#THIS IS A WAR OF ATTRITION AND HE WILL NOT WIN

[stormtide-leviathan]

An order of events:

My changeling character makes a deal for information with a dryad for information, the cost of which is that the dryad feels my emotions for a day instead of me. (Bad deal for the dryad, my changeling Went Through It in the next 24 hours, that dryad felt some shit)

While under the effects of that lack of emotion, my changeling makes a bad deal with another goblin she probably wouldn't have while emoting as she normally does. The cost of that deal was that I would give him an update about the child of one of the PC's fetches (doppelgangers created to take a changeling's place in their life after the changeling is abducted). This is interesting, cause by all rights it's impossible for a fetch to have a child. While researching in the process of trying to learn enough for that update, my changeling learns something she'd have to share which would endanger that child if it got out- that the blood of a fetch's child is a potent weapon.

My changeling makes a third deal with a third being, far away from the other two, the cost of which is she has to give them "an interesting piece of information she learned recently". She gave up the fact that "a fetch's child's blood is a potent weapon", disconnected from the fact that such a child exists, and now can't share that particular tidbit with the goblin from the second deal.

Never gonna come back to bite me baby, keep wheeling and dealing 😎

[raitrolling]

👊 your most OP trolls

HMMM id say my most OP trolls are mikiel, fleure, and vallis, but since vallis' overpowered nature is in a wildcard way (in that he cannot be killed in a way that matters) i'll do miki v fleure

for the sake of fairness id have to exclude the fact that fleure knows many instant-kill spells because otherwise he'll just curbstomp everyone, but even with that restriction he'd still handily win against mikiel

not that miki won't put up a fight of course, with his cryokinesis he is very much capable of freezing fleure's water magic, but fleure's magic is a lot more versatile and he can fire off multiple large-scale spells without breaking a sweat, so he'd be able to force mikiel into constantly playing defense against an onslaught of attacks

also he could just melt all of mikiel's ice as well, and even use his own ice magic but he's not as adept at using it compared to miki. its a jack of all trades vs master of one situation

but, miki theoretically could defeat fleure if he was able to get close enough to freeze him completely and then shatter the ice, but that requires him to get close in the first place. and that's kind of a scary thought cuz fleure is immortal but has only limited healing/regeneration abilities so i think he would still be technically alive even after being shattered to pieces and i don't wanna think about the implications of that lmao

[sayruq]

The Vietnamese leadership measured the impact of its military actions by their political effects rather than by conventional military measures such as men and materiel lost or territory gained. Thus Henry Kissinger’s 1969 lament: “We fought a military war; our opponents fought a political one. We sought physical attrition; our opponents aimed for our psychological exhaustion. In the process we lost sight of one of the cardinal maxims of guerrilla war: The guerrilla wins if he does not lose. The conventional army loses if it does not win.” That logic has Jon Alterman of the not-exactly-dovish Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., to see Israel as being at considerable risk of losing to Hamas: Hamas’s concept of military victory…is all about driving long-term political outcomes. Hamas sees victory not in one year or five, but from engaging with decades of struggle that increase Palestinian solidarity and increase Israel’s isolation. In this scenario, Hamas rallies a besieged population in Gaza around it in anger and helps collapse the Palestinian Authority government by ensuring Palestinians see it even more as a feckless adjunct to Israeli military authority. Meanwhile, Arab states move strongly away from normalization, the Global South aligns strongly with the Palestinian cause, Europe recoils at the Israeli army’s excesses, and an American debate erupts over Israel, destroying the bipartisan support Israel has enjoyed here since the early 1970s.

[zvaigzdelasas]

[TIME is Private US Media]

[By Anatol Lieven]

The long-awaited counteroffensive last year failed. Russia has recaptured Avdiivka, its biggest war gain in nine months. President Volodymyr Zelensky has been forced to quietly acknowledge the new military reality. The Biden Administration’s strategy is now to sustain Ukrainian defense until after the U.S. presidential elections, in the hope of wearing down Russian forces in a long war of attrition.

This strategy seems sensible enough, but contains one crucially important implication and one potentially disastrous flaw, which are not yet being seriously addressed in public debates in the West or Ukraine. The implication of Ukraine standing indefinitely on the defensive—even if it does so successfully—is that the territories currently occupied by Russia are lost. Russia will never agree at the negotiating table to surrender land that it has managed to hold on the battlefield.

This does not mean that Ukraine should be asked to formally surrender these lands, for that would be impossible for any Ukrainian government. But it does mean that—as Zelensky proposed early in the war with regard to Crimea and the eastern Donbas—the territorial issue will have to be shelved for future talks.

As we know from Cyprus, which has been divided between the internationally recognized Greek Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus since 1974, such negotiations can continue for decades without a solution or renewed conflict. A situation in which Ukraine retains its independence, its freedom to develop as a Western democracy, and 82% of its legal territory (including all its core historic lands) would have been regarded by previous generations of Ukrainians as a real victory, though not a complete one.

As I found in Ukraine last year, many Ukrainians in private were prepared to accept the loss of some territories as the price of peace if Ukraine failed to win them back on the battlefield and if the alternative was years of bloody war with little prospect of success. The Biden Administration needs to get America on board too.[...]

Ukrainians have scored some notable successes against the Russian Black Sea Fleet, but to take back Crimea they would need to be able to launch a massive amphibious landing, an exceptionally difficult operation far beyond their capabilities in terms of ships and men. Attacks on Russian infrastructure are pinpricks given Russia’s size and resources.

More realistic is the suggestion that by standing on the defensive this year, Ukrainians can inflict such losses on the Russians that—if supplied with more Western weaponry—they can counterattack successfully in 2025. However, this depends on the Russians playing the game the way Kyiv and Washington want to play it.

The Russian strategy at present appears to be different. They have drawn Ukrainians into prolonged battles for small amounts of territory like Avdiivka, where they have relied on Russian superiority in artillery and munitions to wear them down through constant bombardment. They are firing three shells to every one Ukrainian; and thanks in part to help from Iran, Russia has now been able to deploy very large numbers of drones.

For Ukrainians to stand a chance, military history suggests that they would need a 3-to-2 advantage in manpower and considerably more firepower. Ukraine enjoyed these advantages in the first year of the war, but they now lie with Russia, and it is very difficult to see how Ukraine can recover them.[...]

A successful peace process would undoubtedly involve some painful concessions by Ukraine and the West. Yet the pain would be more emotional than practical, and a peace settlement would have to involve Putin giving up the plan with which he began the war, to turn the whole of Ukraine into a Russian vassal state, and recognizing the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its de facto present borders.

For the lost Ukrainian territories are lost, and NATO membership is pointless if the alliance is not prepared to send its own troops to fight for Ukraine against Russia. Above all, however painful a peace agreement would be today, it will be infinitely more so if the war continues and Ukraine is defeated.

24 Feb 24

[roo-bastmoon]

Things needing immediate attention in MUSE era...

