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mamaestapa · 11 months

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We Need to Talk…

•pairing: Joe Burrow x reader

•series summary: Y/n Hubbard, the younger sister of Cincinnati Bengals Defensive End Sam Hubbard, finds herself in a difficult situation after a steamy hookup with her brothers best friend, who just so happens to be the quarterback for the Bengals. In just nine months their lives will be changed forever. How will Y/n and Joe manage to to go through parenthood together? more so, how will Sam take the news he is going to be the uncle of his best friends baby?

•chapter summary: The time comes for you to tell Joe some of the most life-changing news he’ll ever receive. However, his reaction isn’t exactly what you were hoping for

•word count: 3.6k

•warnings: Pregnancy, morning sickness, vomiting, crying, mood swings, arguing, angst

series masterlist

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January 25, 2023

4 weeks pregnant

You pulled into the parking lot of Kettering Health, yawning loudly and tiredly. You were currently having some major caffeine withdrawals. Since you found out you were pregnant, you have stopped drinking coffee. Even though you are able to have as much decaf as you want, you haven't been drinking any coffee due to the fact that it makes you nauseous anytime you're near it. After turning off your car, you reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed your bag. You reached into the bag and pulled out your favorite chapstick. For some reason, this pregnancy is making your lips and skin extremely dry. After putting the chapstick on your chapped, cracked lips, you fluffed your softly curled hair and stepped out of the car. As you made your way into the practice facility, you were greeted by Tee.

"Mornin' Y/n."

You smiled, happy that Tee was the first person you saw upon entering the building, "Hey Tee! How's it going?"

"Pretty good," he shrugged, "nerves are a just lil high around here though."

"Oh I bet. Film this morning?" you asked, already knowing the answer.

He nodded, "Yup, that's where I'm headed now. We'll be watching film all morning," he sighed, "gotta make sure we're prepared for our matchup against the Chiefs."

The Bengals beat the Ravens 24-17 in the wildcard round, moving them on to a snowy divisional round. Joe and the Bengals battled against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, and let's just say, the Bengals came to PLAY. The guys defeated Allen and the rest of the Buffalo crew 27-10. This upcoming Sunday, they'll play the Kansas City Chiefs for the second year in a row for the AFC conference title. If they win, the Cincinnati Bengals will head to Super Bowl 57.

"It won't be easy, but I have faith that you guys can pull out a win." You said with a warm smile.

Tee nodded, "For sure. It's not the defense stopping us that I'm worried about...it's their offense with Mahomes and Kelce," he whistled, "they're one hell of a scoring duo."

You chuckled, "It won't be easy, but think about it. You guys have outscored them before, multiple times at that. I truly believe one that you guys will beat them again."

Tee let out a breath and shook his head, "Shit, I hope so. You comin' to the game?"

You shrugged, stopping at your office door with Tee, "I'm not sure yet. Zac still has to let Kate and I know which one of us is going. I'm hoping it'll be me."

Tee chuckled, "Fingers crossed it's you. we need our good luck charm there."

"Awe, thanks Tee." you smiled, laughing softly.

"Of course. See you out at practice, Y/n."

You waved as he started to walk away, "Bye Tee, good luck with film." He let out a scoff in response, "Thanks, I need it."

As Tee walked down the hall, you shut your door and walked over to your desk. You sat down in the office chair and pulled out my MacBook. For the past couple days, your workload has been fairly small since the season is coming to an end. Normally, when you didn't have a ton of work to do, you would walk around the practice facility and talk with some of guys. However, this season is different. Well, at least now it's different. You have been avoiding talking to the guys the past few days--for good reason too. You're trying to avoid Joe as much as possible. You're still trying to think about how to tell Joe that you're pregnant with his baby. You knew it was going to be hard, but you never expected it to be this hard. As you were typing away on your MacBook, your mouth began to water and your stomach started to churn. You looked at the time: 10:15.

You sighed and got out of your chair. As soon as you were in the hallway of your office, you took off running to the nearest bathroom. Every day around this time, morning sickness hits you the hardest. Your morning sickness was only bad when you first woke up, and then again around 10. You were thankful it wasn't an all day thing like some women experience. You emptied your stomach contents until you swore there was nothing left in there. After flushing the toilet, you wiped your mouth and let out a sigh. Morning sickness was no fun. You walked over to the sinks and washed your hands, grabbing a paper towel in the process and getting it wet so you could wipe the corners of your mouth. You turned the water off and fixed your hair before wiping your hands on your jeans. You made your way out of the bathroom, looking at your shoes as you walked down the hall. Suddenly, you were on the floor.

Hmph.

"Oh my god, Y/n!" a familiar voice said in shock, "I'm so sorry."

You looked and saw Joe standing there, observing you with a concerned look on his face. He held his hand out for you to grab. As soon as you grabbed his hand, he carefully pulled you up from the ground. Your free hand instinctively went to your stomach, protecting the baby in your womb. Joe held onto your hand, a slight blush on both of your cheeks as you looked into each others soft eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, furrowing his brows in a concerned manner.

You smiled, "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about that."

"Don't be sorry, I should be the one apologizing." You nodded in response, "Okay. Well, I uh, I should get going. Bye Joe." you said quickly as you hurried off down the hall.

"Okay..?" Joe trailed off in confusion, watching as you hurried away from him. Joe stood still, his shoulders falling with a sigh as a slight frown appeared on his face.

Closing your office door, you immediately stood against it and let out a shaky sigh. That was a close one. You thought to yourself. You began to breathe heavily and before you knew it, you broke down crying. You've been doing a lot of that lately. You have been extremely overwhelmed, plus all of the added pregnancy hormones don't help. As you choked out a sob, you heard a knock at the door. Trying to control your breathing, you sat back down in your chair.

"Come in!" you wavered out, hiccuping as you wiped away tears from your cheeks. The door opened and a worried Zac Taylor walked in, holding a cup of coffee. Bless his heart. He placed the coffee cup on the small table that sat in your room. He grabbed a chair and pulled it up to your desk so he could sit for a moment.

