#probably when i was drawing the jacket and decided to give it a phoenix back patch

[oozeandgoo-art]

#hot rod #transformers #humanformers #sketch #drew this mostly bc i was playing with angles and listening to music and was thinking about how we never see like suave cool girl badass #'take up the call' cryptic types (you know exactly what kind of characters i mean) using box cutters as pocket knives even though like #well at least as far as im concerned in real life they do #those and switchblades but you do see *those* around on tv and stuff #anyway at some point it turned into hot rod #probably when i was drawing the jacket and decided to give it a phoenix back patch #anyway cool girl hot rod running around nyon should have a box cutter as a knife. more tool than weapon but she knows her way around either #because i think it would be cool #maccadam #also obvious inspiration drawn from @disformer's rodimus bishoujo design but like mostly in terms of colors

[nelllraiser]

no good deed | luce & nell

LOCATION: nell’s greenhouse. PARTIES: @divineluce​ and @nelllraiser​ SUMMARY: luce asks for nell’s herb supplies to help with her phoenix cleansing. absolutely NO emotional talk or introspection follows. CONTENT: discussion of the lydia plot without specifics, very brief and vague sibling death allusion.

Luce washed her hands in the sink, wincing as the hot water and soap stung the healing wounds. She glanced at herself in the mirror-- she looked like she’d been through hell. Deep purple bruises had blossomed across her skin, but most were covered by winding bandages she’d wrapped over the jagged cuts that ran along the back of her legs. Her back was a mess and it made sleeping a nightmare, but she couldn’t do much about it. A crooked butterfly bandage kept the cut over her eyebrow shut, and the wound was purple at the edges. She looked like shit and she felt it too. But, she couldn’t stop now.

Leaving the bathroom, Luce returned to her room and sat back down at the books she’d borrowed from Rio. The ash had been collected, a piece of the cursed earth for good measure too. The Bloodroot sat in a vase next to the window, the stems dying the water a light pink. Which left… tears, from a phoenix and cleansing herbs. The tears wouldn’t be too difficult-- Leah had said she’d help her with this, so she’d probably be alright parting with a few tears. The cleansing herbs though. Luce couldn’t pretend to know which ones were best suited to a ritual like this. Plants had never been her thing and she didn’t have the coven’s knowledge at her disposal anymore. But… there was someone else who might know. Taking the book with her, Luce made her way out to the greenhouse. And, as she suspected, Nell was there. 

Knocking lightly on the door, Luce spoke up, “Hey.” 

It was no surprise that Nell was puttering about her greenhouse after everything that had happened over the past week or so. In reality, it wasn’t all that much in comparison to the things she’d weathered before. The mad rush to save someone she loved, the devastating blow of losing that same person merely days later— though it hadn’t been in the way she’d anticipated. Frank hadn’t been the one to fell the curtain between Nell and Bex by stealing her life, it’d been Bex herself that had made the severance. The witch wasn’t trying to throw herself a pity party, it was simply that the only way she could think to keep her storming thoughts at bay was to create something, and to care for the plants she nurtured with a gentle hand. The greenhouse had always been a sanctuary of her’s, a place of peace that was her’s and only her’s where she could be alone with herself. She never needed to find the strength to draw her armor within its walls because she didn’t need it’s defenses between the fragile glass panels lining the perimeter. Here she was free to be happy, or hurt, or whatever else she might be feeling at the moment.

But with the sound of a soft knock that changed, and Nell rolled the softness from her shoulders as she went to the door, setting them into their usual and proud position. “Hey-” she began thoughtlessly when she heard the sound of her sister’s voice. A moment later shock was flitting over her face, brows drawn together with concern as she took in the ugly picture Luce made with her collection of injuries. “Luce- what the fuck. What happened? What the hell is wrong with you? I could have closed whatever cuts you have instead of whatever shoddy job you made of your legs,” she chastised while she took in her sister’s bandages. 

A grimace spread across Luce’s face as Nell stared at her, face shifting to an expression of surprise. Maybe she should have put on a jacket or something. Heatstroke would be preferable to getting a lecture. “Slipped and fell on a hike.” Luce said. It wasn’t entirely untrue. She’d been on a hike and she had fallen. Nell didn’t need to know that Morgan had helped with the fall. That Morgan had shoved her down, that she’d thought the other woman was going to kill her. “Yeah, you know me. I’m shit with first-aid.” She said offhandedly, glancing down at the haphazardly wound bandages. “It’s fine, though, I’ll be fine with some time.” Moments like this reminded her of how lucky she’d been all her life-- their mother had always been an option, even if they didn’t necessarily want her help. Now? Mixed messages aside, Luce was never stepping foot in her parents’ home again, not if she could help it. She didn’t need her mother’s help. She didn’t need her pity either. “I’ve got a question for you,” She held up the leather bound book and flipped it open to the page she’d been staring at. “Do you have any idea about what sort of herbs would be used for this sort of thing?”

Nell fixed Luce with a scrutinizing look, arms crossed over her chest as she decided whether or not she wanted to fight her sister on the lackluster answer she’d given. But for once in her life she decided that she was simply too tired, and Luce could give her the answer in due time. Nevertheless, that wouldn’t stop her from mildly calling the fire witch out. “Right. Slipped and fell.” Another disapproving glance flitted over her face before her chastisement continued. “Yeah, but you live with someone who has an entire greenhouse of healing herbs. I’m literally just upstairs in case you forgot. I could have at least scabbed the shit over and lessened the amount of ‘time’ needed.” The mention of a question and the book being presented was enough to spark Nell’s interest, if only for the sole reason that it could provide a distraction from the pity party she’d been throwing herself, wondering how she’d so spectacularly failed at teaching Bex. She should have known. Just because she wasn’t the girl she’d been a year ago didn’t mean she was suddenly equipped to take in a baby witch with her newfound emotional maturity. For a long moment, Nell scanned over the text, lips pursing further the longer she read. “This is about the phoenix that Adam told me he was helping you with? Loved finding out about that from him and not you, by the way.” 

Luce wearily rubbed the heel of her hand against her eye, ignoring the sharp twinge of pain that shot across her forehead. “It’s a long story.” She said lamely. She knew that answer wouldn’t be enough for her sister, but hopefully it would do for now. Later. She’d tell her the details later. Right now, she needed to focus. She had the flowers, she had the ashes, she had the dirt. She just needed the herbs and then the hard part-- the phoenix. And the fire. She didn’t have any idea how she was going to get that whole situation figured out, but… she had to try something. Hopefully the ritual wouldn’t be too affected by a couple cans of gasoline. “I mean, no time like the present? Care to help a sister out?” Luce joked weakly.

At the mention of Adam and the phoenix, Luce blinked. Ah. Yeah, that made sense. They were dating, Adam was a decent guy. Of course he would have told Nell about the situation they had on their hands. “Sorry. I’ve been caught up in trying to figure out how to fix shit. Spent a lot more time in the scribrary than I wanted to. Rio-- Winston’s ex? He’s lending a hand with it. Hence the book.” She said, holding the book up again.

A long story. Nell was growing increasingly tired of the ‘long stories’ that seemed to make up the majority of her life since she’d returned to White Crest. How many ‘long stories’ could someone fit over the span of a year and a half, anyway? “I’m sure it is,” she mumbled lamely, once again proving herself to be uncharacteristically not nosy for the time being. Luce had meant her words to be joking, but Nell failed to continue in that vein, unable to find the energy needed for sarcasm in the moment. “Of course I’ll help you,” she said a little too seriously, clutching onto one of the only constants in her life now that she’d lost yet another person in the form of Bex. It was beginning to look as if the only people she’d always have in her life and at her side would be her sisters, and that was a gift she couldn't afford not to treasure. Leading Luce towards a nearby chair, she began to gather the healing poultices she’d made, the ones their mother had taught her. “So you need lavender and sage.” It wasn’t a question as she took another look over the book. “That’s easy enough.” Squinting at the last plant, she was already beginning to search her brain for what the words could mean. “And a white flowered herb?” Of course a ritual wouldn’t be complete without a sufficiently vague ingredient.

“You know I could have helped ‘figure out how to fix shit’.” Nell had failed at making sure Bex didn’t feel alone, she wouldn’t do the same for her sister. “You mean the guy you punched, and then refused to apologize to?” Perhaps she was still a little bitter about the argument she and Luce had following the happening. “Yeah, that makes sense that he’d help. He’s a good guy.” 

A wave of guilt washed over Luce at the defeated sound of her sister’s voice. Fuck. “It’s-- just don’t fucking… fly off the handle, alright?” She said before running a sloppily bandaged hand through her hair. She paused, not entirely surprised by how quickly Nell figured out what kind of purifying herbs they’d need. Sage and lavender. She should have known that. But she’d never paid attention to purifying rituals, she’d never really paid attention to the plants they used at the coven meetings. She’d just accepted the bundle of herbs and lit the ends, allowing the smoke to waft through the air and mingle with the combined power of the rest of the coven. How she’d taken it all for granted. “Cool, yeah. You’ve got that growing in here, right?” Luce said as she followed Nell to a chair, looking around at the greenhouse as she walked. She’d done enough lavender tattoos to be able to spot the tall sprigs of purple. But, she refocused on her sister and stared over at Nell. “The white flower-- it’s Bloodroot. It grows at Lyssa’s Peak and I needed the stuff that grew at the top. Lunar cycles, drawing power from the moonlight, you know.” She said. Rip the bandaid. Just tell her sister what happened. No more secrets.

