#demination separation

[dontforgetukraine]

Ukraine Donation Guide Master Post

(Ver. 2 updated Aug 13th, 2024) I will be reformatting this and adding more in the future when I have time.

Also a quick note, all of the groups I have found through twitter have been around long enough for them to be vetted by each other and the brigades they work with. In fact, a lot of these groups collaborate with each other too. Those that are in the fight for Ukraine have been diligent in calling out those that are grifters. Word spreads around quickly if an organization doesn't show up with what they promised. They also use their social media (often Twitter) as a means of transparency for their work.

Remember: When considering on whether to donate, always use your best judgement and donate to those you trust if you do not see what is listed is up to your standards.

Multi-Purpose

United 24 has various fundraisers dedicated to defense and drones, medical aid, rebuilding Ukraine, humanitarian demining, and science and education. You can pick which one you want to contribute to under their various projects.

Liberty Ukraine uses funds for humanitarian aid, medical supplies, protective gear and equipment, and rehabilitation therapy. You can choose which campaign of theirs to donate to.

Come Back Alive is a charitable foundation that supports Ukraine's military with competent assistance while also focusing on security and defense. They also have projects that use sports to help veterans rehabilitate. You can choose which campaign to donate to.

Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation works to help both civilians and Ukraine's army. You can choose to donate to an active project or any of their general campaigns. Civilian aid campaigns cover temporary housing, supporting crisis and emergency responses, schools, demining, and healthcare. Military aid campaigns cover drones, optics units, communications equipment, and support of air defense teams.

Food Aid

World Central Kitchen works with local partners wherever they are providing food aid. They make sure meals and meal kits are what the local population eats. Even though there is no separate fundraising campaign for Ukraine (that I can see), they still do great work.

Animal Rescue

Hachiko Foundation works to help displaced pets and strays in frontline areas. They help with veterinary care, outdoor shelters, setting up feeding stations, and rehoming animals.

Medical Aid

Hospitallers (Website) is a volunteer organization of paramedics that was founded in 2014. They evacuate the wounded, provide medical aid on the frontlines, assist in rehabilitation, and transfer of the deceased to burial sites. They are also supported by Ukraine Charity. Visit Hospitallers' website to see how many they have evacuated, different methods you can donate, and more information about them.

Other

Saint Javelin (Twitter; Website) is a great place to get apparel, gear, and other cool loot to show your support for Ukraine. They don't take donations, but instead raise funds through their shop with a portion of their sales going towards humanitarian aid and critical items needed by the defenders (generators, pick-up trucks, medical supplies etc). Part of their shop has items made in Ukraine to support Ukrainian businesses. Overall, their products are high-quality. I include them due to their impactful presence in the Twitter community I follow and how they make Ukraine visible in an alternative way. Consider buying someone a gift from their shop.

The Kyiv Independent (Twitter; Website) is a great English language resource for news about Ukraine. I include them because I think supporting good journalism is incredibly important, especially now when the information space is fraught with Russian propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation. My followers have probably noticed I've pulled a lot of quotes from their stories in an effort to amplify Ukrainian voices and experiences. Look on their website for more information on different way to support them, such as their Patreon.

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If you're on twitter, there are a number of groups and people that fundraise for Ukraine and for specific units fighting on the frontlines. If there is no official website, a PayPal for donations is listed in their profiles. When considering on whether to donate, always use your best judgement and donate to those you trust if you do not see what is listed is up to your standards.

@/Teoyaomiquu almost always has a fundraiser for Liberty Ukraine with a specified purpose. At the time of writing this, he is currently raising funds for engineering equipment such as excavators. One such excavator is already in Kursk. Follow him to stay up to date with what he's fundraising for.

Dyga's Paw (Twitter: @/dzygaspaw) is a smaller group that has recently raised funds for starlinks, drones, batteries, and Ecoflow generators. You can look at the fundraising campaigns they currently have on their website.

@/DefactoHumanity represents and founded Planet of the People with their website U(a)nited for Freedom. She frequently posts updates about their fundraisers and what their partners need. They are known for providing Frontline medical aid supplies, protective equipment and other military aid, technical equipment (starlinks, drones, scopes, etc), and infrastructure equipment (generators, vehicles, power stations, etc). They even have a merch store of the battalions they partner with if that's your jam. Here is their link tree if you wish to explore more. And in case you're curious, there is an article bout the founder here.

@/wilendhornets (Website) specialize in making high quality drones that have gotten a lot of praise from Ukraine's army. They have attracted a lot of media attention too. Check out their website for the list of articles that have been written about them. Their Twitter is very active with strike footage.

Ants Kitchen Hub (@/ants_kyiv) is a volunteer kitchen that makes dry rations for the Ukrainian army. They are more active on their other social media. To learn more about them, check out their link tree.

@/frontlinekit (Front Line Kitchen) is represented by Richard Woodruff. Originally they made shelf stable food for the Ukrainian army, but now their fundraising has branched out to other campaigns such as raising funds for medical supplies and drones. They are a well known group that many battalions have come to for help.

@/bekamaciorowski (Rebekah Maciorowski) is as combat medic and nurse who helps provide medical care to soldiers and civillians at the frontlines. She raises funds for medical supplies and other equipment, but also helps train soldiers in first aid. More of her social media that features her work can be found in her link tree.

@/UkraineAidOps (Website) is another organization battalions frequently go to for help. They fundraise for all sorts of equipment from medical supplies to drones. If you're interested, they also have a shop with patches from different brigades and flags signed by soldiers. Their shop also includes a separate section called the Victory Gallery where artifacts from the war are turned into art. This includes shells that are painted on, scrap metal from downed enemy planes are turned into keychains, and pieces of a rocket are turned into lamps.

Chris Garrett is the co-founder of Prevail. His organization deals with humanitarian demining as well as training for trauma care, training of bomb disposal, and education to the public. Prevail works with local agencies in Ukraine as well as the army.

Project Konstantin (Twitter; Website; Linktree) is still going strong after the death of their founder, British paramedic Peter Fouché. His digital ghost can be found here. They collaborate with the military, thus giving them an insight into what is dearly needed. They often raise funds for starlinks, personalized first aid kits (IFAKs), generators, portable power stations, and other nonlethal military equipment. I regret forgetting them the first time this post went around. Visit their website to see everything they have done and more. It has more information on what and how they do it than this post can cover.

One Team One Fight (Twitter; Website; Linktree) has some of the original members that worked for Ukraine Aid Ops. They formed their own group after differences with the previous one, and are still helping Ukraine. They are very visible on various social media showing what they have accomplished in their deliveries to various brigades. They're another group that seeks to bring starlinks, drones, medical supplies and protective gear to the battalions that come to them for help. Check out their website for more information on their current fundraisers, their achievements, and received recognition.

NAFO 69th Sniffing Brigade (Twitter; Website) Another small group that focuses their funds on delivering drones, generators, vehicles, and saving the occasional furry companion. They are very diligent in their updates for their fundraising campaigns. Check out their website for more information and the articles written about them.