We have GOT to diversify streaming platforms. Last year as a present to myself I went ahead and purchased a premium family bundle (for 6 email accounts each) for YouTube/YT Music, Pandora, and Spotify--plus a premium Apple account hooked up to Stationhead, and I currently have free trials going for Tidal, Qobuz, and Amazon. Premium streams are essential for charts.

Every day I make clicking through playlists on all these platforms as part of my routine: before breakfast, at lunch, and before bed at a minimum.

We also need to be very diligent about voting. Once I sat myself down and took the time to download the apps, set up accounts, and watch a few YouTube tutorials about how to do it, it's actually pretty easy and usually only a once or twice a day sort of thing.

Then there are the polls that have unlimited voting. That is a numbers game, a war of attrition. So while I wait for my lunch to heat up? I vote. Stuck in a waiting room for an appointment? Voting. On the phone with someone who is just gabbing away? Uh huh, mm mhm, but clickity click, I'm voting the whole time. I aim to hit that Vote button about 100 times a day. All told, takes less than 5 minutes.

Also our boy just posted on Insta after 126 days of silence. Please interact with the story and show him the love!

All in all, I think we really need to get into a routine where we fire on all cylinders. Streaming parties, funding parties, outreach & hype parties... We are hyper-focused on Spotify and YouTube videos and that stuff is absolutely important, but it leaves too many gains on the table. Let's use every tool in the box, okay?

Finally, I want to wrap up this post with gratitude:

I know I encourage you guys a lot to push yourselves and work hard, and I don't mean to come off as your taskmaster, but rather as a cheerleader.

We took a mostly Korean song with an insultingly low level of promo, plus no ads, no playlisting, no radio, only one version, with less than a full week to chart, which dropped during a major US holiday -- and it's very likely it will land on the Hot 100. That is...outstanding.

If nothing else, Jimin will see that he's loved and appreciated and we have his back. Whatever the assholes online try to say about vpn and bots and other bullshit, it was your blood, sweat, and tears that gave Jimin his well-deserved seat at an otherwise unwelcoming industry table. I'm so grateful to you and to this community for that.

We all know that Jimin is organic, authentic, and uniquely talented, and therefore isn't even in competition with anyone else. But we can still get him some good wins. What we do for him, we do out of love--not obligation or bragging rights. His music and his artistry are a source of JOY!

WE ARE OFFICIALLY IN OUR MUSE ERA!

We have two weeks to study up and get premium accounts and gather all our energy to support a whole album. How lucky we are to be so well fed and loved.

FIGHTING!

[doubleslashkarma]

how did we go from the most FeelsBadMan stream since the weird meta s4 shit to the most WOOO YEAH PRINCEZAM 🔥🔥🔥🔥stream like. complete mood 360. im really fucking hyped for this now bc he's RIGHT. they DONT know princezam. this guy is famous and infamous for being the most hard-headed stubbornest most-commit-to-the-bit lover-of-the-grind guy on the server. they will not win a war of attrition against this dude they have no fuckin idea this is gonna be sick insert Oh honey, you got a big storm coming Meme here

[fullscoreshenanigans]

We know Norman would be super flirty with Ray, but what would flirting be like for the rest of the trio?

Love the collective agreement about Norman unashamedly loving to push Ray's buttons on this lkdfjlk

(The Language of Cooking by banana_slug_army)

Really that whole aspect of the Norray dynamic of showing their prideful and competitive sides to only each other for so long, and in Norman's case being openly cold and disdainful. As they get older, the number of people who see this side of them grows, but there is an additional layer to it between them and Emma.

I also enjoy how a lot of people agree that Norman initially cannot handle what he dishes out at all when it comes to Emma. Instantly crumbles when her attention is turned on him, a flustered mess. The same can be said of Ray, though he's more likely to bluster to try and cover it up. Emma would be lying if she said she didn't delight in all this because she finds it adorably endearing.

But another thing all them appreciate and value in each other is their competency, so once the boys become more comfortable and confident in expressing themselves in these matters, there's a mutual rising to meet the challenge, with each of them finding new ways to surprise and have fun with their partners. (E.g., Ray initially not being receptive to their game of pretending to be strangers when they split up and regroup at events/doing errands and using cheesy pick-up lines on each other, but eventually coming around to it).

Little assortment of things that tie into this post and this post of my general headcanons for them:

The first time Emma calls Norman "Boss" he nearly combusts.

NE have a lot of fun escalating the nicknames/terms of endearment for Ray in a war of attrition to have him concede to the ones they actually want to use for him like Sunray (Norman will never tire of saying he loves being greeted by his Sunshine and Sunray first thing in the morning)

Emma is the one who starts saying she needs to "Ray-charge" when cuddling/hugging Ray. In typical fashion, Norman follows suit, and Ray pretends he doesn't enjoy it for some time before surprising them one day when he catches them in a hug and playfully tells them to give him a minute, he's Ray-charging. They knew they'd eventually win him over, as they always do.

Emma loves invoking girlfriend privileges to wear the boys' sweaters and hoodies in winter around their home or when running errands because it's like they're hugging her and keeping her warm as she's out and about. The boys also do this with each other but with less preamble even if it's for same the reasons.

When they share a booth in a restaurant and the two on the edges lock eyes to hatch the time-honored scheme of tag-teaming the one in the middle with surprise kisses. Also comes into play when they're out on a walk in the park and end up sitting on a bench together.

Emma's at the perfect height for surprise kisses at the back of the boys' necks, and she takes full advantage of it.

They love playing with each other's hair, in silly ways like poking at Emma's antenna or stray strand at the back of her neck, poking at Norman's cowlick that's curled so perfectly it must adhere to the golden ratio, or batting at Ray's puffball ponytail like cats (if he's grown his hair out), but also the boys gently running their fingers down Emma's braid or Emma or Norman brushing Ray's fringe from his face when they're talking.

I’m always going to advocate for Norman and Ray going antiquing or to junk shops for items they can fix up and potentially gift to each other, especially if they end up finding a duplicate of the music box Isabella gave Emma on her sixth birthday.

If we're sticking with canon, Norman and Ray sending each other flirty messages during particularly long, dull meetings or playing footsies under the table.

Sometimes Ray likes adding random sticky notes to Emma's and Norman's lunches.

He's also the one to kick off the trend of sneaking candids of his partners, printing them out on one of those little cell phone mini polaroid printers, writing a little love note on them, and adding those to their lunches or hiding them in places they'll find them later, like a coat pocket or purse. (Inspired by this bit of Candid by banana_slug_army)

[gayf1hoe]

Introduction

Carlos Sainz is left without a seat in F1 but luckily for him, one team is willing to take him on and embrace him as their own...

Haas. It may not have been the team he had hoped for but he couldn't have wished for a better teammate. Y/N L/N is only in his second year of Formula 1 and is only just recovering from the stress of having Nikita Mazepin (Mazespin) as his teammate in his F1 debut. Despite all this he managed to pick up major points in his first F1 season and by all accounts he is the next F1 superstar, but now he's looking for a win and nothing will get in his way.

Well that's what he thinks until he finds out his new teammate is an ex Ferrari driver who's not here to play around or go easy on him, what he doesn't expect is his new teammate to challenge him so much professionally and personally.