“I went hiking up there to get to it the other day. And I ran into Morgan. She showed me a way up the mountain and we got to talking and I was in a… mood about shit. About… Lydia.” Luce said, wondering if Nell would understand why she was in a mood, if her sister would get just why the killing didn’t sit well with her. “And she kept trying to figure out what it was and I snapped at her. And then she snapped at me. Because she’d cared about Lydia. Even though she was a fucking…” Monster. Murderer. Torturer. “Even though she was what she was. Morgan lost her cool, I lost my footing, I took a tumble down the peak. But, it’s fine. She helped me down the mountain.” She didn’t need to. She could have kicked me off. She could have let the coyote finish me. She could have let me die up there. 

Swallowing, Luce blinked at her sister’s words. Yeah. Nell could have helped her. Bea probably could have helped her too. But, again, she’d felt like she’d needed to do this on her own. And where had that landed her? Right fucking here, with no magic to speak of and just struggling to make things work. “Sorry. Old habits. And I’ve said that before, and I’m sorry. I just-- fucking, it’s hard to remember that I don’t have to do everything alone.”

“Me? Fly off the handle? Where would you get an idea like that?” There was the sarcasm Nell had been missing before, but it was short lived as she unwrapped the bandages from Luce’s legs, her frown renewed while she took in the extent of the scrapes and cuts. “Yeah, of course I’ve got those growing. They’re pretty good staples. So the sage is obviously for cleansing…” That made sense, she supposed. They had to rid the phoenix of whatever it was that had made them this way. “And the lavender...it’s for healing.” Healing couldn't take place without the cleansing. After all, you had to clean the wound before it could properly heal. Otherwise you risked it becoming infected, a festering thing that wouldn’t even get a chance to scar, let alone fade. “Sure- the moon. It makes sense.” The great glowing woman in the sky was like butter to a witch’s bread, always ready and willing to lend her strength to those who sought it. 

But the mention of Lyssa’s Peak had Nell remembering her own time in the shadow of it, watching the yellow-eyed wolf and Layla attempting to murder Adam while she and Ariana did their best to prevent it. “Lydia?” That hadn’t been a name she expected to surface, and Nell hadn’t heard it since the brief conversation of guilt she and Luce had following her death. Besides, what did Morgan have to do with Lydia? The zombie had cared about the woman who kept innocent people in a basement? Nell wasn’t all that sure what to make of that— especially when paired with the recent revelation that Morgan had befriended Miriam as well. “Her losing her cool was related to you losing your footing or not?” There was a vagueness there that Nell wasn’t ready to let go of. Not when it concerned her sister, and her injuries. “You tumbled down the fucking peak,” Nell hissed, knowing that Luce was lucky to escape with her life, let alone her bones intact. 

Nell sighed, knowing it was hypocritical of her to call Luce out for refusing help while she was guilty of the very same. She knew accepting assistance wasn’t so easy as flipping a switch. “I know.” Apparently Nell was in a forgiving mood, too tired to fight in the wake of the heaviness the past few weeks had held. “Why are you helping the phoenix, though?” Nell knew her sister had a decent heart beneath her barb-like exterior, but she’d never much gone out of the way to help an utter stranger. “Obviously I’m glad someone is- I just didn’t expect it.”

Settling into the chair, Luce cast Nell a wan smile as she listened to her sister speak. As she unwound the bandages, Luce could see just how sloppy a job she’d done. Nothing looking infected-- she wasn’t that stupid, she’d done enough tattoo aftercare to know how to wash wounds-- but it didn’t look great either. The roses on her legs were bleeding red angry cuts, the backs of her knuckles were scratched and raw, and she knew her back looked fucked to hell. None of them seemed too serious though, so with enough time, they’d fade away. “Sage for cleansing and lavender for healing.” Luce repeated, wincing as one of the bandages pulled at scabbed skin. “Good to know.”

“Hey. What did I say about handles and flying off them?” Luce reminded her sister. She’d had a brief vision of what would happen if Morgan had let her die up there, if Morgan had shoved her just a bit too hard. And it was that endless cycle of blood and vengeance, one that she didn’t want Nell to continue. It didn’t matter that she was hurt, it really fucking didn’t. “I’m alive, aren’t I? Didn’t even break anything.” She said with another grin, though the motion made the cut over her eye sting.

Why are you helping the phoenix, though? Luce looked down at her hands. The million dollar question. Why. Why was she doing this? Why was she helping them? Because it was the right thing to do? That had never mattered much to her before. “I don’t know. Because I can. Because I should.” But even those weren’t quite right. She’d never been more powerless in her life, she didn’t possess the flames to be able to really help them. She didn’t need to help them, they were nothing to her. “I just… I don’t want more people to burn. You see the news?” She gestured to the night sky through the glass of the greenhouse. “There are fires sprouting all over the forest, burning shit, running animals off their land, threatening people. Adam called me to help him deal with the situation. And I know more about fire than almost anyone in this town.” Except Mom. And Dad. And probably Bea. “And fuck, I have to try and do something.” 

While Nell continued to work with Luce’s legs, she nodded in confirmation as her sister repeated the words. “Cleansing and healing- and lavender’s also about serenity, and the peace that comes about healing.” It was clear enough why these herbs had been chosen for a ritual such as this, used to drive out whatever had brought the phoenix to this point to begin with. Cleansing, healing, peace. It was a cycle she herself hadn’t yet mastered, not even sure whether she’d washed over the wounds of the past years. If Beltane was anything to judge by...Luce had taken better care of her spiritual wounds. But the problem with letting wounds heal was that you didn’t remember them as vividly once they were gone, no longer a thorn in your side as a reminder of how they’d come to be in the first place. Healed wounds could make for complacency, and make one forget to be cautious enough to avoid the same cuts and breaks a second time around. Her cuts made her stronger, more willing and ready to take care of the people she loved. More vigilant. Was it right to give that up?

A healthy eye roll later, and Nell was tugged from the stormy seas of her thoughts, all too ready to deny Luce’s words. “You know better than to think that’s flying off the handle,” she teased back. All three of them had more than healthy tempers, though all in their own ways. Nevertheless that didn’t stop them from burning bright and hot when the time called for it. Morgan losing her own temper was something of a surprise, but Nell knew Morgan would have never willingly hurt one of the Vurals— even in the case of Luce and her tendency to push away the kindest of people. Morgan was family as well, and she wouldn’t steal another sister from the Vurals. 

Lydia, the phoenix, Morgan, and not wanting to burn others paired with the fact that Nell was more than familiar with the expression on Luce’s face had the younger witch’s sneaking suspicion reaching a boiling point. She knew the look- had seen it and felt it enough in her own features to recognize it in a face that was half her own with their family resemblance. She let loose a long sigh, shoulders deflating while she finished working with Luce’s legs. “I’m glad you wanna help. And you’re obviously right about knowing fire. But it...doesn’t fix it. It won’t fix that way you feel inside about things that already happened.” Bringing food and caring for the families whose loved ones she stole with a rampant shark demon hadn’t fixed it. Hadn’t made it any easier. “I want you to help with the phoenix I just...don’t want you to be disappointed. If it doesn’t do what you think it’ll do when it’s all over.”

The peace that comes with healing. As thought such a thing existed. And maybe it did, but it wasn’t something that Luce was familiar with. But, had she ever really healed from the wounds that she’d suffered this last year? She didn’t know. Maybe this was part of the healing process too. The pain and the anguish and the guilt. Everyone thought of grief as just being sad and healing as just recovering from pain. When her grief had never just sadness-- it had been deep-seated rage and helplessness, frustration and guilt. And so was healing. “Sounds like it’s just what this person will need.” She said with a nod. “I don’t know how much I’ll need but I think a lot? The more we have, the more potent?”

Luce arched her good eyebrow at Nell, nonplussed by the eyeroll. “And that’s not what I’m talking about. Seriously, Nell. I’m okay.” She said, reaching out to grasp her sister’s hand, to squeeze it tight. Her hand was still hot against Nell’s skin, still burning with the flames that refused to listen to her call. She was still here. And she didn’t want Nell to go off and do something that might change that. 

Watching as Nell wound clean bandages over the wounds, freshly daubed with healing poultices, Luce reflected on how things had changed. A year ago, this would never have happened. A year ago, she would have licked her wounds back at the safe isolation of her cabin, maybe drowned her feelings away with more whiskey than she ought to have, and have pretended as though she was fine. But, she wasn’t pretending anymore. She was too tired to play those games, to pretend that the world was anything other than it was. But, as Nell’s words continued, Luce’s gaze snapped up, expression shifting. “What do you mean by that?” She asked abruptly. “I know that this doesn’t change anything I’ve done. And I’m not-- What do you think is going to happen? Nell, if this doesn’t work, I’m going to keep trying. I’m not letting this go.” I’m not letting them go.