"Y/n, are you crying?" he asked, voice extremely soft.

You looked up at him with bloodshot eyes. "No?" you said softly, wiping your nose that was dripping with snot. His face softened from his usual hard gaze, "Oh, Y/n..."

You choked out another sob, falling into Zac's arms. He instantly wrapped them around your body and gently cradled your head. "Shhh," he soothed, "you're okay..you're okay." he repeated, over and over, letting you get all of your pent up emotions out. As much as you were thankful to have someone comforting you at the moment, you had slightly wished it was Joe consoling you instead. Zac gently stroked your shoulder as your gut wrenching sobs turned into the occasional sniffle. Zac gently pulled your head up, frowning as his eyes scanned your red face. "Now," he sighed, "what's got you so worked up? Did I give you too much work? If I did, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

You shook your head, sniffing as you wiped your eyes. "N-no, It's not from you." you croaked out, clearing your phlegmy throat and taking a deep breath. You sat up straight and looked over at Zac. He reached out and put a hand on your shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.

"I um," you said hesitantly, "I'm going to tell you something, and when you find out, I need you to not say anything to anyone."

He nodded, "Of course, hun. Shoot."

"I've only told a couple friends, and now you. So you need to promise me, that you won't say anything, please?" You pleaded, tears pricking your eyes once again.

Zac took your pinky finger in his, "Pinky promise. You can't break one of those, yeah?"

You laughed softly at his response. Zac really does have a soft and joking side to him when he isn't on the field. You heaved a sigh once more, "A couple days ago, I.." you began, gulping nervously before continuing, "I found out that I'm pregnant."

Zac's eyes widened and a small smile appeared on his face, "Y/n...congratulations."

You smiled tightly, tears brimming your eyes, "Thank you."

"So, is this, is this good news or bad news?" he asked, brows furrowed.

"It's, it's good, I think? I'm just so terrified. I don't even know how I'm supposed to tell the father. Hell, I don't even know how I'm supposed to be a mom yet. I mean, my schedule is so busy, and, and the baby daddy's schedule is just the same as mine, so that-."

Your heart dropped to your stomach as you realized. Oh no...I have said WAY too much.

"Hold on, his schedule is the same as yours?" Zac questioned.

You gulped nervously, knowing he was catching on, "Please don't say anything." Your eyes giving away the answer to his question. He nodded and placed a hand over yours that sat on on your thigh. "I won't, I promise," he sighed, "but you need to tell him, Y/n. He deserves to know about his kid."

You nodded, "I know, I know he does. I just don't know when to tell him...or how to tell him," you said, voice coming out as a whisper. Your lip began to tremble again as emotions flooded over you as you told Zac about everything. He pulled you into a tight embrace and kissed the top of your head. It was a comforting, but friendly gesture. After a good ten minutes of silence, except for a couple sniffles from you and whispers of sweet nothings from Zac, you took a few deep breaths to compose myself and you pulled away from his embrace.

"Thank you, Zac."

He smiled, "Of course, kiddo. Hey, if he decides he doesn't want to be in this kids life, you let me know, and I'll have a good, long talk with him."

You couldn't hold back your giggle, "Okay."

"And Y/n?" Zac said softly.

You looked up at him, "Yeah?"

"No matter what happens, just know you have a whole group behind you, supporting and loving you and the baby every step of the way."

You smiled, standing up so you could hug Zac. Your arms wrapped around his neck as he hugged you back, tightly. "Thank you so much. This truly means so much to me." you whispered into his shoulder. You felt him nod as he pulled back and smiled, "Of course. If you ever need to talk, or if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask. The guys and I will gladly help."

You smiled warmly, "Thank you. I seriously don't know what I would do if I didn't have the teams support."

Zac chuckled, "You and me both. Is there anything I can do for you right now?"

"Hmm..." you trailed off, thinking about anything Zac may be able to help you with. Suddenly it hit you, "Oh! If it's not too much to ask, could I come to the game Sunday? Even if I'm not the media manager on duty?"

"Yeah, of course!" he nodded, "it wouldn't be the same without you there. Are you sure you can fly though?"

You nodded, "Yeah, I think so? Women fly during their first trimester all the time."

"OK. As long as you feel safe flying, that's fine with me then," he paused, glancing at his watch "Ah shoot, I have to go catch up on some film with Joe right now. I'll see you later Ms. Hubbard."

Your breath hitched at the mention of Joe. Your face fell, but you covered it with a smile, "See you later. Thank you again, Zac. I really appreciate it."

He nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "It's no problem at all." he went to walk out the door, but stopped in the doorway. "oh, and Y/n. Congratulations, again. You're going to make an amazing mother."

You couldn't help but tear up at his words. He shut the door behind him, leaving you alone in your office. You shook away all the emotions with a deep breath. You leaned back in your chair and placed a hand on your tummy, greeting your unborn baby while you typed away on your computer with your other hand.

~Time skip~

You walked down to the team cafeteria to get yourself some lunch. You kept it light incase your morning sickness acted up again. You got a chef salad, an apple, and a bottle of water. As you were paying for your food, you heard the commotion of the guys coming into the cafeteria. You contemplated on where to eat lunch at. The cafeteria or my office. As you thanked the cashier, you made eye contact with Ja'Marr. He swallowed whatever he was chewing before he greeted you, "Hey, y/n! Come sit."

You smiled, making your way over to Ja'Marr and sitting down across from him.

"Hey, Ja'Marr," you smiled, "how was morning workouts?"

He shrugged, "Eh, not too bad. I think film was worse though. Watching that and listening to Taylor yell at us is torture."

You chuckled and took a sip of your water, letting out a soft Ah before you spoke, "Sounds like torture."

Ja'Marr took a bite of his sandwich. "So, are you coming to the game Sunday?"

You nodded, "Yep." Ja,Marr smiled, "Great! Wanna rep my number?" he asked with a wink.

You let out a laugh, "I don't know. I already promised Tee I would rep his."

