to this moment. I can barely breathe with the pride I have for him. The long-time Minnesota sports fan in me also can’t quite believe what just happened.

Quickly, the red carpet is rolled onto the ice and the Stanley Cup makes it’s long awaited arrival onto the Xcel Energy Center ice to the roaring applause of the State of Hockey. I beam with pride as I watch Kevin clap his hands and yell along with the fans. Ryan Hartman wraps him into a tight hug again and they both laugh. It’s a hug filled with history- from Nashville to Minnesota to Stanley Cup champions. I glance down the row at Lauren and we grin at each other. Then, a round of boos greet the commissioner as he begins his introduction.

Matt Boldy comes in next, joining the hug until Ryan breaks away. Matt and Kevin embrace. The hug is tight, clasping each other like the brothers they have turned into. Matt changed our lives on and off the ice. I can’t imagine not having him here to celebrate this with.

“Uncle Matty.” Luca points excitedly at me.

“Yeah, baby. Uncle Matty and daddy.” I press my nose into his hair, hiding my large grin. Matt says something to Kevin, who points in our direction. Matt’s eyes lock on me and I give him a fist pump.

“Proud of you!” I mouth to him. His boyish grin fills as he waves in acknowledgement.

“Joel Ericksson Ek, it is my honor to present to you the Stanley Cup.” Joel skates forward and after a moment to pause for pictures, he grabs it in both hands and lifts it high into the sky. The crowd roars and I sob happily in response watching it all unfold. This moment of greatness not just for our family but for this entire state. I yell and cheer holding Luca to me as he buries his face in my shoulder again. I rub his back soothingly, watching as Joel skates his lap. When he is done, he sets his eyes on Kevin and I know it’s his turn next.

My husband grips the edges in both hands and thrusts it above his head while laughing through a wide smile. His excited yelp is drowned out by the sound of the fans. Tears fall down my face as we yells back to him in response. I bite my quivering lip as he skates closer to us, giddy in response to seeing us cheer for him. He brings it to his lips and kisses it before skating back towards his teammates. Laura snaps away pictures of her brother and then turns the camera on me to capture my teary mess of a face.

“Congratulations! This is yours too.” She tells me confidently. “All the sacrifices we have all had to make for this. It’s ours.” She nods at me and I agree.

The countless hours his parents spent driving him places. The terror and hopefulness of allowing their teenage son to move to a different country to find competition that challenged him. A sister who continuously understood that Kevin’s games came first. A wife and mother who rocked both her kids to sleep alone while her husband was out on a 14 day road trip. All the nights I fell asleep gripping his pillow, wishing it was him. Laura is right; this is ours.

Soon, team representatives are next to our section, ushering us up the stairs and down the elevators so we can join our boys on the ice. Kevin’s parents and Laura help with the kids.

“I’ll take him.” Jan, says, grabbing Luca from my arms as he was beginning to fall asleep on me. “You go to him first.” He nods at me as we step out of the elevator. I look at Renata who nods her head in agreement. I give them a small smile as we are directed down the tunnel.

Stepping carefully, we reach the ice and I search for Kevin. He’s across the rink from us laughing and skating away from Kaprizov who is dumping water all over him. Kirill laughs as he empties the bottle all over Kevin’s head. Kevin spits out the water onto the ice and runs his hands through his hair, shaking the excess water off. His eyes lift to the tunnel. When he sees me, I feel like the only person in this entire world.

I don’t even think about the slippery surface of the ice, or the fans, or the media, or honestly, our kids. I just run to him. He meets me in the middle and catches me effortlessly. I wrap myself around him and immediately begin shaking at the excitement of being in his arms. He smells absolutely awful and he’s wet and now I’m wet and I don’t care about any of it. All that matters is the feeling of his body connected with mine.

“Baby! I am so, so, so, so, SO proud of you.” I squeal to him joyfully, pulling back and looking at his face. “My Stanley Cup Champion.” I wrinkle my nose cutely at him, placing my lips hungrily on his. He skates slightly backwards as our lips nip and tug at each other greedily. I can hear the click of a camera and I don’t know who it is or where this picture is going. I’m too wrapped up in Kevin to care.

“I love you.” Kevin says to me as I slide down from his arms. My boots hit the ice and he reaches down again and kisses me. His lips are greedy, sucking up every ounce that I’m giving him. “So fucking much, Samantha Fiala.” My name comes out of his mouth in a breathless whisper. The sound of my full name sets my body on fire and I want all of him instantly. After all these years, he knows my tells. He chuckles in recognition. “Later.” He kisses my nose and wraps an arm around my body, turning towards where our family is coming towards us. “I see our final baby in the very near future.” He squeezes my side as his mom approaches for a hug. I don’t get the chance to agree with him, but I do. A Stanley Cup baby is a pretty good story.