The two will end up spending so much time together both on and off the track together and at times their relationship won't be purely platonic.

They fluctuate between all stages of a relationship and decide they must put a label on their relationship, however there is one person who prevents this from being an easy task… Lando Norris.

Lando quickly becomes a common denominator in Y/N and Carlos' relationship and seems to always find a way to steal Carlos from Y/N and generate turmoil amongst them.

The two quickly initiate a war of attrition against eachother but who will come out in first.

[whencyclopedia]

Battle of Cowpens

The Battle of Cowpens (17 January 1781) was a decisive battle in the southern theater of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). It saw a detachment of Continental soldiers and Patriot militia under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan defeat a British force under Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton. The battle helped lead to the end of British domination in the American South.

Background

On 2 December 1780, Major General Nathanael Greene rode into the American military camp at Charlotte, North Carolina. A 38-year-old Quaker from Rhode Island, Greene had been entrusted by General George Washington to take charge of the remnants of the Southern Department of the Continental Army after its disastrous defeat at the Battle of Camden (16 August 1780). What Greene found at Charlotte was less an army than a rugged gathering of 1,400 disheartened men. The troops were undersupplied, underfed, and lacked clothing. Several men sat huddled around the campfires practically naked, with only rags or blankets to protect them from the elements. Many of the soldiers stirred themselves only to plunder the surrounding countryside for food, and the officers had grown jaded enough not to care. It was a ghastly display of dejection that must have reminded Greene of the state of the main army at Valley Forge three winters before.

It was not hard to see why the army was in such a depressed state. The Americans had suffered nothing but defeat since the British had first invaded the American South in late 1778. Having grown frustrated with their unsatisfactory military campaigns in the North, the British had shifted their focus to the South, which was rumored to be replete with Loyalists as well as the source of much of the United States' commercial wealth. The capture of the South, it was believed, would not only cut the United States in two but also cripple its ability to keep fighting. The British implemented their so-called 'southern strategy' in December 1778 by seizing Savannah, Georgia; the following year, a Franco-American attempt to retake the city failed, and Georgia became the first state to fall back under British control. In May 1780, the British won the Siege of Charleston, taking the largest and most important city in the entire South. Under the command of Lord Charles Cornwallis, the British then set about pacifying the rest of South Carolina. This sparked a bloody regional civil war, as the state's Patriot and Loyalist militias brutalized one another in the South Carolina backcountry. The southern Continental Army, under General Horatio Gates, had tried to retake the state but had been decisively defeated at Camden.

Now, as Greene took over command of the depleted army from Gates, he realized the monumental task that rested upon his shoulders. Should he fail, there would be nothing to prevent Cornwallis from conquering North Carolina and Virginia, completing the British 'southern strategy'. Greene was a cautious commander who pursued a 'Fabian strategy'. That is, he tried to avoid fighting any pitched battle that he was not sure he could win, instead wearing the enemy down through attrition and guerilla fighting, striking only when he spotted vulnerability. The Patriot militias already operating in South Carolina could serve this purpose well; Greene hoped that they could keep the British distracted long enough for him to whip his army into shape and maybe find new recruits. However, he would need someone he could rely on to go down into South Carolina and keep the militias supplied and organized. As it happened, Greene already had just the man in mind.

Continue reading...

[syndrossi]

Is Jon going to recognize the PTWP dagger?

Can you imagine him just being like “hey that’s the dagger that kills the night king and wins the war of the dawn!” Vizzy would faint.

Good question! I'm not sure if he's encountered it in his original timeline, which is more book-inspired. I've also been hand-wavy about how the Others were ultimately defeated. I tend to think it was a drawn-out struggle of attrition, where Jon ultimately came up with a clever plan/trap that drew most of the remaining Others to a place where they could be ambushed and killed, rather than a single dramatic "kill the Night King and the remaining ones die" approach they went with in the show. (That bit of lore was specific to the show.)

So my cagey answer is...maybe, if it feels dramatically/thematically appropriate! 😅

But if either he or Rhaegar know any of the prophecy to repeat a phrase or two in Viserys's hearing, he may in fact faint.

[the-walk-of-weary-souls]

My take on the Life Series Lore, or as I will call it the War of Attrition AU.

So everyone sort of has their own Idea on what the Lore of the life Series is and where it fits in with all the other lore. Many of those are very angsty takes on how the Watchers have finally caught up to a few of the players and make he whole server suffer for it. Playing with the ones who got away. This AU is along that thread but with a few more details added.

In this AU the Life Series really was originally just a fun pvp based hardcore server that everyone was having fun on, but unbeknownst to them thanks to an insider the watchers know of and have taken advantage of a weak moment in the servers security right as it was created, but stay low while they begin to weave themselves into the servers code as to make it an inescapable trap. What the watchers weren't accounting for was how even inside the server itself Grian had codded such heavy security that it would be impossible to interact at more than a fraction of their power while there, thus they cannot do the nab and burn they were originally planning to do... unless hey find a way to weaken the security that is.

So they take control of the games poisoning them to feed their whims and corrupting the victor at the end of Third Life, before throwing them from what was supposed to be one fun little game to take a break from anything else the players were doing into another game, and then after that another and so on so forth.... each game they gain more power and influence, each game they corrupt the winner who due to the code of the server becomes vulnerable to them upon their win. Every game they feed of the pain, the despair the betrayal, the anger and they begin to further corrupt the server, gaining more and more control from Grian who desperately tries to fend them off. All they have to do now is continue their war of Attrition and they will have all they ever wanted and more.

But the players are not about to sit back and let this happen, especially not the winners who have become far more entangled than every other player (So much so that rescue may just be impossible for them).

[denialcity]

for adoration grow - tobiizu unconventional hanahaki au - 542/?

"From what I've seen… the resources they have… I—" he swallowed, the admission hard to give voice to. "I don't think we can win." 

Izuna's whole body went cold. 

"What?" 

"We can't afford a war of attrition like we've been having. Their storehouses, their numbers, their allies, their treasury… They could starve us out if they wanted. I have no idea how we've managed to keep even with them, and I'm afraid the answer might be they've just been staying their hand."

Izuna held onto Hikaku harder. 

[for adoration grow tag] / [chrono tag for browser] / [full live WIP document for my patreons here]

[mariacallous]

All wars have simple strategic storylines. In the U.S. Civil War, there was the Union’s Anaconda Plan to strangle the Confederacy and later the March to the Sea to slice what was left in two. In World War II, U.S. strategy centered on “Europe first,” as well as the principle of unconditional surrender by Germany and Japan. During the Vietnam War, the United States’ guiding mantra was “search and destroy.” In Iraq, the phrase was “clear, hold, build.”

In some cases—such as World War II—strategic shorthand paved the way to victory. In others, such as Vietnam, it immortalized epic blunders. But in every case, these strategic bumper stickers served a purpose. They told audiences—both domestic and foreign—what the basic tenets of the game plan were for winning the war, especially as it dragged on. And it’s precisely this kind of easy-to-communicate plan that Ukraine has been missing for the past year. Two and half years into the war, Kyiv desperately needs its own tagline. It now has the chance to get one.