"Hey, there's two halves, do a jersey a half." he suggested, laughing lightly.

You smiled, taking a bite of your salad after you replied. "That's not a bad idea, maybe I'll do that."

Ja'Marr chuckled and went back to eating. As you ate your lunch, you saw someone sit down next to you out of the corner of your eye. You looked over and saw that it was Joe. You shifted nervously in your seat as Sam sat down right after Joe did.

Joe smiled, "Hey 'Marr, Y/n."

"Hi." you said quickly, averting your eyes away from him.

Joe turned to you. You could feel his blue eyes boring into you, "Y/n, I didn't see you out on the field today, what were you doing?"

You scoffed, "Does it matter? I was busy. You winced slightly as you noticed your tone was a bit snippy. You didn't mean for the words to come out that harshly, it's just your hormones are making you have terrible mood swings. Oh the joys of pregnancy.

Sam turned to you, giving you an odd look in response to your snippy remark, "It's fine, Y/n. He was just asking."

Before you could say anything that you might regret later, you decided to leave. "I gotta go. See you guys later." You said, getting up from the table and throwing away the rest of your food. You hurried out of the cafeteria and made your way back to your office. The guys at the table all watched as you rushed out of the cafeteria. Ja'Marr and Sam both looked at Joe.

"Bro, what did you do?" Ja'Marr asked, his eyes wide.

Sam chuckled, "Eh, I wouldn't worry. Y/n is probably just on her period. I love her, but when it's shark week, you never ask her any questions."

Joe just sat at the table in silence, suddenly losing his appetite he had worked up from his extreme morning workout. Why were you avoiding him all of a sudden? Suddenly, Joe stood up and walked over to the nearest garbage can, throwing his half eaten lunch in the trash.

"Dude, where you going?" Sam asked, brows furrowed in confusion as he watched his best friend start to the leave the cafeteria out of nowhere.

"I have to go talk to Zac about something. I'lll see you guys outside." Joe said, rushing out of the cafeteria. Meanwhile, you began to pace around your office. A sudden knock at the door caused your pacing to stop, and before you could answer, the door opened. An upset Joe walked I, shutting and locking the door behind him.

"Joe-."

"No." he cut you off, "let me talk, please."

You gulped nervously, preparing yourself for what he was going to say, "Okay." you said, your voice slightly above a whisper.

"Why have you been avoiding me the last few days? Just when I thought we were both getting over the hookup, you start ignoring me. Why Y/n? What did I do?" Joe asked with a pained look on his face. He was completely lost as to why you were treating him this way.

You sighed, "Joe, you didn't do anything, I-."

He rubbed his face, "Oh bullshit, Y/n! You jumped at the sudden raise of his voice. You have never heard Joe get this loud before.

"I don't know what happened or what I did, but whatever it was, how could it be so bad that you have to avoid me?" You sat in silence as he stood and confronted you for your recent actions, "like earlier when you ran into me and I helped you up, you just rushed off! And then just now trying to talk to you in the cafeteria, because god forbid I try talk to you, you run away! Y/n, do you know how much that hurts? I mean, are you embarrassed about hooking up with me? Just, please, tell me what I did to you." His voice cracked with emotion as his beautiful blues began to water from both heartbreak and anger.

You felt the tears well up in your eyes once again. You knew you had to tell him. "Joe, please. Just let me explain."

Joe looked at you, a look of hurt and confusion in his blue eyes.

"Joe, I'm going to tell you something, and I need you to promise me that you won't freak out too much."

Joe's face softened, "Is everything alright?"

Not at all.

You nodded, "Yeah..just maybe it'll be a good idea if you sit down."

Joe sat down on the chair beside your desk that was still there from when you told Zac about the baby earlier in the day.

You took a deep shaky breath. Your palms were sweaty and your heart felt like it was beating a mile a minute. "So," you started, already fearing the worse, "you know how the morning after our uh, our hookup. you asked me if you used protection and I said no, but I did remember I'm on birth control?"

Joe nodded, giving you a look signaling for you to continue.

"Well...about four days ago I found out..."you paused, looking into his eyes as you finished, "that I'm pregnant."

Joe's eyes widened slightly as his breath hitched. "Y-you're what?"

"I''m pregnant."

His face went pale and he stood up, running his fingers through his hair. "Oh my god..."

You cringed, rubbing your temples. "Joe, I am so sorry.”

Joe rubbed his hands down his face, taking a deep breath as he plopped down on your desk, “I thought you were on the pill, Y/n.”

You rolled your eyes, “Yeah well, I hate to break it to you but that’s not a hundred percent effective Joe.”

Joe sighed once again, his blue eyes void of any emotion. You knew he was in pure shock right now. You had felt a wave of many emotions when you found out about the baby, you can only imagine how he’s feeling right now.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” you said quietly, voice cracking with emotion. You watched as Joe stood up and shook his head at your words.

“And you think I did?” he asked with a scoff. You swallowed nervously, “I never said that.”

"I'm not ready to be a dad."

"You think I'm ready to be a mom?"

The two of you were silent, both of you trying to process what had been said in the last few minutes during your important conversation. You weren’t exactly sure how you expected Joe to react to the news; however, you knew he wasn’t going to take the news well and be jumping for joy at the prospect of being a father. Joe walked over to the door of your office and reached out for the handle. He stood there, hand hovered over the handle and contemplating over what to do. You noticed his shoulders heave with a deep breath before he stood around to face you.