Nell held Luce’s gaze for a long moment, feeling far too tired to actually address their shared trauma at the moment. They both knew what was on each other’s minds, and that was enough. She was so tired. They’d both been fighting for so long— all Nell had ever truly known how to do was fight. To refuse to give in, refuse to let the day win and simply allow herself a moment’s rest. She didn’t know who or what she would be without that fight, but occasionally she wondered what it was like for those who allowed themselves peace, whether they were truly happy with the battles they’d let lie, or if regrets haunted them as well. Maybe there was no actual winning. You just lived with the path you chose, and that was it. “Yep- sounds like just what the phoenix doctor ordered.” Not that she actually knew all that many details of the phoenix, but all anger stemmed from somewhere, and most often it was a product of hurt. “Sure, the more the merrier. It’s not really like you can over cleanse something when it comes to things like this.” 

The feel of Luce’s hand against her was enough to melt a little more tension from Nell’s shoulders, and the distant memory of crawling into bed with her sisters as children to hoard their shared elemental warmth was brought to mind while she let herself feel the momentary salve of nostalgia. “I know,” she assured softly. “I’m glad you are.” Her overprotectiveness wasn’t subtle, and Luce understood the source of it better than anyone in tandem with Bea.

Nell straightened from her place before Luce, standing as she began to rifle through the greenhouse towards her sage plants. “I just mean...I don’t know if this is what you’re thinking or whatever but- helping people isn’t gonna make the past sit right. Not really. And also...saving someone from something you think you’ve gone through isn’t gonna fix you either.” Hadn’t she just finished learning that with Bex? Or maybe they’d just been too different. Maybe the feeling of loneliness wasn’t as universal as Nell had thought, and she couldn’t fix her own by putting love into another person who was caught in the throes of it. “It’s not that I don’t think it’s gonna work, and I know you’ll keep trying. I just don’t want you to expect something of it that’s not gonna come.” 

Good to know that burning fuck tons of sage and lavender wasn’t going to create some kind of flower monster-- christ, Luce realized how fucking little she actually knew about magic outside of the flames. But, at least she had Nell here to help. Because she did, even if Luce didn’t often think about it that way. Her sisters were here. They were all here and, ever since they’d been excommunicated, they were all each other had to rely on. She had Nell, she had Bea, they were three and… in the past six months, she’d somehow forgotten about that. She’d drifted back to her old ways, of trying to handle things on her own. But she couldn’t now, it was impossible. She needed them, needed people. She couldn’t do this alone.

“Yeah. Same here.” Luce said, giving Nell’s hand another squeeze before slipping away, pulling the sloppy bandages from her hand to treat the wounds on her hands herself. The poultice stung a bit as she spread it over the open cuts. She kept her gaze trained on Nell as her sister moved away from her, aware of the distance that had just grown between them. “I’m not trying to make it sit right with me. And I’m not trying to fix me, either.” She said sharply. “I know that what I did was fucked. And maybe you don’t think it is, but I do and I’m making… some kinda peace with that.” She wound the bandages back around her hand, covering her raw skin once more.

Staring down at her hands, Luce could feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. Maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was the stress, maybe it was just the crushing weight of everything that she’d been going through that had finally pushed her to the breaking point. Luce cleared her throat. “I just want to do something good, Nellie. I want to be someone good again.” She said, though the words came out as broken and hollow as she felt.

“I didn’t say that,” Nell replied instintcively in a defensive tone, even if she thought Lydia was far better off dead from what she’d heard. Even though she’d shared her own surprisingly introspective conversation with the fae, there was no question of whether or not the woman was doing more harm than good in the world. But she knew Luce wasn’t as accustomed to life and death judgements as she was, not when she’d simply been an artist with a grumpy streak. She didn’t want her sister to become wrapped up in such things anyway, not when it most often led to a life of constant stress, or having a target on one’s back. “But if you want peace...then you deserve it,” she finished stubbornly, her tone not quite matching the well meaning nature of the words. 

The hardness in Nell’s voice was washed away instantly as she looked over her shoulder back to her sister, recognizing the picture of a person desperately trying to keep themselves together at the seams. Had Nell been so wrapped up in her own world that she’d completely missed what was going on with Luce? She’d known her sister’s fire wasn’t in the best of straits, and that in itself was a flashing red sign in the direction of emotional turmoil. But she hadn’t thought— hadn’t realized it had gotten to such a point as this. Had Nell been too wrapped up in her own troubles and world to see it? A flash of guilt spread through her chest, and she went back to the other side of the greenhouse, moving to check over the bandages Luce had wrapped around her hands.

I just want to do something good. Nell could understand that— when one got to the place of wondering if they’d gone past the point of no return, and grasped at straws for a win. Nell needed a win, too. The feeling of being unclean after going too far...she’d felt it herself on more than one occasion though it was less centered on the suffering of her victim, and more about the shockwaves her actions had set into motion. Adam with August. Jared with the Ring. Bex with Frank. Dave and the shark demon. She’d made more than enough mistakes to know the feeling of desperately wanting to look for the light in oneself no matter how dim it might be- to know that you weren’t just darkness and sharp blades, as much a monster as the thing you’d killed. “I understand.” If this is what Luce needed to face the days coming, Nell would do anything in her power to make sure her sister got what she needed, that she crossed the finish line with arms raised, and a peaceful expression on her face. “So if that’s what you need...then that’s what you’ll get.”

Luce continued to stare at her hands, remembering the way that the blue flames had spread from them to consume the flesh from Lydia’s body, burning away the sinew and skin until there was nothing left. “Sure you didn’t.” Luce said, tone neutral. “I’ve spent the last six months trying to rationalize shit like… she would have hurt other people if I hadn’t killed her, she would have come back to kill us. But there’s no way of knowing if that’s true because I made a call that took away any chance she had to change her ways. I decided that I knew better. And I’m not… that’s not okay. It’s not fucking okay.” She said.

When Nell took her hands again, Luce let her sister fix the bandages wordlessly. For a year, it had seemed like everything she’d done had fallen into the same cycle of anger and rage and pain-- sometimes on the receiving end of that punishment, other times delivering it to others by her own hands. The anger and rage would burn wild and out of control until everything was dead and charred to dust. And it would lie low for some time, before flaring back to life because someone else was hurt, someone else was hurting her-- and endless fucking cycle. She just wanted to be free of it all. This phoenix situation, it was something... different. It was something that she could do and know, without a trace of doubt, that she had done something good. She just wanted to prove to herself that she was still capable of that. Of being more than just an instrument of death, bringing fire and ruin to the world around her. She just wanted to do one good thing. “Thanks Nell.” Luce said quietly. “Really. Thank you.”  

Nell couldn’t rightly say she agreed with Luce— not when she’d been ready and poised to kill Frank in the middle of the Outskirts. He’d been a threat so she was going to eliminate him. It was as simple as that. Except it hadn’t turned out to be so simple as Bex had begged for his life, and Nell had withdrawn her knife. How many chances did people deserve when it came to changing? She’d given Kyle his chance in that basement with Morgan and Bex, even taken it upon herself to help him succeed. But Kyle wasn’t a woman keeping people in his basement. It was different...wasn’t it? “I didn’t know Lydia well enough to know whether or not she’d change.” That was the gamble you took with people, the not knowing. And there was always the chance they could change back if they decided their new route was too hard. Would Lydia have made a 180 turn back to where she’d started if she’d decided ethical eating wasn’t quite the same? What was the straw that would break the back of Miriam’s new life?

“I don’t know if it was wrong,” Nell finally admitted. “I don’t know if it being wrong would have kept me from doing it, too. Probably not. And I’d probably still do it if no one stopped me or you hadn’t already done it.” She was selfish with her wanting to protect the people she cared about. “But I...don’t think it’s fair to condemn yourself with it. Maybe rationalizing it isn’t the answer, but burning yourself at the stake isn’t either.” Nell swallowed briefly, still not all that accustomed to being so open and honest with her sister. “And...I think you deserve to forgive yourself instead of needing to use a phoenix to prove you’re worthy of it. I think you’re worth it on your own. Just because of who you are. I think you can be good without having something to point at as proof.” 

But it wasn’t about that. Not really. Why did Nell want to summon the murderous selkie to her? For control. To have just one thing she knew she could do right. “But I think I get it. Sometimes you just...need one thing to go right. Just to know that...that you’re not a fuck up who ruins everything they touch.” Nell didn’t have fire like he sister’s, but she’d always been just as destructive. “There’s one thing you can do, and not burn a hole through. So...we’ll make this work.”

“Neither did I. But Morgan seems to think that she could have. And maybe she’s right, maybe she’s not. But we’ll never really know.” Luce said wearily. She’d spent so many nights mulling over that exact question. “I don’t want to make those calls, Nell. I don’t want to hold someone’s life in my hand and decide that I’m worth more than them. Because that’s exactly what happened to us and I’m… I’m fucking tired of it.” This town, this fucking town. She’d grown up here, been a part of this world but only now had she really learned the price that White Crest demanded of the people who lived here. This town was steeped in blood and suffering and senseless death. She didn’t want to contribute to that anymore than she already had.