During the first year of the war, Ukraine was a straightforward protagonist. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was an unlikely hero, but once Russia attacked, he became a war leader straight out of central casting. His famous reply when the United States offered to evacuate him from Kyiv—“I need ammunition, not a ride”—could not have been better crafted for the moment if a Hollywood scriptwriter had written it.

But as important as the messaging, Ukraine also had a clear—if simple—theory for how it would win the war. First, it stopped the Russian offensive in Kyiv. Next it broke Russian forces around Kharkiv and retook Kherson. Finally, as Western-made arms poured into the country, a final counteroffensive in the spring of 2023 would at the very least push Russia back closer to its borders, if not finish the war entirely.

Unfortunately for Ukraine, the latter step never materialized, not least because months of Western hesitation to deliver critical weapons such as tanks and aircraft gave Russia the time it needed to complete extensive fortifications along the front. When the 2023 counteroffensive petered out, Kyiv lost more than troops and equipment. It also lost a compelling argument for how it intends to win.

The lack of a convincing narrative was more than a public relations challenge for Kyiv; it also jeopardized future Western military aid. Western observers increasingly saw Ukraine as locked in a protracted war of attrition against a bigger and more powerful Russia—which also happened to be the Kremlin’s new storyline for the war, after its first storyline (Kyiv’s quick collapse and the installation of a Russian satrap) had been exposed as delusional. This was a war that Ukraine likely could not win, the West now believed. That narrative, in turn, fed a growing skepticism in Washington and other Western capitals about whether military aid to Ukraine was still a good investment. At best, Ukraine could point to the idea that Western weapons and ammunition prevented the loss of even more land—hardly a glowing sales pitch for securing further aid.

Arguably, the accusation that the Russia-Ukraine war was stalemated was never entirely accurate. While much of the Western media attention focused on the stagnant front lines, Ukraine notched a series of less headline-grabbing but arguably equally important achievements, including pushing Russia’s once vaunted Black Sea fleet out of its Crimean ports and the western Black Sea—a significant feat for country without a navy. Moreover, the lack of Ukrainian military progress was at least partially due to monthslong holdups in U.S. and European aid deliveries, as well as strict red lines limiting the use of any Western weapon to attack airfields, bases, and other military assets on Russian territory.

Such holdups, some of which continue today, meant that Ukraine risked becoming mired in a sort of strategic quicksand. To get more military aid, it needed to prove that it had a chance of winning by demonstrating significant battlefield results—but it needed to do so without violating strict limitations on the use of U.S. and other Western weaponry. At the same time, significant battlefield victories, especially against a Russian military that was learning and rearming, required ever more substantial injections of Western military aid and ever more audacious tactics. Ukraine was caught in a vicious chicken-and-egg dilemma that was leading nowhere good.

More subtly, but no less important, there were domestic consequences for not having a strategic narrative, particularly in terms of public morale. When I was in Ukraine in August, I could see exhaustion in everyone’s faces, from officials in the government to think tank researchers to people on the street. Perhaps this is why more Ukrainians have become open to a negotiated end to the war, albeit not on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s terms. While practically every one of the dozens of Ukrainians whom I interviewed—at different levels of seniority, both inside and outside of government—recognized the need for victory and the existential stakes at hand, few were able to articulate just how Ukraine would come out victorious. And particularly for the younger and more junior interlocutors, that was a source of both frustration and resentment.

In this respect, the Kursk counteroffensive arrived not a moment too soon. For the first time, Ukrainian forces pushed into Russia, seizing more than 1,200 square kilometers (about 460 square miles) of territory—somewhat more than land than Russia seized in Ukraine in all of 2024—and capturing several hundred Russian prisoners in the process.

While the counteroffensive came as a surprise to many—including officials in the U.S. Defense Department—the push into Kursk makes perfect sense. Ukraine, after all, needed to do something big. It needed to show that while the Russian military may be vast, it is still uneven and, in places, brittle. Ukraine also proved that, despite Western and particularly U.S. hand-wringing about the threats of nuclear escalation that have characterized the Kremlin’s messaging on the war from the start, Putin is not as trigger-happy with his nuclear arsenal as the messaging implies, for a host of reasons. So these threats should not be a reason for the United States to place strict limits on Ukraine’s conventional military operations.

What Ukraine needed, in other words, was to do something splashy and show—once again—that it can win.

At the same time, Ukraine needed to give its own population some good news after years of destruction and bloodshed. As one Ukrainian interlocutor told me, Ukrainians have not felt as much optimism since the country’s lightning offensive to recapture the areas east of Kharkiv in late 2022. The Kursk offensive offers Ukrainians what they needed—a strategic reset.

But while the Kursk offensive is a first step, Ukraine will need to offer more if it wants to maintain the momentum that it now enjoys. Perhaps most importantly, it needs to find a new strategic storyline. Ukrainian leaders need to convince both their constituencies at home and backers abroad that they have a plan to win the war. Indeed, Zelensky has promised to present such a plan to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors this month.

Inferring from Ukraine’s actions, the country’s new, if still unstated, strategic tagline seems to have three relatively well-defined parts: survive, strike, and seize. The first—survive—focuses on withstanding Russia’s punishing assaults against Ukrainian energy infrastructure and halting Russia’s slowly advancing offensive in the Donbas. The second—strike—seems to revolve around hitting military and industrial targets deeper inside Russia, not only in order to wear down Russian military capabilities, but also to increase the economic and political costs of the war for the Putin regime.

The third and final part—seize—is where Kursk fits in. This action emphasizes capturing Russian territory along the border, presumably both as a buffer to protect Ukrainian territory from Russian aggression and as a potential bargaining chip further down the road.

Ultimately, all three elements are necessary but likely not sufficient in constructing a new theory of victory for Ukraine. While the survive, strike, and seize elements of Kyiv’s nascent strategy will undoubtedly ramp up the pressure on Moscow, they probably will not, by themselves, allow Ukraine to retake its lost territory. Indeed, Russia has continued to advance in eastern Ukraine, despite the Ukrainian offensive in Kursk. Nor will future strikes and seizures dramatically ramp up domestic pressure on Putin to the point where he will end the conflict. Most Ukrainian analysts whom I interviewed admitted that most Russians—particularly those who actually have influence in Putin’s autocracy—simply don’t care enough about Kursk to force Putin to abandon his war aims.

Thus, the question that remains is what the next and final element of Ukraine’s theory of victory might be, if it exists at all. Essentially, Ukraine has two basic choices—supplant or settle.

In the former, it can hope that the increasing pressure on the Putin regime will ultimately cause it to collapse under its own weight. As Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin’s ill-fated coup attempt demonstrated last summer, all authoritarian regimes—including Russia’s—appear stable until the moment they are not. But while this theory is plausible, betting on Putin’s collapse is by no means assured, and even so, it is not necessarily guaranteed that whoever comes next would end the war.