“I just,” he wet his lips, “I need time to process all of this Y/n.” With that, he hesitantly took his eyes off of you and walked out of your office without another word.

hey loves!

emotional rollercoaster of a chapter huh? well, get used to them because there will be a lot in this series ;)

do you think Joe will come around soon or do you think he'll take some time?

i hope you all are liking this series as much as i am! i'm having so much fun re-writing it. I feel like it's so much better with Joe. thank you again for all the continued love and support, it is greatly appreciated! you are all so sweet and encouraging, I love all of you🤍

tags: @dandelionwrites8 @joeburreauxsworld @theflawedwriter @mrsshiesty @ann288 @ijustcrypretty @theoneandonlyfanz @wickedfun9 @venus-b @hummusxx @stainednailpolishremover @a-moment-captured @alternativemadchen @erinmartin1987 @sirlewisworld @kkrenae @unhingedfangirl @sublimemusic-rebel @meameagirl @ilovejoeburroww @hallecarey1 @j-worlds-blog @blinkloverx3 @jordyn14 @emherb10

#joe burrow #joe burrow x reader #joe burrow x y/n #joe burrow x you #joe burrow fan fic #daddy issues

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hometoursandotherstuff · 10 months

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Castle style home built in 1880 w/the charm of a 17th century castle amidst the bustling city w/ views of an olde English village, but it’s in Buffalo, New York. This cool castle has 5bd, 3full baths, and 2 half baths. Priced at $1.5M.

Check out the spiked “gate” and the cannons. Apparently, it’s a window, now, b/c it has a planter in the floor, but the cannons are pointed and poised to blast any unwanted intruders.

Isn’t this magnificent? I mean, really. The details. Actually, $1.5M isn’t bad for this. I wouldn’t even mind the Buffalo winters if I lived here. I’d be happy to be holed up in my castle.

This is cool, you get up closed to admire your beautiful ceiling and stand over your great hall.

This blue room is nice. I wouldn’t mind spending time in here.

Apparently, the current owners really like blue. I expected the dining room to be a little grander.

A short hall leads to the kitchen.

Where we find blue cabinets. Hmmmm. Not sure I like the style for a castle and the kitchen’s kind of small.

But, speaking of Buffalo winters, check out the size of the fridge and freezer. You could store a lot of food in there.

I thought this was wallpaper, but it’s actually printed tile. Like the little cupboard in the wall.

Nice pantry.

A proper castle has to have hallways. Did you notice the bumpety walls, even in the great hall?

This is probably the main bd.

The bedrooms are all lovely, aren’t they?

Nice tile bath. I like the vanity.

Finished basement with a family room and playroom.

I didn’t expect a pool. Very nice.

Hmmmm only a 1 car garage.

Covered patio w/a hot tub.

Also a nice outdoor kitchen.

https://www.redfin.com/NY/Buffalo/21-Mayfair-Ln-14201/home/72986183

#castle like homes #castle home #old house dreams #house tours #houses #home tour

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twixnmix · 1 year

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Vintage Concert Posters

Kleinhans Music Hall (Buffalo, NY) - February 25, 1961

Newark School Stadium, Newark, NJ) - August 12, 1961

Tivoli Theatre (Chicago, IL) - August 31 - September 6, 1961

Regal Theater (Chicago, IL) - December 21 - 28, 1962

Veterans Memorial Auditorium (Columbus, Ohio) - October 23, 1965

Barco-Stevens Hall (Richmond, VA) - May 13, 1966

Santa Clara County Fairgrounds (Santa Clara, CA) - March 10, 1967

Bryant Center (Oklahoma City, OK) - April 7, 1967

Coba Arena (Detroit, MI) - August 3, 1968

St. Albans Plaza (Queens, NY) - May 16, 1969

#concert poster #1960 #1960s music #1960s #soul music #vintage #james brown #sam cooke #jackie wilson #ike & tina turner #delfonics #jazz #miles davis #motown #stevie wonder #four tops

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grntaire · 28 days

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oomfie you're from the boston area right... i'm going on a trip there (and then to buffalo) next week and if you're willing to spare some hot tips they would be greatly appreciated... especially for like queer shows or clubs or whateva :0 only if you want to spare such info ofc!

omg yeah i got you!!

for queer places my fav is club cafe <3 good vibes generally and their food is LIT. cathedral station is a queer sports bar but it's really just a cool space all-around, and blend in dorchester is great too! be warned it's the last few weeks of this season of drag race so if you're out at a queer place on a friday night it'll be insane to get a spot

for more general things, take a walk through boston common bc it really is gorg! hit up the prudential center and there's restaurants that half rooftop access and i think (?) there's a place at the top where you can see the whole city it's gorgeous :)

faneuil hall/quincy market is def super touristy but the area around there has interesting historical buildings which i think is worth checking out!

boston also has some lit museums: i've been to the aquarium, the museum of science, and the museum of fine arts, and are all super fun! i've never been to the isabella stewart gardner museum but it's up next on my boston list bc a) it's beautiful but also b) it's home to the hightest-value museum art theft in history and they have the empty frames up on the wall which is kind of metal imo.

if you're into classical music i have friends singing at symphony hall in bach's b minor mass next week which if you haven't heard, it's sooooo good

the subways (aka the "t") is... not great but is convenient to get around the city. it runs until about 1am, sometimes almost 2 depending on if it's a weekend or if there's a game at the garden or not. but it's not too tricky to navigate, you're either going inbound or outbound and the lines are all colors. imo it's easier to understand than the mta in new york but i also grew up with it lol

i hope this was helpful & feel free to hit me up as it gets closer! i love boston and as much as massachusetts ppl get a bad rep for being rude it's very much that we're a people who are kind but not nice–any local will gladly help you on your way!

#asks

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minnesotadruids · 2 years

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2022 Pagan Pride Days in US & Canada

Here’s a list of Pagan Pride fall festivals and a handful of similar events coming up. Want to meet other druids, witches, heathens, and similar like-minded individuals? Most Pagan Pride Days are free, unless otherwise specified below. Please be sure to verify these events for yourselves before venturing out. Be safe and have fun!