“Maybe.” Luce shrugged, before regretting the action as a fresh wave of pain ran down the wounds on her back. “I also think you have to say that as my sister.” She said, a ghost of her old sarcastic grin flitting across her face. Luce stood up from the chair, collecting the herbs that Nell had gathered for her. Sage and lavender. Healing and cleansing. And the promise of her sister to help her see this through. Side by side, they’d be able to move forward. Luce didn’t know how Nell was holding up with all the grief and trauma they’d experienced in the last year and she wished that she did. Once this was all over, once the dust settled and she could finally rest… She’d try harder to be there for her sister. For both of them. Maybe Nell said that she didn’t need to prove herself, but Luce couldn’t believe that. If she couldn’t be a good person, at the very least, she could be a good sister. 

Reaching out, Luce took hold of Nell’s hand again, looking at her sister intently. “We’ll make this work.” 

#// sisters being siSTERS <3 #chatzy #ch:luce #wickedswriting #no good deed #sibling death tw

[witchcraft-in-wonderland]

Dimmed Lights (Pt.4)

-------------------------

"Mooooooommmm! Where's my rainbow socks!" Roman had been tearing up his bedroom the whole day looking for something decent, he was going out for coffee today with Virgil, Janus, and Hestia, and he'd rather have died than look bad.

"They should be in the dryer!" His mom called, Roman rushed down the stairs and dug around for them, racing back up to finish his outfit.

He'd decided on a sports top with thin rainbow stripes after the sleeve-straps, a red skirt, the socks, and black boots, as well as of course, a red hoodie.

"Oh Roman that's not nearly enough glitter, do you want people to think you're straight?" Roman's mother said, laughing as she applied some clear glitter under his eyes and over the red and gold eyeshadow he'd put on, as well as a few dashes of it over his red lipstick.

"Ew mom why would I ever want that?" Roman said with an exaggerated gagging motion.

"Alright sweetheart you go have fun ok? And if anyone gives you trouble just keep your head up," Roman's mother smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. Roman merely nodded and took off out of the house.

"Roman!!!" Hestia had appearently decided to get there early, as Roman was pulled into a hug that might as well have crushed his spine as soon as he got to the coffee shop.

"Hey Hes-" Roman said, taking in a sharp breath when she let go. Her hair was pulled into a braid, and she was wearing a white and mint green dress with white sandals to match.

"I was gonna place our orders and then I forgot that I dont know what coffee you like so I went to text you but now you're here so I guess we can just wait for Janus and Virgil-" Hestia continued on this tirade of planning for a good few minutes, so long in fact that by the time she finished, Virgil and Janus had gotten there to.

Virgil, as expected, had sprung for a more lolita goth style, with a frilly dress and black lace fingerless gloves, as well as lacy black stockings and black knee-high boots. Janus was wearing a cape with gold embroidery, a white polo, black jeans, black boots, and a hat.

"If I didnt know any better I'd say you two were trying to upstage me," Roman said with a grin.

"Oh no Janus just refuses to leave the house unless he looks like he is a vampire or like hes going to kill a vampire," Virgil said, smirking.

"Oh my dear I'd never hurt you like that, it would be much to distressing," Janus said, Virgil gave him an offended glare. Hestia let out a small laugh, causing the other two boys to look at her.

"And you must be Hestia?" Janus said, Hestia nodded.

"Well, are we gonna get coffee or what? I havent had any since ten minutes ago." Virgil said. Janus laughed and nudged him in the side slightly.

"Hes right though, going this long without coffee is basically a crime," Roman said, laughing.

"Oooohhh! Can we get cake pops?" Hestia said, tilting her head.

"Absolutely." Virgil said, eyes lighting up.

"Ah ah ah- didnt you say you were gonna lay off the sugar since it kept making you sick?" Janus said, raising an eyebrow at Virgil. Virgil paused for a second before crossing his arms and pouting.

"Awe c'mon! One cake pop cant hurt can it?" Hestia said, Virgil smiled slightly, looking back at Janus, who threw his hands up in exasperation.

After a minute or so of talking the four of them finally decided to get their food and drinks.

"So I asked them what they were eating of course, they told me to try it, and it burned my mouth! They said it wasnt even spicy!" They'd been talking about friends, well, three if them had, Roman merely listened, Remus had basically been the only thing close to a friend he'd ever had, and he doubted that was normal.

"Roman? You're awfully quiet, is something wrong?" Janus said, resting a hand on Roman's shoulder.

"Hm? Oh uh- yeah- I'm alright-" Roman said, brushing him off. The other three teens at the table exchanged looks, Roman fidgeted with his jacket, wishing he could just disappear into it.

"I'll- be right back," Roman said, rushing off to the bathroom. He splashed some water in his face, all memory of his makeup forgotten, and then he noticed something.

His tattoos, which that morning had been faded and dull and clearly fake, were suddenly as colorful as the day he'd gotten them. He blinked a few times, unsure of whether this was real or not. Eventually, he decided it was probably lighting. He pulled his hood over his head and walked back out.

"I'm gonna head home, I'm- not feeling to good," Roman said, rushing off before anyone else could ask questions.

----------------------------------------------

Tag List:

@nerosdayinhell

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@teamplutoforlife

@meowthefluffy

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#cori writes #long post #dimmed lights au #ts virgil #ts sides #ts roman #ts janus #hestia sable #tw angst #angst tw #romantic anxceit #anxceit #romantic roceit #roceit #romantic prinxiety #prinxiety #romantic anaroceit #anaroceit

[sell-our-skins]

Day 1 of Paradise Motel Week Inspired by this and this comic by Tapefish AO3 Link

The Girl was sitting in one of the ratted Diner booths, aggressively scribbling her orange crayon on a stained napkin. The light of the sun was just beginning to poke through the cracked widows of the Diner turned Killjoy base. The Girl smiled as she felt the beams of sun shine down onto her, making her feel warmer. After all, there wasn’t a proper heating system in the Diner.

A bell echoed through the silent front room, breaking the Girl’s focus and signalling someone had just entered. Kobra Kid slithered into the room, still wearing his bike helmet. 

“Hiya Kobra,” she flashed a smile at him, fully showing off the gap in between her front teeth. He carefully slipped his helmet off and ran a hand through his freshly bleached hair. Kobra gave a somewhat lopsided smile and a bag of chips to her in return. 

“Mornin’ Motorbaby. Got you something, don’t tell Pois, though,” the lanky Killjoy flopped down into the booth across from her, putting his sunglasses back on. The Girl tore open the bag, happily shoving chips in her mouth. It was rare that she got something like this, with Carbons being pretty hard to come by. She had completely abandoned her crayon and drawing, instead drawing her full attention to the potato chips.

“What’cha drawing?” Kobra pointed at the napkin, full of the Motorbaby’s messy drawings. She brought her head back up, trying to talk through her mouthful of the chips, “Dwawing.” 

“Please don’t talk with your mouth full,” he sighed. Kobra wasn’t mad at her, he could never bring himself to be. None of the Fab Four could. There was something about her, an aura maybe, that made it impossible to be. The Girl nodded and continued eating her chips. They sat in a peaceful silence for only a few moments.

She swallowed the food before she spoke up again, “Hey Kobe?”

“Hey kid?” he echoed, a shadow of a smile appearing on his face. The Girl struggled to run a hand through her hair, a habit she had picked up from Kobra himself. She squinted at the patch on his red leather jacket, a snake, she remembered. 

“How was I made?”

It took Kobra off guard, if he was being completely honest. If it weren’t for his glasses, the Girl would have seen a thousand different expressions flash over his face in seconds. The question had come out of nowhere, like a slap in the face. Kobra blinked once, twice before awkwardly clearing his throat, “I don’t think I’m the best person...to answer this?”

His voice had trailed off like it was a question, something not even he was sure about. The Girl, however, didn’t comment on it, she didn’t even seem to question it. Instead, she nodded, took her chips, and wandered off. Leaving Kobra to his thoughts and the napkin. 

--=+=--

The Girl was hunched over in a dark cabinet, the heat of the desert afternoon growing way too hot for her to handle. Who knew living in the middle of a desert filled with radiation would result in scorching hot afternoons? It may have been a fairly tight space, but it was comfortable, quiet, and her own space. The motorbaby was continuing to munch on her chips, much slower than earlier, though.

“Kid?” Poison’s familiarly loud voice called out. They sounded close, probably in the same room as her. She let out a little snicker. When Party spoke up again, she could hear the chuckle in their voice beginning to form, “Oh boy, I sure do wonder where our motorbaby could’ve gone. Too bad, I guess she doesn’t want this shiny looking rock I foun-”

At that, the Girl fell out of the cabinet loudly announcing her presence with an exasperated sounding, “I WANT A ROCK.” 