Alternatively, Ukraine can push to settle the conflict. By increasing the pain to the Putin regime through the Kursk offensive and continued deep strikes against Russian infrastructure, Ukraine can pressure Putin to change his cost-benefit calculus—and back off from his maximalist demands. Kyiv could then trade captured Russian territory for Russian-captured Ukrainian territory.

In some ways, this approach seems to be the more straightforward one. Ukraine has already inflicted significant costs on Russia and can almost certainly ramp that up, especially if the West lifts restrictions on the use of its weaponry and other red lines. With Kursk, Ukraine has also already demonstrated that it can take Russian territory. The question is whether it can take enough territory—and just as importantly, hold it—to achieve sufficient leverage to reclaim all of Russia-occupied Ukraine.

At the end of the day, it’s up to Ukraine to choose whether the tagline for its war is survive-strike-seize-supplant or survive-strike-seize-settle. Or perhaps it is something else entirely. Ukrainians, after all, are the ones bearing the brunt of this war. And then, it will be incumbent on Ukraine’s supporters in the United States and around the world to give it the resources and policy room to make that storyline a reality.

And the good news is that the basic hook for the plotline—a modern-day David fights off Goliath in a battle between liberal democracies and a coalescing bloc of revanchist autocracies—remains as compelling as ever.

But with U.S. elections on the horizon and growing challenges around the world competing for scarce attention and resources, Ukraine’s leadership owes its partners and allies—as well as its own public—its theory of how it will win. If not for the West’s sake, then certainly for the sake of the Ukrainians themselves.

[skye-huntress]

I’m in Love with the Villainess Reaction

Episode 10

With Lene gone, Rae has to take over for all her duties, including brushing and styling Claire’s hair.

Oof, Rae can’t even appeal to her sweet tooth without it backfiring.

Wow, Claire’s so out of it, she can’t even keep up the act of hating Rae. I saw a little smile there. Truthfully, I think Rae has already helped her more than she realises during this difficult time period.

Well, she perked up quickly at the mention of her “sister”

Why’d she have to write it like a love letter?

Popular with the ladies as ever. All but one, that is.

Honestly Claire, I don’t know what you were expecting. Rae’s doing the same comedy routine since the day you met and after months she finally has a new audience.

Oh dear, Rae, you have no idea what you’ve just done gaining Manaria’s interest like that

I see a lot of girls in the cafeteria, and not a single one came her to eat.

Ah yes, the world’s only quad-caster (as far as anyone knows) and one of the few magic users more OP than Rae.

Manaria’s right, simply being a quad-caster is nothing to boast about on its own. Knowing how to make full use of your magic is a different story. For instance, Rae experimented with her magic to modify and even create new spells in ways that weren’t possible in game. Her tungsten carbide barrier is a perfect example.

Don’t worry, Rae. Manaria may have won over Ralaire, but you’ll always be her number 1 thanks to feeding her your cooking.

I saw a family tree on the author’s Twitter that explains the familial relationship between Claire and Manaria. If I’m not mistaken they are what you call second cousins.

So here’s finally the missing piece in Claire’s childhood flashbacks. Manaria was the one who helped her after her mother’s death.

Don’t worry, Claire, I think we all understand how you could make such a mistake.

Okay, seriously where did all the boys go?

Since Manaria is a character that appears in the game, Rae is all too familiar with her capabilities.

Manaria could spend time with any other girl in school, but the one she is currently interested in is the one who doesn’t want her around.

Oof, good thing Manaria didn’t hear her internal exposition in her head, or she’d have some explaining to do later.

Rae, you’re making it worse!

I’m with Rae. My neurodivergent ass can’t even process poetry so it has always been the bane of my existence, especially during my High School English classes.

Why are they so offended? Rae brushes off invitations from the Princes all the time.

I see Rod has finally returned from wherever all the boys disappeared to.

You can hype Rae up all you want, she’s not going to play with you!

Yeah, he might be a chess master, but in battle, Rod’s fairly predictable. He just uses his massive reserves of power to keep throwing his minions at his opponents until they run out of magic. In a war of attrition, he’d win every time.

From what I understand, anybody can use spell breaker on the same magic as their own attribute/s, but it’s almost impossible to analyse magic in the middle of a fight, so it’s not a practical spell for most magic users. Manaria is one of the few who can pull it off, making spell breaker a specialty of hers.

Really, Claire, you’re only just noticing Rae is in a bad mood. Maybe if you stopped fawning over Manaria every second of the day, you might have noticed how unusually quiet she has been.

Yeah, Rae being jealous is the most obvious, and predictable reaction in the world. You get no points for guessing it, Claire.

Claire still isn’t convinced of Rae’s feelings, and honestly, this is largely Rae’s fault. Yet, here Claire is offering Rae a chance to actually prove it and erase any lingering doubts.

Yu knows what’s up.

Oh no, now that Manaria has figured Rae out, now comes the next phase, the teasing.

There’s an excellent question, Rae.

All this time, you were trying to set up Claire with Thane. This was the plan, right? For Claire to find her own happiness. Is this not what you’ve been working towards this entire time?

[shuckinbeanz]

So based on my hero, can you write a oneshot featuring All Might and a gn reader practicing hypnosis and gags please? In the fic, All Might wants to practice a new kink and the reader suggests that they use hypnosis on him to have a love for gags. All Might accepts and after hearing a trigger word, he gets the drive to gag his mouth while being horny. What do you think?

warnings/notes: omg this is perfect im sorry this took so long NSFW, multiple orgasms, discreet use of toys in public(specifically mouth gag), hypnosis, praise kink, anal m receiving, reader wears a toy could be a custom cocksleeve or dildo(some of us don't have a dick).

MINORS 👏 DNI! 👏 AGE 👏 IN 👏 BIO 👏 OR 👏 DNI! 👏 Head on over to @candybowbeansies please for my SFW pieces, or be blocked if you interact here! 😇

Tags: @dynamightsdaydream

The power of suggestion during hypnosis was formidable. Toshinori wanted to try a new kink and when he approached you about hypnosis, you suggested a few things of your own.

You were excited to finally break out a few new toys you had stashed away-little fantasies of yours. 

One of them, an unseemly black face mask with an attachment modification inside it; out of the options you had, you figured the ball would be the best first time. All made of top tier durable material, it would be perfect for a little game secret to the public.

Somewhat adventurous, you had a set of couples’ vibes that you could set to activate at random intervals for both you and him, along with a custom toy that fit you just right that you'd fuck him with later.

The game? There were errands that had to be done after having been piled up for some time; it'd take a few hours, at least. 

Discreet public play was agreed upon between you and him; a splash of adventurous, kinky color on the otherwise blank surface of the mundane.

The couple's vibes would bring that erotic edge, building up tensions between the two of you; a double edged sword, so to speak.

It was a fun competition of sorts. Who'd crumble before the return home? You were feeling competitive; the thought of what you were going to do to him later in the privacy of the bedroom keeping you from going weak in the knees too many times to count. 

You were dead-set on winning with endurance, engaging in conversations with people you knew, trying to keep each one as long as possible.