Postmaster General Boomer (Twitter; Website) focuses on humanitarian aid, animal aid, and logistics. Boomer is the beloved pet of one of the founders and the secret boss/mascot. They have many transparency reports and are diligent in reporting the various "tours" they do in getting supplies where they are needed to go. They are based in Germany but have built up many connections during their existence. They have also worked closely with Ukraine Aid Ops.

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I am sure I have forgotten some, so please reply or comment with any more I should add to this master post. I will edit and update as I see and evaluate more.

Last updated: Aug. 13th, 2024

Version updates listed below

August 13th, 2024 Added:

Hospitallers

Saint Javelin

The Kyiv Independent

Project Konstantin

1 Team 1 Fight

NAFO 69th Sniffing Brigade

Post Master General Boomer

[kittytyunnibunni]

im not sure if it's an easy idea but maybe txt in your university and how each romance (separately) would start with them :)) (im in uni so im excited lol)

Omg omg omg omg my first anon!!!! Tysm for the suggestion!!

Yeonjun: he would defiantly be your dance coach and would constantly give you extra lessons. “your form is ot a bit off love-let me help you~” UGHH HES SO SISUZUUXXUXUHWH.

soobin: you would be his hall way crush for sure. He would work on thw school news paper and see your name pop up *𝐲/𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩!* he would fantasize about you while he works.

Beomgyu: class clown who loves making u laugh! He would defiantly get up in the middle of class to cause havoc just to see you smile and he would whisper “thats right honey~keep on smiling gorgeous“

Taehyun: academic rivals. He would challenge you any time he got and would enjoy your confident deminer as you say that its on “alright ill go easy on you sweetheart.dont wannasee tears roll down that beautiful face when i beat you.“

Kai: aww he would be a secret admirer! Putting sweet little notes in your locker signing them *H.K.K*. He would hide around the corner waiting to here your sweet voice read the message out loud. “god she so amazing. I want her so bad!“ he would whisper.

ALL DONE HOLY SHIT!!! PLEASE ENJOY MY LOVES

[lotusflowerbreakingthesurface]

Let's Talk About PingXie: Part 3

PingXie Fanfiction Vocabulary

Or "Some Words in PingXie Fanfiction That Can't Be Translated Properly by MTL" XD

Here is a list of words that I found interesting and occasionally appeared in PingXie fanworks. I couldn't find the exact equivalents for most of them in English, so please excuse me for the long explanation. My friend helped me out, but my knowledge is still limited (⁠^_^⁠;⁠)⁠ゞ

It's not a complete list (and kinda random). Please note that they are mostly used in PingXie/DMBJ fandom, I don't know about other fandoms. I may add some more, if I find it again.

🆕Update: the follow-up is here, it's a compilation of tags

©Divider by @saradika-graphics, @anitalenia

窗户纸 (mtl: window paper) : it's like a trope where they're being so ambiguous and the status of their relationship may not be revealed, but everyone also knows that they are lovers. It's a special connotation of symbolic objects in Chinese culture, refers to two people who have a very deep love but did not confess to each other, their feelings are hidden in the heart. Other people also know that their relationship is similar to lovers but they did not say it. It's like a layer of window paper has not been pierced.

捅窗户纸 (mtl: pierce the window paper) : it's almost the same as the previous one, but they come to the realization of their feelings and confess to each other. They end up together, become lovers.

论坛体/直播体 (mtl: forum body/live broadcast body) : something like Social Media AU, but it's often on the forum instead or written in forum style.

竹马 (mtl: bamboo horse) : a male childhood friend

校草 (mtl: school grass/school bully) : the most handsome boy in the school

沙雕 (mtl: sand sculpture) : funny and silly

骨科 (mtl: orthopedics) : incest

伪骨科 (mtl: pseudo-orthopedics) : they are brothers but not real siblings

清水 (mtl: clear water) : no description of s*xual activities

破镜重圆 (reunited after a broken mirror) : they meet again after separation which is usually not in a good way/unreconciled

本传 (mtl: biography) : refers to the main story of DMBJ

杭州名木/杭州著名木头 or 吴邪，杭州一块有名的木头 (mtl: Wu Xie, a famous piece of wood in Hangzhou) : it's like comparing Wu Xie to the wood, because he is being oblivious and insensitive, he doesn't notice that Zhang Qiling loves him haha. There is a meme based on this lol.

Meme source: I forgot where I found it, but there should be a watermark on it. I translated the picture on the right side using mtl with a few corrections. Sorry for my poor translation (⁠๑⁠•⁠﹏⁠•⁠)

铁木真/铁・木・真 (tiě mù zhēn/temujin) : it's not Genghis Khan here, it's a pun or a joke about Wu Xie. It's like the previous one, but added one more element.

"铁" (mtl: steel/iron) for "钢铁直男" means he is a straight man of steel

"木" (mtl: wood) for "杭州著名木头" means he is the famous wood in Hangzhou

"真" for "天真" Wu Xie's "Tiānzhēn"

白月光 "bái yuèguāng" (mtl: white moonlight) : the first love that can't be forgotten

吴山四美 "wúshān sì měi" : four beauties of Wushan(ju)—Wu Xie, Zhang Qiling, Xie Yuchen, Hei Xiazi

嫩牛五方 "nèn niú wǔ fāng" : a group of five people—Wu Xie, Zhang Qiling, Pangzi, Xie Yuchen, Hei Xiazi

挨千刀 (mtl: suffer a thousand cuts) : it is used to scold someone, but it is not insulting them. Its tone is more into worried rather than being angry. For example, Wu Xie complains "挨千刀的闷油瓶" in his heart, it sounds like he uses a spoiled tone to show his annoyance.

醋[瓶] (mtl: vinegar) : jealous [Zhang Qiling]

墨水[瓶] (mtl: ink) : a slight dark [Zhang Qiling]

排雷 (mtl: demining) : a setting that you should pay attention before reading, usually it is unacceptable for most people.

黑金古刀 (mtl: black gold ancient sword/black gold ancient knife) : Xiaoge's sword

大白狗腿 (mtl: big white dog legs) : Wu Xie's dagger

发丘指 (mtl: hair mound finger/Faqiu finger) : Zhang Qiling's two long fingers

哥嫂 : brother and sister-in-law, refers to Zhang Qiling (哥) and Wu Xie (嫂)

吃软饭 "chī ruǎn fàn" (mtl: eat soft rice) : a slang that means men rely on women to survive

吃豆腐 (mtl: eating tofu) : something like taking advantage of others, teasing or flirting, etc.

PA : parody

脐橙 (mtl: navel orange) : a wordplay of "骑乘" which means r*ding aka c*wgirl position

水煎 (mtl: boiled water/water decoction) : a word play for "睡奸" which means somn*philia

Doi : same as ML (from English "do" and "i" from Chinese "Love" (爱 "ài")

双龙 (mtl: double dragon) : double p*netration

爆炒/炒 (mtl: stir-fry/fried) : to b*ng someone, "炒" is a wordplay of "f*ck"

XP : s*xual fetish

SP : sp*nking

QJ : r*pe

Some of them courtesy of PinkSnake. Thank you for all the help!🌹

◀ Previous | Next ▶

[justacynicalromantic]

Engineering Forces of Ukraine

Engineering forces of Ukraine are a type of special forces in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which are designed to provide engineering support for combat operations. There are units of engineering troops in each of the types of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as separately in the Main Directorate of Operational Support.