Alabama: Auburn: Kiesel Park: September 17, hours TBA…

Alberta: Edmonton: Richie Hall: September 10, 11 AM to 5 PM

Arizona: Phoenix: Steele Indian School Park: November 5, 9 AM to 5 PM

British Columbia: Vancouver: Trout Lake Park: August 13, 12 PM to 7 PM

California: Los Angeles/Long Beach: Rainbow Lagoon: October 2, 10 AM to 5:30 PM

California: Sacramento: Phoenix Park: September 10, 10 AM to 6 PM

Colorado: Denver: TBA: Usually announced in October for last weekend of month

Colorado: Fort Collins: City Park: August 21, 10 AM to 6 PM

Connecticut: Berlin: Veteran's Memorial Park: Weekend near Autumnal Equinox TENTATIVE

District of Columbia: See Frederick MD and/or Reston VA

Florida: Jacksonville: Riverside Artist Square: September 25, 11 AM to 5 PM

Georgia: Athens: Washington Street between Pulaski & Hull: October 22, hours TBA

Illinois: Chicago: Garfield Park: September 24, 10 AM to 6 PM

Illinois: Wheaton: Henry S. Olcott Memorial Library lawn: September 10, 10 AM to 5 PM

"TheosoFest" with free admission, vehicle parking is $5

Iowa: Burlington: Dankwardt Park: August 27, times not specified

Kentucky: Louisville: Waterfront Park: September 10, 11 AM to 6 PM

Louisiana: New Orleans: October 1, updating website soon for full details

Maryland: Frederick: UU Congregation of Frederick (lawn), September 17, 10 AM to 6 PM

Massachusetts: Lakeville: Ted Williams Camp: September 11, 10 AM to 6 PM

Massachusetts: Northampton: 1 Kirkland Ave, September 24, 9 AM to 5 PM

Michigan: Ann Arbor: Washtenaw Community College: September 10, 10 AM to 5 PM

Michigan: Grand Rapids: Richmond Park: September 17, 9 AM to whenever

Minnesota: Mankato: Jack McGowans Farm: August 13-14, 10 AM to 5 PM

Minnesota: Minneapolis: Minnehaha Falls Park: September 10, 10 AM to 6 PM

Missouri: Joplin: Cunningham Park: September 10, 9 AM to 6 PM

Missouri: Springfield: 405 Washington Ave, September 17, 11 AM to 5 PM

Montana: Kalispell: UU Church, 1515 Tumble Creek Road: September 17, 11 AM to 6 PM

New Jersey: Old Bridge: 144 E Greystone Rd (registration required): August 6, 9 AM to 6 PM

Technically a "Pagan Picnic" by Hands of Change with similar stuff to Pagan Pride Days

New Jersey: Cherry Hill: Cooper River Park: October 1, 10 AM to 6 PM

New Mexico: Albuquerque: Bataan Memorial Park: September 25, 10 AM to 6 PM

Has admission fee: donation of one non-perishable food item

New Mexico: Las Cruces: Pioneer Women's Park: October 15, 11 AM to whenever

New York: Buffalo: Buffalo Irish Center: October 9, 11 AM to 4 PM

New York: Syracuse: Long Branch Park: September 17, 10 AM to 5 PM

Ohio: Cincinnati: Mt. Airy Forest: Stone Steps Picnic Shelter: August 5, 12 PM to 8 PM

Pagan Pride Potluck Picnic: free event, but bring food to share

Park Vehicle Fee: $5 for Hamilton County residents, $8 for non-residents

Ohio: Cleveland (Bedford): Bedford Public Square, Aug 18-21, 5-10 PM, 12-10 PM, 12-5 PM

Has admission fee: donation of two non-perishable food items

Ohio: Dayton (Fairborn): Fairborn Community Park: October 22, 9 AM to 6 PM

Oklahoma: OK City: Wiley Post Park: September 24, 10 AM to 5 PM

Oklahoma: Tulsa: Dream Keepers Park: October 1, 9 AM to 6 PM

Ontario: Toronto: Gage Park: September 11, 10 AM to 6 PM

Oregon: Eugene: Alton Baker Park: August 7, 10:30 AM to 7 PM

Oregon: Portland: Oaks Amusement Park: September 18, 10 AM to 5 PM

Pennsylvania: Allentown (Easton): Louise Moore County Park: August 20, 9 AM to 4 PM

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia: Clark Park: September 3, 10 AM to 6 PM

Pennsylvania: York: Samuel Lewis State Park (no entrance fee): September 24 10 AM to 6 PM

South Carolina: Greenville (Easley): Maynard Community Center: October 1, 9 AM to 5 PM

Has admission fee: donation of one non-perishable food item

Tennessee: Knoxville: The Concourse: September 10, 10 AM to whenever

Has admission fee: donation of one non-perishable food item (or cash)

Tennessee: Memphis: Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park: October 20-23, starts at Noon

"Festival of Souls" Registration required: $60 for whole weekend or $25 per day

Tennessee: Nashville: Two Rivers Park: October 1, 10 AM to 5 PM

Texas: Dallas-Fort Worth: Arlington UU Church: November 6, 10 AM to 5 PM

Virginia: Reston: Lake Fairfax Park, October 1, 10 AM to 5 PM

Washington: Spokane: UU Church of Spokane: September 17 10 AM to 4 PM

There may be more Pagan Pride Day events than the ones listed here, but they’re either difficult to find info for online or plans are still tentative. Sorry if I missed any major ones!

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ya-pucking-nerd · 1 year

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it’s always the boy next door - t.jost

A/N: Hi!! It's me! I'm @ilyasorokinn mystery fic writer as a part of @antoineroussel winter fic exchange! I do apologize for posting this so close to the deadline, but I hope you enjoy!!

Warning: alcohol consumption, some minor swearing

Buffalo, New York. Stereotypically one of the coldest cities in the United States. Typically, people visit in the summer, but more so for Niagara Falls. Or they visit in the winter because of the skiing. People don’t generally move to Buffalo, especially after 7 feet of snow had just fallen. Nevertheless, you watched through the peephole in your apartment door as movers entered the apartment across the hall with boxes of belongings.

You texted all your friends and received responses similar to the ones you were thinking of yourself.

“Who moves to Buffalo in the middle of November?” “Do you think they know about the snow?” “Why now? People don’t usually get job transfers until after the new year.”