Poison burst into laughter, their greasy hair tied up into a loose bun. They squatted down to her level, offering a hand to help her up. The tiny Killjoy happily took it and once she was up, Party replaced it with the rock. It was smooth, but had tiny bumps along the surface. She carefully ran her fingers along it.

“Got somethin’ on your mind, kid?” Party’s words cause her train of thought to go reeling off of it’s tracks. She carefully pushed the, now empty, bag of chips back into the cupboard, remembering what Kobra had told her. 

“Where did I come from...like, how was I made?” she didn’t look up from her smooth-not smooth rock, giving it a light squeeze. Party seemed a lot less taken aback than Kobra had been, which made sense, in retrospect. Kobra never was the best with existential questions like the Girl’s had been. Though, their eyebrows still raised for a moment.

“We found you wanderin’ round the zones, and decided to take you in. You were like a tumbleweed,” their voice was still loud, but the tone of it had changed. It was more calm, maybe. More sincere. 

‘Like a tumbleweed,’ she pondered. The Girl never liked tumbleweeds. They were invasive, and weren’t supposed to be there. She once saw Ghoul belly-flop on a tumbleweed for a Carbon. It looked painful. Tumbleweeds were just dead plants. The Girl didn’t like tumbleweeds.

“Like a stray cat,” she offered, as a replacement for the previous comparison. Cats were better, in her opinion. Newsie fed stray cats by her station. The Girl had gotten to hug one once, and it was quite possibly the softest thing she had ever held. Cats were better than tumbleweeds. 

“Like a cat,” Poison agreed.

--=+=--

It had cooled down quite a bit since the afternoon, the whole of the Diner now being a pleasant temperature. The youngest Killjoy wandered into the back room that Kobra and Ghoul have turned into a workshop of sorts. The walls were filled with different electronics and scraps and it was lit by exclusively yellow-tinted-lights, giving it a completely different feeling than the rest of the Diner. 

Ghoul was hunched over their work table, all the way in the back of the Diner. Xyr hair was pulled up into a messy, greasy bun, and xe was pressing xyr face close to the trinket xe was making. Most likely some form of explosive. The Girl made her way towards the tall desk, Ghoul giving her a quick glance before going back to what xe was doing. 

“Hey Funko,” she started, “Where did I come from?”

Xe turned towards her, still holding the screwdriver. “We built you out of scrap,” xe said nonchalantly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, xyr signature smile on xyr face all the while. 

The Girl gasped dramatically, her mind utterly blown. It made sense, she supposed. Maybe that’s why things charged if it was near her for too long. Maybe she was like one of those superheroes in the old comics she would read, the ones with the supernatural powers that would always try to help people. It might be nice, being made of scrap.

“Are you made out of scrap?” she wondered out loud. That seemed to take xem slightly off guard. Ghoul’s smile twitched, but only for a moment.

“In a way, kid,” xyr smile went back to normal as xe went back to tinkering. It was nice for the Girl to think that she and Ghoul had something in common. 

--=+=--

Night had finally washed over the zones, making the sky a deep blue shade. The night’s starry freckles had fully come out, lighting up the sky and the area below it. It had fully cooled down, making it downright pleasant to sit outside, which is exactly what Jet Star and the Girl were doing. 

She had asked Jet to do her hair, which was exactly what he was doing.  He was putting half of her hair up into a bun, the only noise coming from the crickets, no doubt hiding in some bush. 

“Jet Star?” the Girl asked, breaking the peaceful quiet. 

He responded with a soft sounding, “Hm?” Not looking up from what he was doing. 

“Where did I come from?”

“Where did you come from?” he echoed. 

“Yeah. How am I here?”

“Easy,” he emphasized his words by finishing the bun, a gentle snap coming from the hair band, “You were a gift from the Phoenix Witch.”

“Oh,” the Girl thought about that for a moment. Unlike the other responses she had gotten today, this one just felt...right. Somewhere in her chest, she was filled with a warm, tingling feeling. For some reason, the answer resonated with her. She ran her hands over the sand, which was slightly warm. It was more pleasant than anything, compared to the scorching hot it was earlier in the day.

“That’s pretty cool, actually.”

“Sure is, Motorbaby.”

#paradise motel week #day 1 #fab 4 era #the girl #kobra kid #party poison #fun ghoul #jet star #one shot #fanfic #found family #fluff #danger days: the true lives of the fabulous killjoys #danger days #killjoys #the true lives of the fabulous killjoys

[spinedog]

I saw this ficlet from @phoenix-no and all I could think of was this RT Life video. Things happened. Have Ruby insisting that she’s figured out throwing knives, Blake has mysterious amounts of knowledge about murder weapons, Weiss is offended at all times, and Yang is quietly gay.

--

After three weeks with their new team, Yang had noticed that Weiss and Blake seemed to settle in a bit. Of course, Ruby had settled right in right away. If anything, she seemed to struggle more with the idea of being a leader than with getting along with her new teammates. Yang herself was hardly fussed by the two girls - Weiss was a bit of a snob, sure, but there were glimpses of a more defiant, independent woman beneath. Blake, on the other hand, was... harder to read. There was a certain softness to her, when she thought no one was looking, but otherwise she was quiet at best and outright aloof at others. 

Which was why it was such a surprise when Yang walked past the common kitchen near the end of the night, and heard Blake’s sigh through the door. “Okay, is that it? Is that the one you’re gonna throw?” 

Weiss’ voice joined her. “How many throws are we talking? Are we talking one throw?”

“One throw, twenty lien.” Ruby’s high pitched voice vibrated with determination. 

Now she had to know. Yang backed up, softly pushing the door open. 

Ruby had the knife drawer open, both her and Weiss looking over its contents with an odd amount of focus. “But which is the best knife, though?”

Another low sigh, and Yang glanced sideways. Blake was leaning against the fridge, eyelids half closed, watching them with a look of resigned patience. “One that is not in here.”

Yang let the door swing shut behind her. All three girls jumped, only to relax at the sight of their fourth teammate. “What’cha up to, ladies?” 

Ruby nearly cut her off in her excitement to explain. “So, Blake thinks if I throw a knife by the blade-”

“No, no.” Blake clarified. “Ruby thinks.”

“I’m saying you don’t think it’ll go in.”

“Yeah, I’m agreeing that it won’t go in.”

“No one has explained anything yet.” A smile had pulled her mouth sideways as she watched the two girls bicker.

Blake sighed again, but this time there was a glint of humor in the long-suffering noise. “Ruby’s going to throw a knife at the wall. She thinks if she grips it by the blade, that just immediately confers the ability to stick it in the wall.”

Either Blake’s sarcasm had gone straight over her head, or Ruby was too excited to care. She brandished a steak knife in her hand, ignoring Weiss’ hissing. “It will go...” She mimed the knife tumbling through the air with a ‘shw shw shw’ noise, then held it against the wall with a helpful ‘tiiing’.

There were about twenty things wrong with Ruby’s theory that Yang could see right away, and probably forty more if she’d spent any more time thinking about it. But there was no fun in pointing that out, and she raised an eyebrow. “Do I get part of your winnings if I help you choose?”

“Yeah, I’ll give you five bucks.”

Yang immediately strode forwards, brushing Ruby out of the way, and began to hunt through the drawer. “I would say this one is your best bet, Rubes.” She said after a moment, pulling out a large steak knife. “This one is forged, it’s all one piece.”

“That looks a bit too steep?” 

“Nah, look.” Yang dropped the knife, point first, and grinned as it sunk into the wooden floor, drawing an awed gasp from Ruby and another hiss from Weiss to stop brandishing knives. “Lookit that!”

“Okay, look.” Blake brushed by her in a flurry of dark hair and tired tone, yanking the knife out of the ground. “Watch this. This is why this is not gonna work. Throwing knives are balanced at the hilt.” She extended one finger, and carefully placed the knife on it, exactly where the blade met the handle.

Ruby crossed her arms. “Yeah?”

“Right.” Blake’s eyes did not leave Ruby’s as she released the knife. It immediately flipped over her fingers and clattered to the ground.

“Right?” Ruby sputtered, bending to pick up the fallen knife. “You’ve proved nothing.”

“It should have stayed on my finger.” 

There was a moment of embarrassed silence, and for a split second Yang wondered if she was going to have to ask Blake to apologize to Ruby. 

But instead of rubbing her sister’s nose in the victory, Blake turned to paw through the drawer herself. After a moment, she produced a much smaller blade that looked like it would be used for fruit or vegetables, and handed it towards Ruby. “Try that.”

Ruby’s cheeks were still a bit redder than before. But she took the blade and began to carefully move it along her finger. A grin appeared on her face as she found a spot along the blade that length that would balance it on her finger, just past the hilt. 

Blake nodded with a slight amount of approval. “That one is balanced... below the blade. It still won’t work properly, but you might be able to throw it.”

Yang cocked her head, turning slightly to examine her new partner. “Why does it need to be balanced at the hilt?” She didn’t know much about throwing knives, nor did she plan to start using them, but new knowledge could always be useful.

Blake picked up the steak knife off the counter, turning to face Yang. “You want it to be balanced right at the midline of the knife, so that as it tumbles...” She trailed off, turning the knife end over end in her hands to mime the motion.