Among the main tasks in peacetime are the detection and destruction of explosive objects and obsolete ammunition, participation in the protection of hydraulic structures and bridges during floods and ice drifts, elimination of the consequences of natural disasters - in Ukraine together with the National Emergency Service and abroad in peacekeeping missions.

In war, Engineer Forces perform tasks both at the front and in the rear, helping to solve logistical or defense tasks :

engineering reconnaissance of the enemy, terrain and facilities;

construction and equipment of fortification structures (trenches, trenches and communication passages, shelters, dugouts, storage facilities, etc.), arrangement of field structures for the accommodation of troops (housing, economic, medical);

building various types of engineering barriers, carrying out the installation of minefields, equipment of non-explosive barriers (anti-tank ditches, escarpments, counterscarps, pits, etc.);

demining of the area and objects;

preparation and maintenance of troop movement routes;

equipment and maintenance of crossings on water obstacles, including the construction of bridges;

extraction and purification of water in the field and others;

providing countermeasures against the enemy's intelligence and weapon guidance systems.

[countessofravenclaw]

Blue and Green: Gastina color cues

Hey! Have you all missed my trademark Gastina analyses? Well, they are back!

Everyone is familiar of me geeking over the fact that I always made Gastón and Nina wear matching clothing but I also love that there also were other visual cues repeated with them.

Blue and Green are their respective favorite colors and Gastón does wear quite a bit of green, usually in the form a jacket. Nina also does wears blue of then, especially with demin skirts in S1. Wine red suits her a bit better but her Roller Jam outfit's pale dusty blue was very beautiful on her.

But why am I actually talking about this? Because two of them keep wearing green nd blue in lot of big Gastina moments

S1E50

Nina, of course, runs away from Gastón, and stood him up which is not talked about enough in this fandom.

S1E57

Next time they both wear green and blue when Nina literally ran into him at the lockers

I would have really loved it if this trend would have been carried to the first kiss, where Nina did wear blue but Gaston was not wearing green, but that ugly red vest from Back to future

S2E59

This whole he asks her out again is really similar to the one from S1 when he asks her out for the first time, and they are again wearing green and blue

S2E59

And the n we get to the actual moment when they get back together the colors are actually reversed.

And was the point of all this... well...

ina was wearing green when she said to Eric that she still wasn't over Gastón.

She isn't over him and her wearing his favorite color symbolizes that

And lets not forget that Nina was pretty decked out in green the whole final episode with some pops of blue

Take that Niric endgame. No one is buying you anyway

She is still unconsciously paying homage to Gastón because she is still in love with him.

Nina is literally wearing Gastón's favorite color through this episode with her final outfit being majorly green with intertwining blue that represents her.

Nina doesn't usually wear green.

Meaning of blue

Because blue is favored by so many people, it is often viewed as a non-threatening color that can seem conservative and traditional. Blue calls to mind feelings of calmness or serenity. It is often described as peaceful, tranquil, secure, and orderly. Blue is often seen as a sign of stability and reliability. Blue is a serene and calming color that represents intelligence and responsibility

Meaning of green

What green means: Green is universally associated with nature, linked as it is to grass, plants and trees. It also represents growth and renewal, being the color of spring and rebirth. Another association is “getting the green light” to go ahead, giving it an association with taking action.In the US, green (and especially dark green) is also associated with money and so represents prosperity and stability and bringing a sense of visual balance and, as a result, a soothing and relaxing influence.

These colors were no accident when you look at the meanings. They have pretty similar meanings that represent both Gastón and Nina separately and together really well

Color meanings

[jcinterlude]

My fav lone songs as outfits:

Pt 1

Something I’ve been wanting to attempt for a while - styling outfits based on the vibe and feel of some of my favourite lone songs. Hopefully I do them justice…

Dover Street Market

Starting off very strong with Dover Street Market. A song with a melancholic vibe, thanks to the “Night Piano” sample by Yu-Peng Chen (popularized by the well-known Genshin impact video game). The ambiance of this song to me is soft but dark; nostalgic and intentional.

Takahiro Miyashita’s Number (N)ine Archive Black wool jacket. Described as a ‘black historical style jacket ornamented velvet tapes, thread buttons with lingery style ivory colour hoocks.’ This piece is the basis of the whole outfit. To me, it matches the vibe given off during the intro - elegant and proper.

No Faith Studio Flared Demin 001 Black jeans. Personally, I really like the flared silhouette of these jeans and the parts that are distressed fits in with the darker notes of the song. Of course, the colour scheme of the overall outfit is going to be dark, so the dark washed-out grey colour is a nice touch.

Jaded London’s Umbra in Distress shredded top. Because the main centre piece is the Number (N)ine jacket, layering could really elevate the overall outfit. The fit of the jacket allows for the midriff to be exposed, so adding this distressed top underneath creates some depth by maintaining the overall dark vibes, but not overpowering the jacket itself.

Mui Mui leather lace-up ankle boots in Black. Any staple platform, chunky boot would look good with this outfit, but I chose the mui mui's just because I like the separated wedges and the chunky silver - gives the shoes and accent.

As for accessories - Vivienne Westwood's Mayfair Black Crystal Bracelet. Vivienne pieces you just can't go wrong with. To keep things in theme, silver and black jewellery would really bring things together. I like this bracelet because the colour is almost the midway point between black and silver. A simple wrist piece that still maintains the elegance of the jacket.

[mariacallous]

Seven Ukrainian vocational schools will implement a commercial drone education program, Ukraine's Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov wrote on his Telegram channel on March 1.

The new educational project called "Commercial drone pilot" will be launched in Kyiv, Sumy, Lviv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kirovohrad oblasts.

Drones have been a key tool in Ukraine's defense against Russia's war. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that surpassing Russia in drone operations is one of the top priorities in 2024.

Zelensky also signed a decree on Feb. 6 creating a separate branch of Ukraine's Armed Forces dedicated to drones. It will reportedly focus on creating special drone-specific units, increasing production, ramping up training, and pushing innovations.

"Learning how to operate a drone is vital nowadays in Ukraine," Fedorov said.

"These drones are used for sowing, rescue operations, demining," the minister added.

"They help assess the damage from the combat actions, and journalists use them to film the war."

The EU helped Ukraine purchase drones for educational purposes and prepare teachers for the program, according to Fedorov.

The plan is to extend the number of vocational schools participating in the program and approve an educational standard, creating an opportunity to prepare pupils for a future career in this area, Fedorov said.

The minister also said that more than 200 vocational schools have already requested renovation of their workshops to create "quality conditions" to prepare future specialists.

[ultrajaphunter]

RuZZian Equipment is on Fire in the Avdiiv Direction.

Fighters of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade Destroyed the RuZZian UR-77 Meteorit Demining Vehicle.

[scatterpatter]

Comfy, Dream, Evergreen :] ????? (also hiiii beloved mutual :D)

Comfy - plaid shirts or demin jackets?

Plaid shirts, I have NOT outgrown my flannel "phase". I almost always wear a flannel to work actually, I'm THAT transmasc who's just "scrawny white guy in a flannel and glasses working a tech job".