He picked up on what you were trying to do-thus, a war of attrition began. The man you were head over heels for was a cheeky bastard, so playful discreet touches and short texts just to tease the hell out of you weren't above him.

And you sure as hell weren't above it, either. Especially if it meant you could earn those deep, handsome chuckles of his.

By the time you both arrived home, you were so overwhelmed you didn't know if you wanted him to fold you over the table or if you wanted to fuck his brains out.

You and him couldn't keep your hands off each other once the cue was given, and when you saw him put himself on the bed so prettily after saying that phrase, you decided on the latter.

“Hmmgh mh.”

Even though you've long since short circuited, it doesn't take much brain power to know he told you to fuck him.

You were a tease. As you prepped his ass to take what you'd prepared for him, you'd tease him relentlessly. It was a surefire way to make him teeter on that fine edge. 

He was undeniably pro, as contrary to what some people think, he had endurance for days, while with age and the repercussions of his job inevitably decreased his stamina. He could go quite a few rounds with breaks in between. 

And each one, you'd pound his sweet spots, bringing him to orgasm after orgasm while filthy praise fell from your lips and you couldn't help but relish in his gagged moans. 

So handsome. So pretty. So strong. Gorgeous. 

Pretty tight ass, just for you. Throbbing, aching manhood leaking so desperately. 

Lost in the haze of dizzying lust, you fuck him senseless, only allowing him time to breathe with your ass-drunk pace.

After the final round and catering to his every need, you and him bask in the afterglow with warm cuddles. 

As the sun rose the next morning and you both had showered and returned to the comfort of the bed, you expertly noticed what he'd tried to hide, coming out of the bathroom; telltale signs of soreness.

“Toshi, was I too rough?” you ask, a worried frown gracing your lips. A soft, handsome chuckle escapes him. “Too good.” he says, smiling his handsome smile as he approaches, leaning over you. Before you could speak again, he's littering your face with sweet kisses. 

“I should return the favor.” his voice drops, sexy. Any worry you have fades completely as you smile coyly. “Really? How?” you return, your smile making his grow as he leans to whisper in your ear. “Like this…” he rumbles, his large hand traveling down your tummy, his fingertips barely touching your skin, leaving a trail of hot pleasant tingles.

Soft laughter escapes you as you pull him close, cut off by an eager deep kiss, happy to indulge with the man you loved.

[spaghettificationandpretzels]

The Glass Merchant Part Four

Masterlist

Part Three

Contains: Fluff, mild angst.

4.2K words

The truth comes to light

Despite his rushing thoughts, Kai slept like a baby encased in the warmth of the comfortable guest bed with the sounds of the wind blowing up outside. It was considerably colder when he stumbled out of bed, and the sky that shone through the ceiling in the main room was somehow both dull and foreboding.

Minna was there in a long, silky green robe, feeding Zephy a plate of fish with a soft smile on her face. She turned to him and pointed towards the hallway. "I was about to get breakfast, do you want to join me?"

He nodded. "Sure, Love." The silence that followed them through the hallway wasn't awkward, but he'd be happy when it left. She stood in front of the open fridge, looking at her supplies as he took a seat. "About last night?"

She nodded. "I'll answer any questions you have, you deserve that much."

He shrugged. "Ay, but I don't have any." He sighed and rubbed his face. "Look, there's no love loss between Kora and me, she's a little too self-righteous for my taste, I'm just surprised she didn't want to make sure you got your glory, she was all about thanking everyone who helped."

Minna shook her head. "The government kept my involvement out of it; all she knew is that it was a state-run lab that created it." She rubbed her face and took an armful of items from the fridge. "When the Motherworld realised their Dreadnoughts were useless, they just sent wave after wave of soldiers in hopes of winning a war of attrition. The fighting in the streets was bloody and close up, and by the end of it, we just wanted to rebuild; there was no interest in metals and parades."

He chuckled. "So no putting her statue in the town's square?"

She let out a single harsh laugh. "That's not our style."

With the soft tapping of a knife and click-clack of pans, breakfast was slid in front of him with a smile from her. "Omelette with vegetables. Eat fast, the weather report says we've got about five hours until the storm hits so we've got work to do."

****

Kai was shocked at the rush that greeted him when they walked outside; soldiers were everywhere, working with Minna's neighbours to tie down the enormous trees were dotted throughout the block. Eventually, as the skies grew darker, the same glass and metal frames that protected the stalls at night came out of the ground to encase everyone's front garden and all the berry-covered green hedges around the neighbourhood. A soldier handed him a long coil of thick, rough rope and directed him to help with a gruff point as another handed Minna a box of goods. "I need to pack these away and hand some stuff off, just do what you're told and you'll be fine."

He didn't have the time to argue, not with the disaster growing above everyone's heads. It was hard work, throwing the ropes over the tall trees and lashing them to the ground, but everyone was doing their bit, it was an effort he hadn't seen in a very long time.

There was an anxiety in the air, the same that comes when a ship starts to list in the middle of deep space. An elderly man, cane in hand, hobbled over to where Kai was helping another man tie down his boat as he shook his head while looking skyward. "The name's Earl, I live next to Minna, you're new here."

Kai nodded. "Yeah, she's letting me stay with her until the storm passes."

Earl chuckled. "Well you're going to be here a while, it hasn't been like this since I was a boy." It made sense as to why everyone was so hurried.

The man Kai was helping tutted. "Don't scare him Earl, the weather division won't know anything until it hits."

Earl smiled, old and seasoned, like he had told a joke that went over a child's head. "You'll see, this is going to be a once in a lifetime tempest." He reached out and placed his hand on Kai's shoulder. "I have to give your host some extra fish for the blankets she gave me. Don't hesitate to stop by if you want a cup of tea, my doors always open."

Kai smiled. "Thank you."

Earl limped away, and as the last boat finally settled, Kai stretched his aching arms above his head. The man he was helping stretched his hand out, and Kai accepted the firm shake. "I'm James; we're three doors down from you. Is this your first time on planet?"

Kai shook his head. "I was here before to buy something from Minna, it's lovely here."

James nodded. "The best place in the universe." He jutted his head towards the slowing building swell and sighed. "Some of us are taking one of the storm boats out to check for people needing a hand, you wanna come?" His expression was appraising, there was absolutely a wrong answer here.

Kai nodded. "Sure, just let me let Minna know."

James smiled. "Go ahead, follow the pink flower signs, she'll be making sure the med bay is all stocked up."

Even with the building storm, the walk finally allowed him to take in the area past Minna's house. There was a central pathway in the middle of the island linking everyone's homes together, every so often shooting off into a park or public building. Everything was well signposted; some he understood, like a book for a small library and a lightning rod for what must have been the island's power bank, but others, like the pink flower, made little sense. Nevertheless, he took the path all the way along until he arrived at the bustle of the med bay.

He wove past all the people, knocked on the door frame, and waited for Minna to turn around. She did so with a smile and a sigh. "Thank the Goddess, can you go over to the wall and turn on the water pump please?"

He did as she asked, using all his strength to move the valve until it loosened and he heard the rush of water. "You a nurse too?"