Oh. Yang tilted her head, doing the math in her head. So it tumbles evenly. Of course. She didn’t say it out loud, but Blake must have seen her eyes light up, because a small smile appeared on her mouth.

Ruby interrupted, but Yang was still watching, the deceptively well-oiled mind hiding beneath her golden locks turning the new information over and over. “Why does she know so many small facts about everything? I’m like ‘what about this’ and she goes ‘ah well it isn’t balanced at the hilt’.” The imitation of Blake’s voice was a little mocking. But the bright smile destroyed any possibility that she might be angry at her teammate as she handed her the chosen knife.

“Well, I know my blades.” Blake gave a half-smile in response, clinking the two pieces of steel together. “What can I say?”

Weiss rolled her eyes theatrically. “We should do this in our room before someone comes and gives us detention.”

No one had any argument for that, Blake slid the knife below her jacket, and all four girls quickly moved back down the hallway. As they walked, Yang found herself watching her dark haired partner. Blake did seem to know a little about everything, especially with weapons and fighting. Then again, Ruby was certainly like that with any kind of gun. But Blake’s knowledge was... different. Less like she’d read about things, more like she’d lived with them. 

Yang watched the black bow on her head bob as they walked, the one she’d never seen Blake without, and wondered how many secrets dwelled in the mind below it.

Once they were in their room and the door was closed, the bet was back on. Yang hopped up to sit on the desk, well out of the way as she watched Ruby examined the map of Vale that had been hung on the closet door. 

Weiss leaned in, obviously interested despite her attempts to look otherwise. “Where are you aiming?”

“Gonna aim for Forever Fall. Right there.” She pointed at the chosen spot, almost vibrating as Blake handed her the knife. “We decide who gets what? Yang, you get five if I hit it?”

“Nah, I didn’t choose the knife for you, remember?” Yang was fighting not to laugh as she glanced at Blake, who had leaned against the far wall with a calm expression. She knew as well as Blake did that this would never work. This was all just for entertainment now. “That twenty is all yours if you get it.”

Ruby nodded emphatically, as Weiss carefully moved to the other side of the desk to be as far away as possible. “All right, let’s get this over with.”

Yang nodded with a grin. “Good luck, Ruby.”

“Okay, here we go.” Ruby exhaled, trying not to bounce as she carefully held the blade, taking a step backwards. Her eyes squinted, focusing on the faint red area with the same focus that, with Crescent Rose, could drop a Grimm from fifty paces away.

She threw the knife. It tumbled in all three dimensions before the hilt pathetically bounced off the dot, and land on the floor below it. Her aim had actually been fabulous. But that hadn’t been the bet.

“That’s twenty lien.” Yang spoke calmly, a snicker barely sneaking into the last word. “Wanna go for forty?”

“Hmmm.” Ruby leaned back on her heel, humming and tapping her chin. Yang knew that she was already re-calculating the throw, trying to figure out where her theory had gone wrong.

Blake pushed off the wall, a chuckle of her own vibrating in her words. “You failed on multiple levels, there, that was tumbling in both directions. Look at that.” She strode over for the knife, picking it up and showing it to Ruby as she walked over to stand in front of her. “Now - you can throw this and still stick it in the wall.” She raised her eyebrows, patiently showing Ruby how she was gripping the blade - by the close end of the hilt, her index finger resting on the top of the blade itself. “But you need to counter the rotation. You need to throw it like this.” She made a motion with her arm shoulder, showing how she would move if she were to throw it. 

Ruby was already nodding, eyes bright again as she saw the point her teammate was making, watching the knife as it moved. Yang was watching as well - but her eyes had fallen to the toned muscles in Blake’s arm, watching the way her lean body moved with the slow mock throw.

Weiss, on the other hand, seemed to have taken some offense to Ruby’s defeat. “You do it, then.” She challenged.

If Yang hadn’t already been looking at Blake, she wouldn’t have seen it. The golden eyes flicked up to Yang’s, as though she’d intended to make some kind of joke. Something changed in her face as she saw that Yang was already watching her, eyes on her arms and stance with what, Yang belatedly realized, probably looked a lot like admiration.

Before Yang could even think to be embarrassed, Blake swiveled on her heel, eyes hardening into a laser focus on the map. In one swift, fluid motion, the dark hair was tossed over her shoulder, her hand came up, she exhaled, and her arm came flying back down with a shocking amount of force.

The knife sailed across the room and buried itself in the closet door, perfectly bisecting the train tracks that ran through the middle of Forever Fall.

Silence rang out in the room as all four girls stared at the knife. 

It could have been a mistake. Yang was sitting on the desk beside her. But when Blake turned around, her eyes locked directly with Yang, not Weiss, as she quirked her eyebrows.

“Oh. Kay.” A nervous laugh escaped from Weiss, miles away at the chair behind Yang.

“I’m scared of Blake even more than I was.” Ruby didn’t sound terribly frightened, though her excited bouncing was slightly lessened and her eyes had gone slightly round.

Blake’s eyebrows came very slightly down, and her mouth opened as though to apologize, and that was all the confirmation that Yang needed.

All three girls jumped as Yang let out a loud whoop, cackling. “Now that was a mic drop!”

Both Ruby and Weiss broke into a more honest laugh, and Yang felt an odd warmth in her chest as Blake sheepishly joined in, weakly shrugging as Yang raised her eyebrows.

You were showing off, Belladonna.

#bumbleby #rwby fanfiction #rwby #spinedog writes #Dialogue is almost an exact transcript from the video in some places but it fit so well #how could i not???

[kaelinaloveslomaris]

Whumptober 23: Bleeding Out

I’ve had this one done for weeks, but since I was stuck on the previous one, I couldn’t post it until I’d finished that one. So I’m really happy to finally be able to share this one.

Drautos decides he’s done playing the long game and would rather take Noctis out.

Warning: this is the bloodiest thing I have ever written. Very graphic depictions of violence and injuries. And (temporary) major character death.

—

He’d stepped away only for a moment to answer a phone call, waving Gladio away when his Shield had moved to follow him. In hindsight, he’d think it should have seemed odd that Drautos had called him directly, but then the captain of the Kingsglaive had mentioned something about wanting to work with him on some aspects of his training, and he’d brushed off every scheduling attempt brought to him by Ignis.

Magic sizzles behind him, the only warning Noctis has before pain erupts in his chest. He stumbles forward with the force of the blow, gasping as the air is punched out of his lungs.

Warp strike, his brain helpfully informs him. He looks down at the point of the blade protruding from his chest, frowning at the familiarity of it. His vision swims as he registers that that is his blood dripping from the blade.

Noctis draws in an agonizing breath to scream for Gladio, but a hand clamps down over his mouth, smothering it. He catches a glimpse of red leather on the arm the hand is attached to, and he feels sick for reasons other than the sword sticking out of his chest.

Drautos, you traitorous bastard!

He doesn’t want to believe it. The man is practically an uncle, and he’s been a loyal member of Regis’s inner circle for as long as Noctis has been alive. But that is his sword and his leather jacket, and Noctis doubts anyone would go to the trouble of trying to steal or replicate them just for this.

The hand over his mouth muffles his shriek as he is pulled back farther onto the sword. His vision sparks and goes black for a moment. When his eyes focus again, his head is leaning back against Drautos’s shoulder and he is looking up into the face of a man who five minutes ago Noctis would have sworn loved him.

He whimpers, feeling the sting of the betrayal stronger than the physical pain. Tears well in his eyes even as nausea stirs in his stomach. He sobs against the hand pressed to his mouth, closing his eyes to avoid seeing Drautos’s cold expression.

Why? is the only thought in his mind. He can’t understand what would drive him to do this, and he doubts he will ever get an answer. Already he can feel the strength ebbing from him with the blood that is soaking his shirt.

The sword slides in him, a sickening drag, and Noctis grasps the blade before he thinks about it, sharp edges slicing into his hands, spilling more of his blood, but he doesn’t want Drautos to remove it. He knows his time is up the instant the sword leaves his body. He’s on borrowed time as it is.

He can taste the blood on his tongue, his throat is thick with it, and he coughs into Drautos’s hand. There’s nowhere for the blood to go, and he gags on it. He tries to swallow it, but he keeps coughing up more until he thinks he’ll suffocate in his own blood.

Noctis’s legs buckle, and Drautos lets him slide to the ground. He keeps a firm grip over his mouth, despite the blood Noctis can feel running down his chin, following him down to kneel behind him. He pulls Noctis against him, and there’s almost something intimate in the way he cradles Noctis. His other hand comes up to brush through Noctis’s hair, and for a moment Noctis wants to believe that he hadn’t wanted to do it, but there is no care in his eyes.

“Why?” he murmurs against Drautos’s hand, the pressure behind his eyes finally spilling over onto his cheeks. Drautos brushes a tear away with his thumb.

“With you dead, the line of Lucis will end and your father’s spirit will break. This war will be over, and Insomnia will be justly destroyed for abandoning the outer territories.” There’s a cold passion in his voice, bitter and harsh, and Noctis flinches. He knew Drautos was a refugee, most of the Kingsglaive are, but he hadn’t thought he held it against them.