Dream - describe your perfect au.

OHHHH MAN HOW CAN I CHOOSE!!!!! Okay my favorite aus usually contain:

Found family

Familial Angst (CAN go hand-in-hand with the found family but biological familial angst works too)

Convoluted multiverse shenanigans

Robots/Androids/Etc of some variety

HURT COMFORT HURT COMFORT HURT COMFORT!!!!

Oops All Queers!

So yknow my ideal au probably has a combination of the above

Or ;) Yknow ;) Just pull a Kingdom Hearts AU. Not as in "Oh it's the Kingdom Hearts characters in an AU!" or a "Oh it's an AU set in the Kingdom Hearts universe!". But instead, it's "Yeah every fandom we're in is exists in this same setting, across these separate "worlds" and can interact with each other and it's the crossover of your dreams AND your worst nightmares" ;)

And I am not joking when I say it's amazing. It's all sillay and ironic at first but then you're absolutely unironically like "Wait these could work together" and then you have the crackiest batshit MESS of an AU that anyone on the outside would cringe at but you're sitting there having the TIME OF YOUR LIFE. The joys of "yes, and..." but with AUs. Trust me. Trust me.

Evergreen - do you like Christmas trees?

I doooo, I'm a sucker for them and I used to be THAT asshole that was like "Nooo you can't get a fake tree, you HAVE to get a real one!" but like I'm not that asshole anymore because idgaf get a fake tree if you want!!! I think they're neat and I like putting lights and silly little ornaments on them :)

AND HI MUTUAL MY BELOVED!!!!!!!

[cyberbenb]

General Staff: Ukraine liberates 14 square kilometers over past week

Ukraine has liberated 10 square kilometers in the south and 4 square kilometers in the east over the past week, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on July 10.

During the same period, Ukrainian forces have advanced more than 1 kilometer toward Russian-occupied Melitopol and Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, said the General Staff’s spokesman Andrii Kovalov.

In its morning update, the General Staff wrote that the Ukrainian military continued counteroffensive operations on the southern front lines and entrenching retaken positions.

Meanwhile, in the country’s east, Ukraine has repelled Russian attacks near Dubovo-Vasylivka, some 9 km northwest of Bakhmut, and the town of Marinka, according to the General Staff.

Ukraine war latest: Azovstal defenders return home as Ukraine marks 500 days of full-scale war

Key developments on July 8-9 * Azovstal defenders return home from Turkey * Military reports Ukrainian forces advancing near Bakhmut * Russian attack kills 9 civilians in Lyman, Donetsk Oblast * Kuleba: Ukraine’s path toward NATO ‘to become shorter’ after summit * Duda makes surprise visit to…

The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

“The enemy resists, moves units and troops, and actively uses its reserves. Heavy fighting is happening here (in the Bakhmut area),” said Kovalov, as cited by the Defense Ministry’s media center.

The Russian military has also attempted to advance toward Lyman, Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast, and Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast.

Since the beginning of the summer counteroffensive, Ukrainian troops reportedly advanced 8.6 km in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions and regained 169 square kilometers of land there.

“This is roughly proportional to the area of Odesa city. Demining operations are ongoing in these territories,” added Kovalov.

According to the official, Ukrainian forces have also liberated a total of 24 square kilometers around Donetsk Oblast’s Bakhmut.

‘It’s a lottery’: How Ukraine’s assault brigade counterattacks near Bakhmut

Editor’s note: The Kyiv Independent spent a day with soldiers from the 80th Separate Assault Brigade in June, and the story is comprised of interviews with them about their experience near Bakhmut. The soldiers are identified by their names or callsigns, and their deployment locations are not reveal…

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

[sarkartacticalus]

Demining Visor

Are you searching for Demining Visor? visit: https://sarkartactical.com/sarkar-demining-visor/

A fullface transparent 5mm polycarbonate visor that is extended by 5" at the top makes up the SARKAR VISOR BAND. It is attached to a headband that is completely adjustable for both girth and depth. The cover can be raised and lowered at will thanks to its hinge. With simple to understand pictorial self-assembly instructions, the headbands are provided separately from the visors.

[thatk9panda]

King Koopa x F!OC (Chocolate Pie)