Minna shook her head. "Almost, it's a long story." She sighed. "There are three of us trained to work the med bay but we've never been all that busy since the war ended."

He took a second to look around; for a mini hospital, it was a very inviting place. There were five beds along the walls, the far wall lined with frosted glass cabinets and a sink, while the ones on either side contained desks and equipment. "Earl said the storm's going to be here a while."

A flash of worry came over her face before she shook her head. "There's no point in worrying until we get the full report, regardless the military have special ships to travel in the storms so we don't have to worry about running out of supplies."

He nodded. "How long until it hits?"

She shrugged. "Maybe a few more hours." She closed the cabinet and rubbed her face. "I'm done here, we better head back home and lash down the boat."

He smiled and stretched out his hand. "Lead the way Love." She rolled her eyes but looped her arm in his as she began to walk. "Can I ask you a question?" She nodded. "Why a pink flower, wouldn't a medpack make more sense?"

She smiled. "There's a flower called Floscura that grows in our forests, is what most of our very effective and advanced medicine comes from."

He blinked. "Shite, you really do have it made here."

She nodded. "That we do."

They paused as two little children rushed in front of them, Minna smiling as they exchanged words in their mother's tongue before running off again. "Sorry, they don't start learning the universal dialect until they're a little older."

He smiled. "Don't fret about it, it's a very pretty languge."

There was that sad look again in her eyes, and she took a deep breath. "It's called Menian, after a Goddess. My mother…" Her eyes fell to the ground, and her chest shuddered as she turned her head away. "We really need to get back."

He didn't press; he understood the choke of emotions that came with some memories. "I told James I'd head out of a patrol boat with him, what am I in for?"

She chuckled. "I'll give you something so you don't get sea sick, other than that, good luck, I hate drowner duty."

Kai looked at the bright orange swim trunks with a raised eyebrow. "Is this it?"

James nodded. "You won't get lost, what more do you want." He sighed and smiled softly. "You'll be fine, you can stay in the boat."

The iciness coming off the water was enough to make Kai shiver even fully clothed, but he wasn't going to let anything stop him, not with Minna watching from her doorway. "I'll be fine, I used to fish in the rain for my Ma all the time."

James gave him a hearty back slap as his face broke into a grin. "Glad to hear it."

They walked to the dock and Kai stepped behind a curtain to change, he could see Minna walking over above the metal rob and flashed her a smile. "You coming over to wish me luck?"

She shook her head. "I'm coming over to tell you to be careful. The net slashers come out in this weather and they're mean." He gave her a wide-eyed look, and she smiled. "They like the taste of offworlders too." He could tell she was bullshitting him, or at least he hoped she was. He stepped out from behind the curtain with a smile, and she handed him a cup of steaming blue tea. "For your sea sickness."

He didn't miss how her eyes stayed locked on his face, her back stiff straight as she made a point of not looking at his naked torso as he reached out a muscled arm and took the cup from her. "Cheers, Love." He downed it in one, it was somehow hot and cold simultaneously, sliding down his throat like warm honey as it settled in his gut. "That was delicious."

She nodded and took the cup from him. "Good, off you go, you've got boats to rescue."

He grinned. "How about a kiss for good luck?"

She rolled her eyes and stepped closer, placing her hand flat on his chest as she craned her mouth towards his. He should have known by her grin that she wouldn't give in easily, and the soft brush of her lips on his cheek severed to make his blood rush. "Good luck Kai." She stepped back and finally allowed herself to look at him, her eyes raking over his body with a slight tilt of her head. "Don't drown, it would be a shame if you missed dinner."

With that, she turned on her heel and headed back towards the business of preparation, leaving him alone while James laughed behind him. "She's not kidding about the net slasher, they're a real problem." He pointed behind him to the large boat pulling into the dock. "We gotta head out, you ready?"

Kai nodded. "Ay."

Not even the worst storm on Saaldorun matched this, and it hadn't even started raining. Still, Kai watched as the few men and women with him jumped off the boat and into the water to tow other boats to safety and drag half-conscious people out of the water so the medic ships could take them to hospital.

They came up to another row boat in trouble, the people on board working hard to keep the boat upright as the water moved in the wake of their ship. "You guys need a hand?" James's voice was steady despite how worrying their situation looked; one more big wave and the rowboat would be upside down in the water.

"Please, we thought we'd have time to go to the market." The man sounded scared, his body coiled tight, ready to swim if his boat went over.

James slapped Kai on the back and smiled. "In you go."

He took a deep breath and moved to the edge, squaring his shoulders as someone handed him the rope. The water was so cold it felt sharp when it splashed on his skin, and a zip of fear raced up his spine at the look of the broiling sea. But he was no coward, and with another deep breath, he jumped in. The frigid water stole the breath from his lungs, but he still managed to kick his way to the rowboat and tie it up, and with a finally tightening tug, it snapped tight, and he hauled himself back onto the ship.

James was smiling from ear to ear. "Good job, you can do the next one too."

Between the adrenalin and the warmth coming from the vent at the bottom of the ship, Kai no longer felt the cold. "Ay, you just tell me when."

It went on like that until the first cracks of thunder and lightning went off in the distance, and the skies finally opened as rain began to pour from above. A harsh siren went off, and the ship kicked into high gear as it pulled the rowboat back to the Minna's island. "We're not collecting more people?"

James shook his head. "No, now that the rains have started it's not safe, the military will get them home."

Everyone was lining the shore when they arrived, standing in the rain waiting for them to return. Kai hopped off the ship and walked straight to Minna grinning like a fool as she wrapped a dry, warm blanket around him and handed him a cup of tea. "Fire mushroom tea, it will help you warm up. Did you have fun?"

He nodded. "Ay, a boat load."

She shook her head and sighed. "Go inside and have a hot shower. They'll be locking everything down soon, and we need to put the finishing touches on all the prep."

He finished his tea and flashed her a smile. "You're a doll."

She rolled her eyes. "Go, before I make you work in your swim trunks."

He chulked. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

He couldn't find words to describe how much he loved her look in incredulity. "Go, I've left some clean clothes under the heated blanket on your bed."

Kai needed the hot shower, but nothing beat being greeted by warm clothes when he stepped out of the bathroom to get dressed. It reminded him of when his mother would leave his clothes by the fire so they'd be warm when he returned from working on the farm, and he pushed down the rush of homesickness as he slid the loose linen shirt over his head.

When he walked into the main room, Minna was there, soaking wet and sipping on the same rich smelling mushroom tea. "You look like a drowned cat."

She laughed. "And you look warm. I just wanted to rest for a second before I take a shower myself." She moved closer, reaching out her hand to place it on his shoulder. "Thank you for helping today, James told me how many people you saved."

He grinned. "All in a hard days work." Before she could reply, another siren rang out, much louder and harsher this time, and there was the sound of mechanical creaking as the pathways were enclosed in metal and glass. "I thought the first one was loud."

She sighed. "The first one was the warning, that one was to make sure people are inside." She rubbed her face and pointed behind her towards the kitchen. "We're having dinner at the community hall tonight, you wanna help me cook something once I'm clean?"