Dismissing all your friends, you thought it might be nice to make a meal for your new neighbor. Moving is hard work; the last thing people feel like doing after moving into a new apartment is making dinner. So, you decided on a safe lasagna. When it cooled down, you grabbed your keys and brought it over.

After knocking, you heard a crash and a “Shit!” You had to bite on your bottom lip to hush yourself. The laughter soon died in your throat as the front door opened, revealing your new neighbor.

“Tyson?!” you exclaimed, probably annoying your neighbors. “Oh my god! Why are you here?”

“Y/N.” Tyson looked shocked. He looked nearly the same as the day he left you.

**Flashback**

You and Tyson were both 18, just graduated from high school. Tyson was ready to begin training and playing for North Dakota. His dream of becoming an NHL hockey player was so close to coming true. On the other hand, you had your sights set on the University of Toronto. Their business program was one of the top programs in Canada. It broke your heart to leave Tyson.

In the two weeks you had left with Tyson, you spent just about every minute with him. You took his parent’s boat out on the lake. You slipped a case of beer past your parents and drank with all your friends. And he kissed you on the last day, at the “goodbye forever Tyson” bonfire. He was your first kiss. That kind of stuff made an impression.

And then, he left. The texts were constant, detailing his day and how much he missed you and home. And then, they became less frequent. And then they stopped. Except for the odd “happy birthday” text, you and Tyson never communicated. You blamed yourself for becoming so attached. After all, you were half drunk, feeling a range of emotions because Tyson was leaving. It probably didn’t mean anything to him, even though it meant the world to you.

**End Flashback**

Tyson was still standing in front of you, mouth open.

“Are you going to invite me in? The lasagna’s getting hot.” you joked. He nodded his head, still in disbelief.

Tyson’s apartment was beautiful. Your apartment view was a nice pretty brick wall, but his view was the skyline of Buffalo. He had all modern appliances, a huge living area, and what you assumed was a giant bedroom. You were so busy admiring the view that you didn’t notice Tyson staring at you.

“Tys. This place is amazing!”

He scratched the back of his head, finally looking around, saying, “Yeah, I guess.”

“You guess? Tyson, my view is a brick wall.” You hoped Tyson got the hint that you wanted to spend some time in his apartment. With him.

He laughed, then opened the lasagna. “Y/N, this is a lot of lasagna for one person. How much do you think I eat?”

“Tys, you can just save some for leftovers.” You said quickly, forgetting that he had moved in that day. “Y/N, I don’t have a fridge yet!” He laughed. He pointed to the fridge-sized space between the cabinets. You hadn’t had the chance to look at his kitchen. “It’s not getting delivered until Tuesday.”

“Wait, Tyson. Why are you here? Did you get traded?”

“Minnesota put me on waivers. Crazy thing is they didn’t even tell me until it happened. I’m just glad I was picked up. Would’ve been embarrassing, eh?” He shrugged his shoulders. Instantly, you knew it was a sore subject for him, understandably so.

“Well, it’s getting kind of late, Tys. But I’m glad I came over. I missed you. Maybe whenever you’re free next, I can show you around?” You picked at the ends of your shirt, nervous that Tyson caught the way your voice strained when you said, “I missed you.”

“I’m free on Thursday night.” He was smiling. “My first home game is Friday, too. Do you think you could come? You can even bring some friends. I’ll get you seats. I just…” he trailed off.

“Tys, of course I want to come. I have two friends. Would you mind if I invited them? I’d love for you to meet them.” You replied, filling in the space. You assumed he wanted to say he wanted someone familiar cheering him on in his first game for his new team.

Blushing, Tyson nodded his head. He pulled out his phone and handed it to you. “I got a new number when I moved here. I’ll text you the tickets for you and two friends. And, then, after the game, you guys can meet me in the tunnel.” You typed in your number and gave it back before engulfing Tyson in a hug. “Thanks, Tys. I have work in the morning, but I’ll give you a tour of the city Thursday night.”

That night, you couldn’t sleep. Tyson Jost was your new neighbor. The Tyson Jost that you kissed when you were 18. You must have had the worst luck, running into the guy who broke your heart even though it was never technically his to break. Or maybe it was the best luck.

~~ Thursday evening came. You did have a meeting but slid it to a remote Friday morning meeting. While you worried that you were turning back into your 18-year-old self with a massive schoolgirl crush on your best friend, you swallowed your feelings. All you wanted was a nice night out. You haven’t seen some of the attractions you planned to show Tyson tonight. You only knew of them.

It was cold in Buffalo, a whole 8°F. You were bundled in all your warmest winter clothes waiting in the lobby of your apartment complex for Tyson. He met you on time, and you left the complex chatting about your week since you last saw each other.

You found your car in the lot, and you half-expected Tyson to laugh at your silly old car. The buttons stopped working to unlock your car, so you had to use the key to open it. It smelled a little musty from the old man you bought it from. The maximum speed on the darn thing was about 50 miles per hour. But you loved it more than anything because it was your first adult purchase without your parents’ help.

But Tyson didn’t laugh. He smiled when you told him stories about your car. And he tapped the dashboard and said, “Good job” when you parked in a parking lot of your first tourist destination—Canalside in downtown Buffalo.

You told Tyson that before you became so busy with work, you used to take your daily jogs here. It was beautiful in summer but even prettier in the fall as the leaves turned orange and red.

Next up, you walked to the Liberty Building. The statues on top of the building were lit up, which made them sparkle if you looked at them just right.

As you walked through the streets of Buffalo, you started shivering. Tyson grabbed your hands. “Y/N! Your hands are freezing.” And with that, he took both hands and cupped them with his larger ones, blowing his warm breath on your hands. He closed his hands around yours for a few seconds while gazing into your eyes. At that point, you were so close to just smashing your lips together, but you knew you couldn’t.

He didn’t deserve that. His ex-best friend comes onto him two days after he moves to a brand new city with brand new teammates and brand-new expectations. No. You couldn’t do that to Tyson.