Junior and his 7 siblings were having a lazy Sunny day in the Castle's main room just off the Boarder-line of the Mushroom Kingdom, that their Father has yet to claim for the true inhabitants of the land, the Goombas from his once Romantic target, Princess "Peach" Toadstool. Junior sometimes forgets that his Dad was trying so hard to make her his new Mom since he was younger, but now having a mind of a curious child, Junior cringes at his actions, it's so embarrassing but things have changed now. His dad, King "Bowser" Koopa has changed, he no longer fights for the land for the Goobas that begged him to get back because he is the sole only being powerful enough; a falsehood. Time and time again, Bowser fails his missions by Mario "Jump-man" Mario at every turn. Junior sets down his stuffed toy in the shape of a comically detailed bomb with an irate expression as if ready to explode at any bated breath. Stepping out into the all decorated corridor Junior hears his Father's booming voice. "Junior! Do get your Mother for me, Son. She's oversleeping again." Bowser was leaving the kitchen holding a giant pie in his scales. No doubt to Junior his Dad is having Dessert for lunch. "OK, Dad." Junior jogged the carpet steps of his home to his parents' bedroom. Yes, Peach isn't his mom but that's OK. She's still great! After a few minutes of walking and jogging to save time, Junior arrives a tad bit breathless, his excitement to see his mom pushed him to sprint down the hallway. The door to the room was away from others 'close-by' and detailed with rubies and golden frames, his Dad once had a simpler door but upon her arrival, he ordered something Mario wouldn't be able to get through so easily, Window was out of the question, coming in from it just led you to a different part of the castle altogether at random even if you see her from it. Junior can't figure out if his Dad forgot to change it or the two agreed to keep because it was set up all nice. The door remains unlocked without caution, The room was darkly lit, a few candles lines the walls on all four walls, half of it burns to keep the room total darkness has the thick curtain blocked the open stone window. Junior tip-toes on his claws to avoid being noisy has he approaches the bed in the center of the room against the parallel wall of the entrance. Thick blankets nearly cover the tiny human woman under it, nearly, her hair was spread through the white pillow in contrast to her golden pink thick curls. He pokes what he assumes is her shoulder, his action repeats in a motion of swaying her back and having her body maneuver back to its original position. "Mom, wake up. Dad says you're sleeping the day away." "Nooo... So comfy." The woman groans as she buries herself deeper into the warm covers she longs to connect with. "Mom." Junior deadpanned calls. His expression was a look of mild annoyance but a sneaky plan formed in his mind last second. "Dad's eating your chocolate-chip pie." Silence. "Can I have a minute, Junior?" She made no action to move yet her voice sounded much wider awake, Junior left the room, closing the door behind him and made his way downstairs, she'll catch up. Junior hears the door open and quickly close and outcomes running is his Dad's wife and his and his siblings' Mom, Averie. All of her custom dresses were simple and breezy, King Bowser finally gave him on her outfits, she seems happy to wear something loose and flexible, Averie told him that Bowser used to think that she would sneak away at night but having on such restricting garments would make escaping difficult for her unless she stripped down and that would be obvious of her actions but now the two have reached that step of trust. He's so proud of his Dad. "Where is your father?" Averie stumps for off in her heels strapped at her ankles for grip. "Outside in the Garden!" Averie took off in a marathon, the servants and occupations continue on with their day, not a one-bit concern for the heavy footsteps fast approaching and quickly fleeting away. The castle sure is lively now more than over, they wonder why it wasn't like that before, why did a human girl from a different world have to come and make that change? The desire for the answer didn't linger long before everyone 's mind went elsewhere. Junior arrives downstairs towards the front entrance of the Castle, he opens the door just as Averie's voice rang through the green grounds of the Garden growing off the side of the Castle. "Bowser! Where's my pie?!" Heavy, Very Heavy footsteps shake the grounds as he can barely see his Father fleeing deeper inside the Maze of roses. Averie quickly finds him, the stomps end. King Bowser has just finished savoring the pie he has taken from the kitchen, oh his wife- tasty pie, good pie. He loves her chocolate-chip pies the best, no question. Too bad he's going to get into trouble for not sharing it like it was intended for and she slaved so hard in the kitchen the night before to prepare it just right, he would felt guilty if it weren't worth eating. Maybe he can try recreating it so he'll be in less trouble. "BOWSER!" His flaming red eyebrows nearly extend off his face, his spine stiffens as he hears the voice he loves so much scream his name in bloody-murder. And today I die She was approaching closer, Bowser didn't consider hiding deeper inside the Maze, but he didn't feel he needed to, he was sure he had time to even hide the evidence... unless. Junior's snark smirk filled his thought bubble. Traitor! He told her! He took off, leaving the empty crumble foil pan on deserted on the ground. Averie is fast approaching now. He can feel her presence climbing his spiked shell. Here it comes. Having been romantic with her for awhile Bowser has come to where rope around his shell so she'll have something grab, especially since his arms are far much wider for her to grab. She stepped on his tail as leverage and roped her way up to his shoulder, Bowser was too big for the tight space and not all that fast compared to his wife. He falls on his stomach, defeated as she grips his horns in victory, he looks to the side of his eye to see she one again isn't dressed like a Queen of the Koopas, having natural bed head curls crown her face, skin clear of the drool that always cakes the side of her lip and eyes for reasons only he knows, yet she stands as graceful as a Goddess, Bowser has never witness beauty such as this and he prays he is the only lucky man to see all of it. "Bowser, you ate the pie! I made that today's dinner with the Princess!" She pouts as she leans close, her frame blocks the sun from him, darkening his sights as he glances up, he cares not for eating that Delicious pie but the upset tone she uses telling him he done wrong, twist his stomach. She remains on top of him, legs on either side of his shoulders as if to keep him pin but he and her as well as everyone knows that's impossible but he plays submission from time to time to make her feel better. Her fragrance, he finally inhales when the pie's smell faze from his nostrils. Her scent is hers and his, such an intoxicating aroma. He grows excited, no! Bad! Not now, Now you're in trouble. "I'm sorry, My Love but you know how weak I am to your desserts." He uses play on words. "No! That's not okay, you know how hard I worked on it and how I was gonna show off, why didn't you just eat the other ones? I made your favorite Cinnamon Peach, knowing you were gonna try something like this." She pulls at his horns as 'punishment' poor girl, she's only digging herself in deeper. "I didn't see it." He lied. True, Cinnamon Peach pie was his favorite, he had Peach's name in it and Bowser order Averie to bake it for him whenever he failed his mission, which was nearly every other day. Dark days indeed, how she would work for hours, sleep rarely and looked like a piece of trash took form. How he hates the old him for treating her like he did. His desire for Peach nearly cost him a Happy Ending but that all changed when she intentionally went against his wishes of another pie to the Chocolate-chip that fell in love with, it was also her favorite as well. "Liar." Call out. Her face gets closer. She stares down to his huge yellow lips before meeting his eyes again. "Stop lying." "Okay" "Don't say Okay then do it again." "Okay" "Bowser!" King Koopa, reaches an arm, gripping her ankle and pulling her under him. She doesn't fight it, he always reclaims his position as 'Top' when he feels she had enough of being Bossy to the King. She folds her arms under her chest, prepping them up with a squeeze. "Over it yet?" He asks, voice powerful and in control. No response, she moves her head to the side with a huff. Bad move. Bowser has grown to love the fight she puts up. It was different and unique. He opens his fangs and gently nip the skin of the meeting of her shoulder and neck, she shivers at the pleasant love bite, she relaxes her arms, positioning herself in a much comfortable; Legs spread apart in a loose spread out pose, her arms bend over her head to wrap his biceps keeping his upper body from crushing her. He pulls himself closer to the ground to nip her again, she shivers at the contact. This tiny woman, that hasn't cringe at his touch and advances just so willingly complies to his love. He really did miss this chance. He hasn't taken much thought to why. He was just longing for a woman in his and his children's lives, that why she would ever never crossed him, even as the two make sneaky love making out in the open of the garden. He can't figure out where this passion came from. He never had these feelings for Peach, of course, he wanted her, he loved her but this activity has never crossed him when he thought of her. Enough comparing the two, there's only one and she's lying under me right now. The Queen and King receive and gives each other a longing kiss in the middle of a Hot day, luckily Bower's huge form shadows hers from the impossible heat. She pulls away, always the one to be out of breath first, she pushes at his chest to separate the two. "Okay, I forgive you, Now let's go back inside. I have to remake a pie." She suggests. After all this, Bowser had other plans. "Not right now. You have something to take care of first." He states out lustfully to his beautiful and submissive Queen.

[petrodragonicapocalypse]

it's june! OFMD S2 is confirmed and I've finally finished turning this old demin jacket into an EPIC GAY PIRATE JACKET. it took over a month and the snake tattoo thing made me want to launch myself into the sun. so overall it was great fun!

bonus vid of me wearing it (half finished) at a pride march, where like 8 separate people approached me to scream about it. the show isn't even out in my country 🏴‍☠️🏳️‍🌈

[trofysisters]

День восемнадцатый (18)

С утра Анфиса повысила обаяние. (In the morning, Anfisa increased her charm)

Катя побежала к микрофону, хотя хочет повысить логику :) (Katya ran to the microphone, although she wants to increase her logic)

Тося сама повышает навык тела, хотя для работы это не требуется. Но сами девчата любят сильных мужчин, и лесорубы предпочитают крепких девушек. Так что, всё правильно делаешь, Тося :) (Tosya herself increases the skill of the body, although this is not required for work. But the girls themselves love strong men, and lumberjacks prefer strong girls. So, you are doing everything right, Tosya)

Вера, Катя, Надя и Тося поехали на работу. (Vera, Katya, Nadya and Tosya went to work)

Анфиса, похоже, хочет блистать на сцене. (Anfisa seems to want to shine on stage)

Вместо этого ей приходится заниматься разминированием боеголовок. Жизнь несправедлива, Анфиса. (Instead, it should deal with demining warheads. Life is not fair, Anfisa)