He nodded. "Sure love."

She blinked slowly with the exhaustion of someone who clearly wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed, but she smiled softly. "Great." Without another word, she spun on her heel and walked upstairs, leaving him to stew in his swirling emotions as the storm above truly made itself known.

This felt familiar to Kai, peeler in hand skinning root vegetables for a stew bubbling away on the stove with the warmth of the flame making the kitchen feel like a cocoon. The weather was raging above their heads, the rain coming in so heavy that it formed falling sheets on the glass roof while the thunder splintered the air with the rhythm of a machine gun, and the lightning flashed like their muzzles.

"It's really coming down now." Despite the similarity to the hail of war, the fury of the deluge was nothing but pleasant, and he found himself waiting for the warmth of dinner like a balm from a long forgetten childhood.

Minna sighed. "Yeah, this is about as bad as it will get. I'm sorry you've ended up stuck here, I know this must be cutting into your income."

He was taken aback, the last thing he felt was stuck here. "Nah. I got a warm bed, good food and wonderful company, I ain't stuck here."

She smiled and shook her head. "You never turn off the charm, do you?"

He smirked. "Is it working?"

She shook her head, but the smile on her face gave her away. "No. Now, if you're finished peeling the vegetables, you need to cut them so they can go in the stew."

He tossed the peeler into the sink and reached across her to grab a knife, making sure to lean into her space as his fingers curled around the handle. "You sure about that?"

Her eyes fell to the bench as she did her best to hide her expression. "Yep." She lifted her head and their faces were close enough that their noses almost touched. "Can you hurry up with the vegetables please, we don't want to be late."

He fought the urge to kiss her. "Alright Love, your wish is my command."

As night fell, the sky went from dark grey to pitch black while the storm roared overhead, flashing light through the darkness with an unpredictable burst of sound and glow. Kai watched from the couch as Minna fed Zephy, his little grabby hands picking up the bits of cut fish and inspecting them before using his razor sharp teeth to tear off little bites. "He loves his tucker."

Minna chuckled. "He will do anything for food." She had just finished packing all the food they had cooked, there was the meat and vegetable stew, savoury pancakes and bread and whipped dessert that smelt like cream and honey.

"How did you come by him?" Besides fish and birds, he hadn't seen much wildlife, although she had explained before that there was plenty if he would just pay attention.

He was getting used to brief flashes of emotions on her face, anger then sadness this time. "Poachers killed his mother and tried to smuggle him off planet. There's a roster for caring for injured wildlife, and my number came." She walked over to Zephy and scratched his soft head. "He was only a few days old and sick when he came to me, in the end, he couldn't go back to the wild."

Kai had run into his fair share of professional poachers, they were just as bad as Motherworlders. "What happened to the bastard that took him?"

She smiled, it was almost sadistically cold. "You didn't read the pamphlet and all the signs when you came in? We killed poachers here." He understood the fondness she had for the furry purple creature, especially as he raced over to Kai to hand him a half chewed bit of fish. "He likes you."

He chuckled and made a show of pretending to eat it as Zephy chattered happily at the sight, running back to his dinner once he was sure he thought Kai had eaten it. Minna walked over and palmed the piece, tucking it into a tissue and hiding it on the tray of food containers. "We gotta go."

The outside world was something to see, even with the pitched shells that protected all the footpaths from the storm. The walk to the community hall didn't take long, even accounting for how they had to stop to make room for everyone coming out of the homes with trays of food. Minna paused to toss Zephy's gift in one of the many rubbish bins and by the time they were close enough to hear people talking, he could smell the food wafting from the door.

They were greeted with warm waves as they entered, and someone pulled out a chair for them both while someone else took the tray from her. Everyone was seated at a massive oval table, children on their parent's laps as the man standing at the door waved the last person inside.

With the table full of people and food, dinner began. Kai noticed that some people were praying over their food, their palms folded in front of them as they muttered under their breaths. He waited until they were done, turning to Minna for an explanation, and she smiled softly at him as she clarified. "Most of us still believe in the Old Gods, it's just a thank you for the food and the company."

He nodded. "Ay, my Ma was the same."

Before he could say more, the elderly woman sitting next to him took one of the many small bowls from the table and placed it in front of him. "That's one of the best dishes here, I wouldn't want a guest to miss out."

He smiled. "Thank you Ma'am."

She brushed him off and introduced herself as Lilly, and before long, everyone joined in. Between the food and being welcomed like a friend returning from long travels, he felt something settle in his chest, something which, while he knew what it was, he wouldn't dare name.

It felt like his plate was never empty as time went on and conversation filled the air. There were dishes upon dishes, and by the time dessert came, he felt like he couldn't eat another bite. Nevertheless, the table eventually cleared, and as it grew later, the people with young children left for their warm beds. They went with the last group, Kai lingering to chat with a new friend as Minna helped clean up.

By the time they returned to her house, he was ready to sleep himself but she dragged him over to the couch and waved at him to sit down. "We should know how long the storm will be here by now, they'll be playing the weather report on the Hologlow on repeat."

Before he could ask what the Hologlow was, a transparent screen slid out from the wall, and a picture slowly came into focus. He grinned and shook his head, once again marvelling at how normal everything felt. "You have a telly."

She nodded. "If that's what you call it. We've got millions of channels and things to watch, too." She huffed. "We're just like everyone else, I promise."

She made herself comfortable, shoving Zephy towards the middle as she sat on the opposite end. They turned their attention towards the screen, and she clicked a button as the video began to play. As if the technology knew they had just arrived, the newscast started from the very beginning. He could see the uneasy look on her face as they showed a moving map of the planet, her mouth slightly open while she barely blinked like she was scared she'd miss something. She clicked the small controller in her hand more, and the dialogue switched to her native Menian while universal subtitles appeared on screen.

"Once in a century storm, currents reports have its duration at one month. You are advised to prepare to have the forest festival indoors this year."  

She clicked the dialogue back to universal and turned to him. "I'm sorry, sometimes it's just easier to understand in Menian."

He smiled. "Ay, I understand." He hated how concerned she looked, like she was worried he was upset, so he leaned in as close as he could with Zephy between them. "We got a whole month together, I guess we better think of things to do."

She grinned and met him in the middle, once again close enough that they were almost touching. "I'm sure we'll think of something." A yawn from here cut off his plans to steal a kiss, and she leaned back to stretch. "But right now, I'm going to bed."

She stood up, and Kai joined her, not yet moving to his guest room. "You need company?"

She shook her head. "Nope, I want sleep, not whatever you've got planned."

He chuckled. "Alright, you know where to find me if you change your mind."

She huffed and turned on her heel. "I won't. Goodnight Kai, sleep well."

He was never going to get tired of riling her up. "Goodnight, Minna, have pleasant dreams."

She was already halfway up the stairs with Zephy following behind her, and he made his way into his room. As he settled into his warm bed with the rain and storm overhead, all he could think about was how happy he was to be able to stay here with her for a whole month, coin be dammed, this was the most joy he had been in years.

Part 5

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