This wasn’t a recent change, wasn’t something he or his father had done. He hadn’t been bribed or blackmailed. This was the product of a festering hate he had always harbored, and he had finally grown tired of waiting.

Noctis’s hands are cold and he can’t keep his grip on the blade. It doesn’t matter anyways. Both of Drautos’s hands are on his face, not his sword, and he’s only delaying the inevitable. Noctis can’t fight in this condition. He knows he’s going to die, but he can’t quite summon the fear he thinks he should probably feel. He’s numb, distant.

Drautos runs a hand through Noctis’s hair one more time in a mocking facsimile of affection before both hands are gone from his face. There’s a small shift in the pressure in his chest, and Noctis chokes on a scream as the blade is ripped out of him. He tumbles forward, barely managing to catch himself with his hands before smashing his face into the ground, and spits the blood out of his mouth. He’s now on his hands and knees before Drautos, but he can’t find it in himself to be concerned about his lost dignity. His would-be uncle is going to kill him, meters away from his oblivious Shield.

Noctis doesn’t have the strength to fight as Drautos rests his sword against the back of his neck. He doesn’t have time or the breath to scream. Gladio may only be meters away, but he would never be fast enough. And even though Gladio is an excellent fighter, Drautos has decades more experience and the added bonus of access to the king’s magic. Noctis isn’t sure who would win in that fight, and he doesn’t want to be responsible for anybody else’s death today.

Blood spatters the ground beneath him as Noctis tries to breathe with ruined lungs. He’s not surprised Drautos isn’t content to just let the wound in his chest take him. The man knows the limitations of a phoenix down, knows as well as Noctis does that if he goes for the head, there’s no chance of revival.

Noctis chokes on the blood continuing to fill his mouth, and he spits it at Drautos.

“I hope the Niffs kill you,” he gasps between coughs. “I hope Cor hunts you down… like a daemon.” It’s taking the last of his flagging strength to force out the threats, but it’s all he can manage in his last moments, and he refuses to go down meekly.

Drautos doesn’t respond, just raises his sword for the final blow. Noctis closes his eyes, sending a final apology to Gladio, to Ignis, to his dad, because Drautos is right, his death will destroy Regis, and waits.

But the sword doesn’t fall, and Noctis summons the strength to lift his head at the sound of footsteps in time to watch Gladio throw himself at Drautos.

He’s never seen Gladio move with such fury. His strikes are heavier, faster, and even Drautos falls back under the initial onslaught. But it doesn’t take long for Drautos to recover, and it’s obvious Gladio had the advantage of surprise.

Noctis knows Gladio barely has a chance against Drautos, and he wants to beg Gladio to leave, abandon him and save himself, because at this point, there’s not much that can be done for Noctis. But he also knows that Drautos will never let Gladio live now that he has seen his treason. The only way out for Gladio is to defeat Drautos, and as much faith as Noctis has in his Shield, he’s not certain this is a fight he can win.

Noctis’s arms give out under him, and he collapses in a pool of his own blood. He knows he should try to stay awake, that if he falls asleep he’ll never wake up again, but he can’t keep his eyes open and his vision is going black regardless. He tries to focus on the clash of steel, the heavy footsteps of Gladio and Drautos’s lethal dance, but it takes more energy than he has left.

Astrals, please, give him strength, Noctis begs. It’s all he can do, and he’s sure it isn’t enough, doubts the Astrals are even paying him any attention, but he can’t even raise his hand to reach for his phone to call for help, so it will have to be enough.

Every gargled breath is more blood than oxygen, each one weaker and more painful than the last, and Noctis isn’t sure how much time passes as his life ebbs away before he is startled out of his dying haze by the sound of a sword clattering to the ground and the slump of a body.

“Noctis!” Gladio screams his name before Noctis has time to wonder who won, and the rush of relief is painful.

Gladio is beside him in an instant, his hands in Noctis’s hair, and Noctis shies away from the memory of Drautos’s false affection. But this is Gladio, and there’s nothing artificial in the panicked way he grasps at Noctis, pulling him into his arms and wrapping himself around him as though he can shield him from death even now.

Noctis doesn’t want his last sight to be Drautos’s uncaring expression, so he forces his eyes open, but now he can see the guilt twisting his Shield’s face and he hates it.

“Noct! No, oh Astrals, please no…” Gladio’s voice breaks, and what’s left of Noctis’s heart breaks with it. His ruined hand twitches, and it takes all his focus just to raise his arm enough to touch Gladio’s face. Gladio captures his hand in his, and Noctis doesn’t mind the pain as he laces their fingers together. He’s just glad that Gladio is holding him, that he’s not dying alone.

“Don’t… blame yourself,” he murmurs. He knows it’s an impossible request, knows Gladio will blame himself for the rest of his life, but he still needs to say it so Gladio knows that Noctis doesn’t blame him.

“You’re not supposed to die before me, you idiot!” Gladio snarls. He is angry, but Noctis knows his grief and insecurity has always manifested as anger, knows that it’s not directed at him. Gladio is in pain, and it’s the only way he knows how to express it.

“‘m sorry, Gladdy.” Noctis can’t focus anymore, doesn’t know if the wetness on his cheeks is his own tears or Gladio’s, or maybe both. He can’t remember the last time he saw Gladio cry.

His eyes drift closed, and he can hear Gladio screaming but he can’t make out the words as painless darkness beckons.

~*~

He wakes with fire in his veins.

Noctis gasps, spine arching off the ground as life slams back into him, and he’s surprised when the breath doesn’t hurt. He claws at his chest; there’s still a worrying amount of blood soaking his clothes, but there’s no longer a hole punched through him. He rolls onto his side, coughing the remnants of blood out of his throat and mouth before retching.

“Easy, Noct.” There’s a soothing hand rubbing circles on his back, too small and gentle to be Gladio’s, and Noctis connects it with the familiar voice.

“Ignis?” he rasps.

“I’m here, Highness.” His voice is low and strained, but it is comforting to Noctis, and he takes a moment to rest and try to get his bearings. His entire body aches like he’s been trampled by a dualhorn, and he’s sticky with drying blood, but his body is somehow whole.

Noctis knows he shouldn’t be alive. In fact, he’s pretty sure he died, which means…

He finally pries his eyes open and looks down at his hands. The ashes of a phoenix feather still cling to his skin, and he is surrounded by the fading glow of magic. His eyes fall closed again. He’s been revived.

“Thank you,” Noctis says.

“Of course, Highness.” Ignis is still being unbearably gentle with him, as though he’s afraid Noctis will break. His hand hasn’t left his back, still a cautious pressure that is keeping Noctis grounded, but he has offered nothing more.

Noctis leverages himself up on his forearm, struggling to sit up, but he’s still weak and his arms tremble with the effort. Ignis supports him with sure hands, strong and steady despite their care, and he keeps a grip on Noctis’s shoulder until he stops swaying. Noctis appreciates the silent support. There’s no judgment in it, no condemnation or frustration with his weakness, and even just having Ignis with him helps calm the frantic racing of his heart.

It’s when Noctis finally turns his eyes on Ignis’s face that he sees all the emotions his advisor had managed to keep out of his voice. There are tear tracks down his face, and his eyes glisten behind bloody fingerprint-smudged glasses. His hands and clothes are covered in Noctis’s blood, and Noctis thinks that even all of Ignis’s skills won’t be enough to wash the fabric clean again.

Noctis throws himself at Ignis suddenly, burying his face in the side of Ignis’s neck. Ignis wraps his arms around Noctis, hesitantly at first, then tighter as Noctis clings to him.

Noctis feels Ignis’s breath hitch, and his advisor tilts his head to press his cheek against the top of Noctis’s head. One of his hands comes up to caress his hair, and Noctis stiffens, Drautos’s cold expression flashing behind his eyelids.

Ignis freezes against him, hand dropping from his hair, and Noctis sobs into his shoulder. He curses Drautos for taking away that method of comfort, a gesture Ignis has used since they were children.

Despite his flinch, he wants Ignis’s hand back in his hair, wants his caring fingers to replace the memory of Drautos’s cruel ones. Instead, they stroke down his back as Ignis honors his instinctual unspoken rejection, and Noctis doesn’t know how to ask him not to.

He doesn’t deserve someone like Ignis. Ignis, who would come halfway across the city to revive his childhood friend while kneeling in his blood and somehow remain calm enough to talk him through his first revival. Who could pick up on Noctis’s every twitch and adjust to them without letting his own emotions and desires get in the way, despite that Ignis has to be just as scared, if not more, than Noctis.

He also doesn’t deserve someone like Gladio, who would throw himself at a man he barely has a prayer of winning a fight against to save someone who was already dying.

That thought almost makes Noctis’s heart stop again, and he pulls away from Ignis.

“Where’s Gladio?” It was unusual for his Shield to stray far from his side when he was injured. If Noctis so much as stubbed his toe, Gladio would hover until he was sure Noctis was going to be fine. So if he wasn’t around when Noctis had literally died...