На работе к Вере пристал нудный коллега. Он хотел знать, что она слушает на рабочем месте. Чтобы от него отделаться, Вера соврала, что слушает рабочие материалы, он не поверил. Между ними нарастало напряжение, и шеф решил убрать Веру из отдела, понизив ее до конструктора. Вера в шоке. (A boring colleague came to work with Vera. He wanted to know what she listened to at work. To separate from him, Vera lied that she was listening to working materials, he did not believe it. Due to the tension between them, the boss decided to demote Vera to designer. Vera shocked)

Чтобы поднять настроение, Вера пошла в сельский клуб, где познакомилась с только что окончившим университет Алешей Великановым. (To cheer up, Vera went to the village club, where she met Alyosha Velikanov, who had just graduated from the university)

Мальчик ей очень понравился. (She liked the boy very much)

Девчата вернулись с работы. Анфису сделали специалистом по переговорам с террористами. - Да вы меня убить хотите?! - возмущалась Анфиса. Она даже отказалась ехать на свидание с бывшим ухажером в Областной центр и завалилась спать. Тосю, Катю и Надю сделали совладельцами фирмы. (The girls are back from work. Anfisa was made a specialist in negotiations with terrorists. - Do you want to kill me?! - Anfisa was indignant. She even refused to go on a date with a former boyfriend to the Regional Center and fell asleep. Tosya, Katya and Nadya were made co-owners of the company)

Для повышения Тосе нужна логика и творчество, но она отказалась учиться. (Tosya needs logic and creativity to improve, but she refused to study)

Остальные девчата безропотно с��ли за шахматы. (The rest of the girls meekly sat down at chess)

Глубокой ночью Вера и Анфиса заедали стресс от сегодняшнего дня. На сытый желудок любые трудности кажутся преодолимыми. (Vera and Anfisa ate late at night to get rid of the stress of the day. On a full stomach, any difficulties seem surmountable)

Ранее - Далее

[ghstandpucks]

Cutting Edge ~ Nathan MacKinnon Ch.11

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great past week and a great Christmas if you celebrated! I am super excited about this chapter and the next one! This is a part that I’ve had planned out since the beginning of writing this series so I hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think! Also let me know if you would like to be added to the tags! Have a happy and safe New Years in a few days <3

Cutting Edge Master List

You were seated on a plane next to Nate headed for Pittsburg and the NHL All-Stars. Since you were the only two going from the Avs, travel arrangements were made for the both of you to arrive together. The media team also gave you all the information for their Instagram account so you could have an “All-Star Take Over”. Openly being able to spend time with Nate and post about it, you would take it. You posted a video on the story once you landed of Nate putting all your bags onto a luggage cart, him looking a mixed of amused and annoyed as he tried to balance both of your bags. You were not a light traveler, and your skating bag plus his made for a bulky set up. Comments started to pour in with excited fans about the weekend’s events, and a few laughing at his expression. There were a few comments over a soft smile he sent you as you poked fun at him in the video, but you ignored those knowing that the exchange was harmless enough.

The hotel was packed and you were feeling slightly overwhelmed. Media was being set up for later that evening, different players and coaches were checking in, and you all of a sudden felt incredibly small surrounded by large bodies. You weren’t used to all the fanfare in the place you were staying. The Olympics had been insane, but the cameras and reporters were kept out of the hotels. Nate noticed your change in deminer and knocked his elbow into you, earning a quick smile as you stood a bit closer to him. He wished he could reach out for you, but he knew this was not the place. As you were about to check in, you heard your name being yelled behind you. You turned around and found Jeremy making his way over to you. Running up to him, you both collided in a fit of giggles. “My child! How are you?” Jeremy said as he pulled away.

           “Good! This is all just a little crazy though. How are you?”

           “Can’t complain. Happy to see you again,” you gave him another hug as Nate walked over to the two of you, holding out a room key.

           “I was able to check you in too,” he said, then turned his attention to Jeremy. “Nice to finally meet you in person Jeremy,” he introduced himself.    

           “Yes, I feel like I know you already from all those facetimes the past few weeks,” Jeremy chuckled and shook his hand. He was referring to the times you were helping him put together his routine, and Nate would hold your phone as you showed Jeremy the choreography. You talked a bit more, then headed toward your rooms. Nate told you he would meet you in the lobby before heading over to the media event that was going to ‘capture everyone arriving.’ Basically, it was like a red-carpet event with sports reporters. You learned that the figure skaters were all on one floor, and were thankful Jeremy was staying next door. There was actually a door that connected your rooms, and as you hung up your clothes, Jeremey unlocked both sides so he could just make his way through. This was typical of the two of you if you were staying next to each other. Bradie also ended up being across the hall, and made her way over to get ready with you and Jeremy.

           You curled your hair into a soft, beachy wave and kept your makeup noticeable but natural. Bradie helped you zip up your dress and you pinned her blonde hair up into a lose bun. Jeremy waltz backed into your room in a deep purple tux, white collared shirt, and a black bowtie. “You two look absolutely stunning!” he gushed. Bradie was in a floor length red dress with a boat neck line and lace sleeves. You were wearing a ballet pink strapless dress that was fitted on the top, then pooled out into a skirt of tule at your waist and ended mid-calf. The necklace Nate gave you sat daintily at the base of your neck and shimmered in the light. Slipping on your heels and taking one last look in the mirror, your group made way to the lobby.

           Bradie and Jeremy went to find their team members, while you looked around for Nate. Glancing around the room, you finally caught sight of him and made your way over. He was talking with someone, though you weren’t positive who as their back was to you. As you approached though and Nate locked eyes with you, he seemed to forget what he was saying. You looked nothing short of an angel, and he was in absolute aw of you. He just so happened to be talking to Sidney Crosby at the moment, who at first was confused by his friend’s abrupt stop. Sidney followed Nate’s line of vision to you though, and he chuckled. Sid didn’t know about your relationship, but he could guess Nate had feelings for you from the number of times he had mentioned you when they talked, and just by the way he was looking at you now. If he didn’t know any better, he would say his friend was a goner for you.

           As you joined the two of them, you smiled over at Sid. Of course you knew who he was, but you had never been introduced. “Hi, I’m Y/N Y/L/N,” you said, extending your hand.

           “Sidney Crosby, it’s nice to meet you Y/N,” Sid returned your smile and shook your hand. Nate finally snaped out of whatever daze he had been in as you spoke, your voice drawing is attention back to the present. You smiled up at him, and Sid tried to hide a laugh as Nate’s neck and face turned slightly red. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find my coach,” Sid said.

           “Oh, Gracie is right over there,” you said, pointing over to the blonde who was speaking with none other than Ashley Wagner. You loved Gracie Gold, but she was too sweet to notice the undermining Ashley likes to do. Your hand subconsciously went to your necklace, making sure it was flipped the correct way. Sid thanked you and excused himself, leaving you and Nate. Looking up at him, you smiled and went to fix his tie that was slightly off-center. “Well don’t you look nice,” you whispered so only he would hear.

           “You look amazing,” he matched your tone. You blushed under his gaze, noticing he had on the watch you had given him for Christmas. With a smile, he offered you his arm and you placed your hand in the crook of his elbow, allowing him to lead you to the media event.