You walked and talked for about an hour. You were beyond freezing, even with Tyson holding your hand in his. You unlocked your car. The drive back to your apartment complex was pretty quiet. Tyson was fidgeting with his hands.

“Y/N?” His voice was low, almost like a whisper. “I have a question, and you can totally say no. I would understand.”

“What’s up?”

“The Sabres are having a holiday party next Saturday. Would you come with me? I just want to make a good impression. I know we haven’t really been close, but I could use a friend. And I can introduce you to the guys tomorrow night at the game. Then, it won’t be so awkward.”

You nodded your head, thinking about the offer. “I can. Don’t you think it’ll be weird, though? Did you tell the team you’re bringing someone?”

“I didn’t tell them. I was hoping I could tell them you’re my girlfriend. I know it’ll be weird, but I really want to make a good impression. Investors will be there and love seeing guys have good girlfriends.”

You tossed the thought around and found yourself thinking back to that summer he kissed you. If you pretended to be his girlfriend, you would, at minimum, receive a forehead kiss. The deal sounded good to your 18-year-old still-had-a-crush-on-Tyson self. You couldn’t turn this down, even if it was fake.

You nodded and said, “Yeah, I’ll go with you and be your fake girlfriend, Tyson.”

“Thanks, Y/N. It means a lot, and if you ever have an event and need a date, I’ll be there. Pinky swear.” He held up his pinky, and you took your hand off the wheel to lock your pinky fingers together.

Friday night was here. Lexi and Marco, the two friends you invited with you, met right after work so you could all drive together to KeyBank Center. They spent the whole trip teasing you about your new neighbor. You understood, but at the same time, you knew that the chances Tyson liked you were slim to none.

In his first game as a Sabre, Tyson got in a scrum. It was nearly a fight if the refs hadn’t interfered. He kept smirking on the bench and chewing on that damn mouthguard. He picked up the habit in high school, and you couldn’t get enough of it.

Your emotions were out of control. You were proud of Tyson for showing his loyalty to his new team, but you hated when he got in fights. You always wished that hockey would be a no-contact sport.

You, Lexi, and Marco flashed your shiny passes to the security guard, and he let you down towards the waiting area for friends and family. You paced around, seeing a few women and children, most likely the wives of the Buffalo Sabres. They seemed to all be in a little bubble like you were peering into something you would never quite get to be a part of.

Tyson had to do media. Of course, he did. He got in a scrum in his first game. The media was going to eat him up. The newest darling of the Buffalo Sabres. This meant that it took a little longer for him to find you. Most of the men had come out of the locker room, met with their significant others, and left.

When he finally came out, he was sweaty but had the largest smile. He beelined straight for you and gave you the biggest hug you’ve ever been given. Tyson dropped his bag, wrapped his arms around your waist, and lifted you up. He breathed deeply and simply wouldn’t let go. Lexi and Marco were sharing knowing looks, but you couldn’t even bring yourself to care.

“Wanna go home?” Tyson mumbled into your shoulder. You nodded but looked back at Lexi and Marco. They mouthed, “Go!” You mouthed back, “Thank you,” before going with Tyson when he suddenly grabbed your hand. You weren’t sure what was going on, but you suddenly felt a blush across your cheeks. Using your other hand, you untucked some of your hair from your ear in an effort to conceal the blush. “In case someone’s in the parking lot,” Tyson explained after he cleared his throat.

He dropped your hand once you got to his car. You felt sad but then had to remind yourself that this whole thing was fake. Everything was fake. The drive home was silent, but neither you nor Tyson filled the silence. You were falling back into that comfort of two best friends. You knew you had a crush on Tyson, but this fake dating thing was going to mess with your head. Here you were, blurring the line between friend and boyfriend, but Tyson didn’t even seem fazed.

That night, you went to sleep so incredibly confused.

The rest of the week went by quickly. Tyson had a quick trip to Boston and down to the Rangers but then came back up Thursday night. Friday was an odd day off. The guys had gone to TopGolf in the morning. You were at work and then had to go pick up your dress. It was a long navy blue dress with rhinestones lining the small slit against your right knee. You were planning on wearing some silver jewelry.

Tyson knocked on your door right as you put your left heel on. You hobbled to the door. It would be a painful night in these shoes, but you would do anything for Tyson.

When you answered the door, Tyson was left speechless, running his eyes over you.

“You look good – I mean incredible. You look incredible, Y/N. Sorry, just forgot what words were.” He looked great in a light grey suit with a navy blue dress shirt to match your dress.

“You look great, too, Tyson.” You gave him a hug, grabbed your clutch, and walked out with him. He grabbed your hand on the way out.

The event went well. You mostly talked with the women of the Buffalo Sabres, or as they called themselves, the Lady Buffs.

Tyson was as sweet as could be. He was always around, asking if you needed a refill or just keeping his arm around your waist. You got pictures together with people that asked, and he told everyone you were his girlfriend. He was the perfect fake boyfriend.

But, of course, all good things must come to an end. You left the event as the donors and important executives of the Buffalo Sabres began leaving. You wanted to make an impression and not leave early like a few younger players did. You knew Tyson wanted to show how serious he was about Buffalo, and you wanted to play the role of Tyson’s girlfriend perfectly. Maybe psychologically, it would make him want to keep dating.

You and Tyson held hands the whole way to your apartments. He noticed you didn’t have a jacket to keep you warm, so he draped his suit jacket over your shoulders. He really was the best fake boyfriend. Tyson stopped you before you could keep going back to your apartment.

“Y/N, do you want to come to mine? I just wanna wind down, and it’s easier with a friend. I can get you a glass of wine if you want.”

You smiled and nodded your head. He opened the door for you. The apartment was slightly more disheveled than when you had seen it last. He had been busy decorating and purchasing furniture.

You shook off your shoes and Tyson’s suit jacket, then followed Tyson further inside. You were lost in thought. You were trying so hard to push off the thoughts that this felt so natural it could have been real. But it was all fake. Tyson made it explicitly clear. He wanted to wind down with a friend.