The celebration continues on the ice, then into the locker room and the family lounge. We laugh and cry and share stories of the successes and struggles to get here. After midnight, the players start to confirm plans of going out in downtown to continue the celebration at an upscale rooftop bar. Despite the exhaustion I feel, Kevin and I agree to join the group. We can sleep in a few days when the excitement dies down. I look over at our sleeping kids on the couch and know we need to get them home to bed before we meet up with the rest of the team.

“We have some sleepy babies, mama.” Kevin murmurs to me as he grabs Luca and I grab Lacey.

Laura comes home with us and offers to stay with our kids for the night while we go out to celebrate. I rush up the stairs and into our closet, shrugging off my black Fiala jacket and looking at the available outfit options. What does one wear to a Stanley Cup celebration?

“Wir sind bald draußen.” I hear Kevin say to Laura as he walks into our master bedroom. I hear the soft click of the door and Kevin appears in the doorway.

“I’m not sure what to wea- Oh!” I exclaim as Kevin grabs me, lifting me off the ground and roughly sets me on the dresser in our closet. “Right here, huh?” I say breathlessly as he kisses down my neck. His hands are unruly and greedy on my body. I moan in response to his lips and eagerness.

“Laura is upstairs. Try to be quiet.” He advises me, tugging at my shirt. Our lips part briefly as he lifts it over my head. He is back to my lips for a moment before his mouth trails down my chest. He buries his face in my breasts and grinds his hips into me. He is warm and hard and my inner core clenches in response.

“Mmm, Kev..” I whisper as he tugs at the button on my jeans. I grab the belt on his suit pants and pull it apart. It takes mere seconds before his erection is at my entrance. When he feels how wet I am, he pushes in quickly and I lose myself in the feeling of him. He pauses there for a moment, watching my face for the stitch of pain to turn into pleasure. He slowly slides an inch out and then thrusts right back in. The dresser shakes from the movement of our bodies. I moan desperately in response and he grins down at me.

“Holy fuck, you feel so damn good, baby.” He growls as he begins to move quickly. “The entire time we were on the ice, I wanted to bend you over and fuck you against the boards.” He pounds into me in a steady, hard rhythm and I’m gone within moments. Something about when he gets like this- horny, needy, and just the right amount of rough- has me crashing fast every time. Kevin pulls me into his arms and walks us into our bedroom. When we get on the bed, he begins to move again, slower, almost painfully slow. I wrap my legs around him to hold him close to me. He brushes a loose strand away from my face, leaning down and kissing my lips tenderly. “ I love you, babe.” He places feather light kisses along my cheeks, then sucks lightly on my neck. “Thank you.”

“For what?” I murmur. He slows his pumps to a stop and I pout in response.

“For everything. This wouldn’t have happened without you. I wouldn’t be this version of me if I didn’t have you. I’m so lucky. The life we have… that you’ve given to us…”

“I think you had more to do with this than you’re giving yourself credit for.” I laugh, squeezing my muscles around him. He groans in response and dips his head in pleasure.

“Maybe.” He finally admits, “But I’m a Stanley Cup Champion because of you, Sam. Your support, sacrifice, and unconditional love brought our family here.” He is looking at me through serious brown eyes and I swallow hard in response. “We always said three. I want to complete our family now.” He whispers as he begins to pump into me faster. The rhythm is delicious and I can feel my second orgasm building within me.

“Me too.” I respond. “A Stanley Cup baby.”

“I know we shouldn’t pick favorites, but come on, it won’t even be close.” My chest heaves with loud laughter.

He begins to move faster inside of me again, cutting off my laugh with a breathy moan. His hands go to my breasts and his thumbs slowly circle my nipples. I arch my back into his waiting palms in response. I tilt my knees closer to my chest to allow him deeper. There it is. Our groans fill the room. He strokes that marvelous spot inside of me. My skin breaks out in goosebumps in acknowledgement. Kevin reaches down and places his lips over mine to catch the deep, primal wail coming out of my mouth. He pumps hard twice more before his hips jerk awkwardly as he finishes inside of me. Our mouths break apart after he comes as we both gasp for air from the highest of highs.

“That should do it.” He laughs, pulling out. I giggle in response, shoving away the dark cloud of our last attempts to conceive.

“I feel pregnant already.” I joke to him.

I know this one will be different.

Five weeks later, after multiple Stanley Cup Celebrations, a parade down West 7th, and not nearly enough sleep, I smile down at the pregnancy test confirming what I already knew. Pregnant. I walk out of the bathroom where Kevin is coloring at the kid’s table with our older two babies. He perks up when he sees me walk into the room. A wide grin breaks onto his lips when he takes in the look on my face. He stands up and dances over to me, gripping my hips and kissing me tenderly.

“Our Stanley Cup baby.” I giggle when we pull apart.

“So lucky.” He whispers to me, resting his forehead against mine.

Our little family is almost complete.