           For about the next two hours, you answered questions and posed for pictures. Some of the interviews were individual, others asked you to join in with Nate. You were able to take a few pictures with him, careful not to stand too close or lean too much into him. It was fun being able to laugh together though when asked a few ridiculous questions like who the better skater was. The both of you said the other, then as he chirped you about it you poked fun at him right back. Your banter seemed to make for a fun interview, as you noticed some reporters kept you around longer than others. Nate was finished before you, as you had been trailing down the line behind him. Once you were finished with your last interview, you walked back into the hotel lobby and looked around for him. Upon not finding him, you took your phone out of your clutch and checked. Fortunately he had text you, telling you to meet him on the roof.  

           Stepping out of the elevator, the rooftop played host to a garden and a few fire pits spread out. Outdoor lights were strung above which made for an almost fairytale like scene. As you rounded a corner that had another, more secluded fire place and a view that over looked the city, you found Nate sitting there. He looked over his shoulder at the sound of your heels, and got out of his seat meeting you halfway. “Why didn’t you grab a jacket?” He asked in a low register, immediately taking his suit jacket off and placing it around your shoulders.

           “I didn’t want to keep you waiting,” you said softly, slipping your arms into the sleeves. No one was on the roof, and Nate brought his hands up to cup your cheeks, leaning down to place a sweet kiss on your lips.

           “You look so beautiful,” he simply stated. Your hands went to his and you curled your fingers around them. Smiling up at him, you pulled his hands down and took a step back, using one of his hands to twirl yourself around for him.

           “You like?” you teased with a giggled. Nate chuckled and grabbed at your waist, pulling you up against his chest. His forehead rested on yours as his fingers started to curl into your sides, tickling you.  

           “Very much,” he said as you laughed and tried to squirm away from him. Once he stopped and you calmed down, he led you over to the fire pit and you noticed a pizza box sitting near it. “Thought you might be hungry. I know I am.” You sat down and took a bite of pizza.

           “You’re the best,” you hummed as you both enjoyed your late-night meal. You sat out there a little longer, no one else ever coming up. In your little secluded section, you somehow ended up sitting in Nate’s lap with your back against his chest, his chin resting on top of your head. You talked about nothing in particular, enjoying some peace and time all to yourselves. It was a little past midnight as you started to doze off in Nate’s arms, and he gently woke you so you could head back to your rooms. You had both decided that with media all around this weekend and your rooms around people who would definitely talk if you were caught sneaking into each other’s rooms, it was best to play it safe and stay separately. Before your elevator got to your floor, you leaned up and kissed Nate, then slipped off his jacket. Looking into his blue eyes, you saw an emotion you had never quiet seen before, and it made your heart flutter. “Goodnight Nate,” you whispered as the door opened. Looking around, there was no one to be found, so Nate stalled the elevator for a second.

           “I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow?” he asked. You smiled and nodded. Tomorrow after a continental breakfast, the players all had ice time for practice if they wanted to. Then the two of you had another media thing to do, then the figure skaters had ice time. Nate smiled softly at you. “Goodnight Coach,” he said for good measure, incase anyone could actually hear you. You stifled a giggle and waved, walking toward your room. And just like he realized you were taking pieces of his heart as you walked away in Dallas after the game, this time Nate was hit hard with a different, but similar realization. He was falling in love with you.    

~ ~ ~

           You were half awake when Jeremy barged into your room and plopped down on the bed next to you. “You obviously haven’t looked at your phone yet today, have you?” he asked, and you stared at him with wide eyes, shaking your head. He took a deep breath and held up his, showing you a clip from Youtube. It was of one of Ashley’s interviews last night, and you were confused as to why Jeremy was showing it to you. About two minutes in to the interview, the reporter asked Ashley what she thought about sharing the ice with you once again. You could visibly see how the question got to her, and braced yourself for the answer. “Well, everyone knows she doesn’t have a quad, and those are big jumps to have now. It’s a wonder how she even won the Olympics without one.” Jeremy stopped the video and you laid there shocked for a moment; she did not just say that!

           “Are you kidding me!” you practically yelled jumping out of bed. “Who does she think she is?! She doesn’t have a quad either! That bitch!” You grabbed your phone and started to look up a different ice rink in the area. Finding one that was only about 15 minutes away and would be more private to practice at than the one that was being used for the All-Stars, you grabbed your tights, skating shorts and leg warmers and walked into your bathroom to change. Upon walking out, you found Jeremy in his skating attire also. “No one had a quad during those Olympics. Only like 3 women have ever even landed one in competition and that was just this past year!” you ranted. Jeremy nodded, slightly worried you were about to combust. “And another thing! I have a quad! I just don’t land it consistently so I kept it out of my routines.” You threw a water bottle from the fridge into your skate bag and grabbed your hotel key. As you started to walk out the door, you turned back to Jeremy who looked like he was unsure of what to do. “Are you coming?”

           “I’ll order the Uber,” he simply said, grabbing his skates and following you out. You quickly ran into the continental breakfast room, spotting Nate. He smiled, then looked completely concerned as he had no idea why you were in your skating clothes when you didn’t have open ice till later that evening. You weren’t sure who he was sitting with, but didn’t care at that moment as you only had beating Ashley at her own game on your brain.

           “I’m going to different rink; I have to work on something. I’ll be back before our media thing,” you said curtly, walking over to the buffet to grab a quick bite to eat. Jeremy handed you a yogurt as he grabbed one for himself, knowing it was better to hand you things at this point instead of asking questions.

           “What’s going on Y/N,” you heard Nate say behind you in a low tone, and you wanted to tell him, you wanted to break down at that moment because you were hurt that Ashley would even say such a thing, but you gave him a soft smile and shook your head.  

           “I don’t want to talk about it here,” you simply stated and he nodded, still looking concerned. He was about to say something when Jeremy cut in.

“Our Uber is a minute away. We need to go,” he said. You picked up an orange juice to go with your yogurt and gave Nate a smile, one which he knew was fake, and started to walk toward the door so you could leave.

           “What happened?” he asked Jeremy who didn’t follow you as he wanted to reassure Nate that he had you and you were going to be fine. He was sure by Nate’s face that he had never seen this side of you before. Gone was the sweet, bubbly Y/N; replaced by someone who was extremely competitive and rightfully pissed off.  

           “Ashley happened. I’ll send you the link. I’m going with her so she doesn’t hurt herself because she’s about to get very upset over a jump. I’ll make sure she’s back on time and in one piece,” Jeremy tried to reassure him.

           “What do you mean? What jump?” Nate asked, confused. He hadn’t seen you struggle with a jump when you practiced in Denver.

           “A quad. You know, four times around in the air? They’re still kind of rare for women in performances but Ashley called her out.”

           “What?” Nate wasn’t sure if he needed to be more upset with Ashley, or worried about you trying to do this jump that sounded impossible in his mind.

           “Don’t worry. If anyone can land a jump out of pure spite and anger, it’s Y/N. It’s how she first lands most of her jumps because she becomes irritated with them. I have to go though, just try not to worry,” Jeremy said, racing out after you as he saw the Uber arriving.  