He led you to his bedroom and sifted through his drawers. He gave you a pair of old Avalanche sweatpants and a North Dakota sweatshirt.

“You can take the bathroom,” he said softly. You missed the way he watched your form walk into the ensuite bathroom.

When you walked back out of the bathroom, Tyson was gone. You found him, shirtless, in the kitchen holding two bottles. You were still reeling from all the feelings you’d felt throughout the night.

“Red or white?” His voice interrupted your thoughts. “Red,” you answered back. He nodded his head and poured you a glass. You grabbed the glass while he kept the bottle in his hand and grabbed a beer with his other. He nodded towards the couch. He grabbed the remote, opened Netflix, and put on a random show that neither of you was particularly interested in.

You fell asleep on his couch that night but woke up in Tyson’s guest bedroom with a blanket and a hangover. But there was a water bottle and a bottle of Advil on the nightstand next to your fully charged phone. He was so thoughtful. But the gig was up. Why was he still performing boyfriend duties?

You slipped out of the guest room and met the smell of bacon. Tyson’s head popped around the corner. He was smiling and listening to music through headphones.

“I didn’t want to wake you with my loud music. How do you like your eggs?” His head bobbed to the beat of whatever song he had going on.

“Sunny side up, please, Tys. Thanks. You know you don’t have to do this, right?”

“Y/N, you had at least three glasses at the party and one when we got home. Don’t even tell me your head isn’t pounding so hard you’re leaning forward at a 45-degree angle.” he laughed.

After breakfast, you went home. You were still wearing Tyson’s clothes, and he didn’t stop you from walking out the door. Everything just felt so confusing. You decided taking a nap would temporarily ease all of your worries.

It was pretty easy to avoid Tyson after the Sabres’ party. He had an 11-day road trip that wouldn’t bring him back to Buffalo until December 23rd. It was easy to text him, “Busy with work stuff!” because you didn’t have to look at his face. You were an absolute sucker for him.

Tyson texted you on Christmas Eve.

Tyson: You’re ignoring me :( Come hang out with me.

Y/N: Am not. Was busy. You come here. Your place doesn’t have any Christmas decorations :p

Tyson: On my way!

You turned on Christmas music and waited for Tyson to burst through in Tyson fashion. Sure enough, he opened your door two minutes after you sent the text.

“Y/N, it’s really not safe to leave your door unlocked. Someone could steal you.” It’s a shame he didn’t know he had already stolen your heart.

You handed him a mug of hot chocolate to shut him up for now.

“Why didn’t you go home for Christmas, Tyson?”

“Didn’t work out. And no one really wants to visit me here in Buffalo. Besides, who would you spend Christmas with, then? Who would you watch all your movies with you? And how would you get any presents?” He knew those were your favorite parts. And gosh darn it, it felt right to spend a Christmas with Tyson even though your fake dating façade was done with.

You huffed and grabbed the remote and turned on your favorite Christmas movie. Tyson grabbed your legs, swinging them into his lap. He began to rub small circles on your ankle, leaving you unable to focus on the movie.

The night carried on, several more mugs of hot chocolate drank, and a few shots of peppermint schnapps snuck in, too, but you always ended up with your legs on Tyson’s lap.

You ended up falling asleep again. This time, you woke up cuddled with Tyson. You were both positioned in a sitting-upright position, but your head was on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around your shoulders, and your legs were tangled together. Your head was spinning once again. How did you end up like this?

You didn’t want to wake Tyson up. It was Christmas, after all. You let him sleep for about thirty more minutes before gently lifting his arm off your body.

His half-asleep subconscious felt this and pulled you closer to him. “Not yet,” he grumbled. He nuzzled his face into your hair and sighed deeply. “Let me just pretend this is real for a little longer.”

His words shocked you. You bolted straight up. He realized what he had said and took a deep breath.

“Merry Christmas, Y/N. Also, I’minlovewithyouandIwasjusttooafraidtotellyou.” Your eyes got even wider if that was even possible. “I’ve probably been in love with you for a while. I don’t know. You make me feel happy and safe. And that’s like girlfriend feelings. And I like it. And I like you a lot more than being my friend. I know I’ve only been around for a few weeks, so there’s no obligation for you to return my feelings. Would you wanna give it a shot, though?”

Your answer? Smashing your lips to his. It was just like the movies—fireworks in your belly and warmth spreading over your skin. Tyson grabbed your head and pulled you closer, only allowing you to separate when you were begging for air.

“That’s my answer then, eh?” You playfully whacked him with a throw pillow.

“Shut up,” you grumbled before leaning in again.

“Wait, hold on! I gotta get something!” He left the apartment and returned with a wrapped box and a card.

“Tys! I didn’t think we were getting each other something! I feel so awful!”

“Just read it, Y/N.” He looked absolutely giddy at the thought.

The card read: Dear Y/N, I’m so glad that I found you here in Buffalo. I thought that I would never see you again after that summer before I left. You’re truly a blessing to have in my life. You keep me sane, and I don’t think I would’ve handled the move to Buffalo without you. I appreciate you beyond words can explain. Thanks for spending Christmas with me. Love, Tyson.

Tears welled up in your eyes. Before you could even speak, Tyson handed you a tissue. And then the box. You carefully opened it. It was a little robot?

“There’s two robots. And you can draw on their bellies. And what I draw, you’ll see on your screen until you decide to draw, and then I’ll see it on my screen. No matter where we are. Like if I’m on a road trip. I thought it would be nice.”

It was the most thoughtful gift you’ve ever received. You hugged him tightly, so glad you were allowed to do it for as long as you pleased. You kissed his nose in appreciation before tackling him into your couch for some Christmas morning cuddles.

~~ The end <3

I really do hope you enjoyed!!

Tagging some extra moots who might enjoy: @jostystyles @2manytabsopen @fallinallincurls @slapshot-to-the-heart @typical-simplelove

#tyson jost #tyson jost fic #nhl fic #hockey fic #winter fic exchange 2k23 #buffalo sabres #buffalo sabres fic #emma writes

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