~ ~ ~

           An hour later Nate was on the ice, but his head was not in it. All he could really think about was how flustered you seemed this morning. He had watched the clip that Jeremy had sent him as soon as he got back to his room after breakfast, and immediately understood your reaction. He wished he could be of more help though, instead of feeling completely out of place in the politics of figure skating. If it were a hockey player, he would just deck him at their next game. Maybe when they played Dallas again….no, he thought, that would just upset you if he picked a fight for no reason.  

           As all of these thoughts were going through his mind, Sid skated over to him, knocking into him jokingly. “What’s going on with you?”

           “Nothing,” Nate shook his head and Sid gave him a look that told him he did not believe that. “Y/N was pissed this morning and now she’s working on this quad jump which sounds impossible and I don’t know what to do. Figure skaters fight differently than us I guess.” Sid wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh because it sounded ridiculous for Nate to care this much about something that seemed trivial to him, or if he needed to actually try to help his friend through whatever emotion he was trying to process at the moment.

           “We are talking about your coach Y/N, right?”

           “Yeah, my coach,” Nate mumbled, looking down. Sid thought better of his next question at first, but decided to ask it anyway.

           “Is she only a coach to you?” Nate’s eyes shot around quickly, and then realizing it was only him and Sid standing off to the side, he let out a deep breath.

           “She’s my girlfriend. We’ve been dating for a few months but keeping it a secret because she like put this whole program together you know,” Nate admitted quietly, he knew he could trust Sid. The older man nodded, then smiled and chuckled.

           “I could have guessed there was something between you two last night. Good for you man, I won’t say anything. As for her I’m sure she’s fine. I mean, she is an Olympic champion so I’m sure knows what she’s doing.”

           Right as those words came out of his mouth, 15 minutes away you were falling to the ice once more, your knee colliding nastily to the side. You got up and brushed the ice off, knowing that was going to leave a bruise. Jeremy looked at you sympathetically. “Maybe it’s time to stop for the day. You’ve landed a majority of them.” You took your water from him and took a sip, knowing he was right, but also knowing this had to be perfect. Handing the water back you held up your index finger.

           “One more,” you said, skating away and setting up the jump. You were doing a quad flip. With it being your best jump, turning it into a quad was the most logical two years ago. You were just never confident in it, and by the time you were, you had performed for the last time. Setting up the jump, you dug your toe pick in and launched into the air, completing the four rotations and landing in a solid check out.

           “Beautiful!” Jeremy clapped. You skated back over to him with a smile. “Now let’s go so you can get all pretty for media, cause I’m not sure what’s happening with your hair right now,” he said, with a hand motion to your hair.  

           “What’s wrong with my hair?” you asked, half joking and half offended. You knew you probably had tons of fly away hairs.

           “You look like a mad scientist right now sweetie. I don’t think your ready to let Nate see you like this yet. I’m really just thinking of you,” Jeremy said dramatically as you cleaned your blades. You rolled your eyes and called an Uber, heading back to the hotel.

~ ~ ~

           An hour in a half later you met up with Nate at the main rink where the interview was to take place. As you reached him, you were able to see Jakob Silfverberg and Bradie finishing up their interview. Nate bumped you with his elbow and motioned for you to follow him when you looked up at him. You did, already guessing what he wanted to talk to you about. He rounded a corner and you found yourselves in a deserted hallway. As Nate opened his mouth, you launched into an apology. “I’m sorry about this morning. I just didn’t want to talk about it with so many people around and I felt like I was going to cry if I did cause I’m just so mad and honestly hurt that she would even say something like that. Like you just don’t do that.” Nate immediately reached for your hand, shaking his head.

           “Please don’t apologize. Jeremy sent me the link and I get it. I just wanted to see if I could do anything. I feel bad that I can’t do much to comfort you because of the environment we’re in this week. Really I just wanted to make sure you were ok,” he stated, rubbing his thumbs over your knuckles and looking around to make sure no one walked up on the two of you. You smiled and felt yourself relax for the first time that day. You stood on your tip-toes and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

           “I’m ok babe, thank you. My knee has a massive bruise on it, but I’ll be fine,” you answered with a slight giggle, and you really were. Though you were hurt by Ashley’s comment, the fact that Nate was checking on you made you feel like everything would be just fine. Nate chuckled.

           “So how did the jump go?” he asked, unsure at how successful you had been if you had a bruise.

           “I can land it. I just need a few more landings tomorrow and I think I’ll feel good enough to put it in the routine,” you said, and Nate grinned at you.

           “Can’t wait to see it,” he said, kissing your forehead, then dropped your hand as you both made your way back over to the interview setup.

           Once they were ready for you, Nate and yourself sat in chairs that were a little too high for you, your feet dangling and Nate immediately chirping you for it. Little did you know that the cameras were already rolling, you were live, and most of the team was watching back in Denver, laughing at your bickering. A few questions were asked, you and Nate answering and laughing at some of the funnier ones. They then announced they wanted to play a little game. They were calling it “Do You Know?”. You were both handed a white board and a marker. The interviewer was going to ask a question like “Do you know where they grew up?” and you had to answer on your board before time was up. You were told other player/coach teams have done fine, but not that great, and you and Nate gave each other a look and laughed. To the outside it just looked like you both were worried you would do the same, but the two of you knew better. You were going to dominate; dating did have its perks. Plus both of you were too competitive to even think about trying to hide how much you knew of the other…you had to be the best player/coach team. You laughed your way through the game, surprising the interviewer with how much you knew about each other. You both went 10 for 10, and high fived each other when you finished without getting any questions wrong. “How do you two know so much about each other?” the interviewer asked, raising an eyebrow. You could tell she was searching for something. Nate shrugged, so you spoke up.

           “I didn’t know anyone when I moved to Colorado, so the team became my friends. Nate became someone I could rely on and we just get along really well,” you summed it up. Before she could launch into another question, you spoke up again. “Do we get an award for being awesome or anything?” Nate cracked up and the lady forgot her question.

           “Are you kidding me Coach?” Nate looked at you with a grin. There it was, the platonic ‘Coach’. You were thankful Nate had phrased it that way.

           “I never joke about winning,” you replied, trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably. The interview ended at that, and you and Nate were free to go. Once back at the hotel, you asked for two sticky notes from reception. Nate watched you, amused and confused by your antics. You walked back over to him, and placed the sticky on his chest, showing him yours before you placed it on yourself. He laughed when he read ‘Winner’ on them. Taking a quick picture for the Avs story, you posted it on Instagram, captioning it “Best player/coach duo! #Winners”.

           Nate rode up in the elevator with you to your floor, risking a quick kiss before the doors opened. “Are you still going to your practice right now?” he mumbled in your ear. You leaned in to him and nodded.

           “Yeah, I need to lay out my choreography since it’s a different rink.”

           “Meet me on the roof once your back then?” he asked.

           “I’ll text you as soon as I drop my stuff back off in my room,” you responded as the elevator came to a stop. You stepped out and turned back to him as he grabbed your hand quickly.

           “Don’t let her get to you. You’re amazing, quad or not,” Nate whispered, and you could have melted under his gaze. The sincerity in his voice made you want to cry, but you gently smiled at the man who was managing to steal your heart, bit by bit.

           “Thank you,” you whispered back, then took a step away from him, watching the elevator doors close.

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