What if Drautos had injured him? Noctis would be surprised if Gladio had managed to fight the captain of the Kingsglaive and get away without a scratch, and with all of Noctis’s blood spilled everywhere, it is impossible to tell if any of it is Gladio’s.

Ignis’s mouth presses into a thin line. “He is cooling his head. He was nearly in hysterics by the time I got here, and was in no fit state to help you through the revival process. It is disorienting enough without a panicked Shield hovering.”

Noctis relaxes. If he had been seriously injured, Ignis would have said something.

“Does he know it was… successful?” he asks, the words leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. There’s never a guarantee that a phoenix down will work. There are time and cause of death parameters that make it more or less likely, but never a guarantee. Noctis would not have been hopeful of his own chance, had he been in Ignis or Gladio’s place.

“Yes. I would never have been able to make him leave your side before he knew.”

His relief wars with his guilt over making them worry. He has come close to death before, very close, but he has never actually died before today. He winces as he remembers the pain on Gladio’s face as he died in his arms.

“Are you alright, Noct?” Ignis asks.

Noctis nods. The phoenix down has done its job, as far as Noctis can tell. He is breathing and no longer bleeding out. He imagines the aching and weakness will go away with time.

He doesn’t remember the experience of being dead. It is like he simply fell into a dreamless sleep and was unexpectedly awoken, but he has the vague feeling that he has forgotten something. It’s unsettling, and he doesn’t want to think about it.

Noctis stands on shaky legs with Ignis’s help, his eyes seeking out Drautos’s body. Gladio had been thorough, beheading the traitor as he had tried to do to Noctis. He knows it is practical, and exactly what Gladio should have done, and he feels a sick sort of vindication, but it still makes nausea curl in Noctis’s stomach.

He stumbles forward a few steps before he regains the feel of his legs under himself. He ignores Ignis’s concerned murmur of his name behind him and calls the Engine Blade to his hand.

He stares down at Drautos’s body, blood soaking his leather jacket around the slash across his chest from Gladio’s sword. His own sword, still stained with Noctis’s blood, is lying on the ground, inches from his still hand, the one he had run through Noctis’s hair. He contemplates it for a moment, kicking it with his toe to hear it clatter against the ground before crouching to pick it up and stashing it in the Armiger.

He stands above Drautos and tightens his grip on the Engine Blade before raising it and plunging it down into Drautos’s heart with a scream.

How dare this man claim to care about him? How dare he stand at Regis’s side, at his back, all those years and not mean a word of his vows of loyalty? How dare he hold their trust for years and drag it out and make them love him before betraying them...

Unexpected grief rises in him and he drops to his knees at Drautos’s side, tears spilling down his cheeks. He screams again, this time in anguish, and he hunches over, arms wrapped around himself, and presses his forehead to his would-be uncle’s chest. He knows, somewhere, that he should not be grieving over the traitor who had killed him, but he can’t hold back the tears.

Dimly, he hears Ignis and Gladio calling his name and their running footsteps behind him before a hand touches his shoulder. He doesn’t know which of his friends’ it is, but he shakes it off. He doesn’t want to think of their disappointment in him when they realize he is crying over Drautos’s death and not his own. He just wants them to leave him alone to mourn, to not see his weakness in the face of this betrayal.

But Ignis sits next to him and reaches out to brush his hand against his hair before stopping himself. He starts to pull away.

“No,” Noctis croaks. He grabs Ignis’s hand and then immediately lets go, embarrassed.

Ignis’s eyes are soft when he catches Noctis’s gaze. He slowly rests his hand back on Noctis’s head, twining his fingers through his hair, and watches him carefully.

“Is this alright?” he asks, concerned.

Noctis nods, tilting his head into the contact. It’s not, he can still feel Drautos’s touch, but he refuses to let him ruin this, so he will let Ignis run his fingers through his hair as much as he wants until the memories are gone.

He leans into Ignis until he’s pressing his face into his shoulder again, and Ignis wraps his free arm around him. He tries to hold back the tears, tries to tell himself that he shouldn’t be crying, but it just makes breathing painful.

He hears Gladio settle himself on the ground next to them, and he places his hand on Noctis’s shoulder, gently rubbing his shoulder with his thumb. Ignis rests his head against Noctis’s.

“It’s okay, Noct. It’s okay,” Ignis murmurs against his ear. “You have the right to mourn.”

Noctis sobs, and Ignis holds him through the tears, until they’re spent and he’s worn himself out. He’s too exhausted to protest as Gladio scoops him up in his arms, cradling him carefully against his chest, and carries him out of the alley.

#whumptober2019 #no.23 #noctis lucis caelum #titus drautos #gladio amicitia #ignis scientia #final fantasy xv #ffxv #my fanfiction #my writing

[gaytwihard]

Twilight 2.0 - The Gay Version: 2

Ch. 2: First Day

To say I had a very rude awakening the next morning was an understatement. After an entire summer of no alarm clocks, I forgot how annoying they are. It doesn’t help that I got little to no sleep overnight. I never knew how loud rain can be, especially at night when everything else is quiet.

Sighing I force myself out of the warmth of my blankets and into the bathroom to shower. Once I’m done I have to face my dilemma of finding something to wear to school. Being not only the start of the year but also the new kid in town, I can’t exactly go in sweats my first day. I decide to throw on some black jeans and a long sleeved purple shirt, throwing my grey jacket over top. I put my hair in a quick french braid, cliche yes I know but I was no in the mood to try that hard, and head downstairs.

Charlie is already sitting at the kitchen table when I arrive, eating the rest of what seems like eggs and toast, while reading the newspaper. Silently I make myself a bowl of cereal and sit down across from Charlie. The kitchen is quite as we both finish our respective breakfasts. It’s not an awkward silence, just the pleasant kind that comes from a lack of need to say anything. Halfway through my cereal, Charlie puts down the paper and breaks the peaceful silence.

“Do you think you can find the school alright?”

What I want to tell him is of course I’ll find the school alright. It’s the only one in town and is right off of the highway. You’d have to be blind to miss the school.

What I actually say is:

“Ya I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“Ok,” Charlie says, picking up his dirty dishes and putting them into the sink, “have fun at school then kiddo. I’ll see you when I get home from work.”

“Sure thing dad”

With that Charlie grabs his keys and leaves the house. As I hear the cruiser start in the driveway I push my cereal away, suddenly no longer hungry. Sighing I decide that going to school early wasn’t a bad idea. With this thought in mind I throw away the cereal and quickly finish getting ready for school.

Hopping into my truck I start the engine, which is louder than I expect, and begin my journey to Forks High. When I arrive I can’t help but notice how different from my old school it is. There’s no metal detectors, no security guards keeping watch, no irrational fear that you’re doing something wrong. It honestly looks more like a school from a movie or book than an actual school. I guess living in a small town does have a few perks. Very few but still.

Pulling into a parking spot I cut my engine and glance at the clock on my phone. 7:15 am. I still had 45 minutes before class started and less before the other students start showing up. Sheesh, I knew I would be early but didn’t think it would be this early. At this point I could either wait in my car for a few minutes or just go inside the office extremely early. After a moment I decide to just bite the bullet and start heading into the office. Entering the office, I immediately noticed a woman sitting behind one of the three desks. I glance at the plaque on the top of the desk before I move further into the office. Ms. Cope: Secretary, bingo. Walking over I stand near her deck and wait for her to notice me. Didn’t want to be rude as she might be doing something important. After a minute of silence I let out a small cough.

Startled, she looked up at me. “Sorry about that dear, I didn't hear you come inside,” she says. Looking at the time she continues, “You’re here a bit early, even for the first day of classes. Anyway, how can I help you, dear?”

“I’m Elliot Brooks,” I tell her. Recognition flashes in her eyes and I can tell the day is going to be long. Of course she knows who I am. I’ve probably been the topic of discussion around here for a while. Charlie’s long lost son, come home permanently at last.

“That explains it,” she says with a light chuckle. After digging through some files she pulls out two different papers and hands them to me. “Here you are dear, your class schedule and a map of the school.”

Setting them down she takes out some highlighters and writes down the route to each different class. After that she hands the papers to me along with an orange slip. She explains that because I have never been to this school before and registered so late, the slip is to ensure I am in the correct class and that the teachers have updated their class chart. I thanked her and walked out of the office and headed back to my truck.

As I walk back I noticed that the parking lot has filled up a bit more. I got a bit of relief, that I didn't even know I needed, when I noticed that most cars in the lot were around the same condition as my truck. The newest car is the Volvo parked as far away as possible from the other cars. Pulling the hood of my jacket up, not wanting to be spotted just yet, I quickly clear the distance left between me and my truck and hop back inside. Grateful to be out of the wet and cold, I begin to look over the schedule and map. No need to draw more attention to myself by having a map in my face all day long. It doesn’t help that the school isn’t completely connected. Whoever decided that a high school should just be a group of small buildings grouped together was insane. A college yes but a high school? Insane. At least my schedule is pretty straightforward. 

English, building 3

Trigonometry, building 5

Government, building 6

Spanish, building 7

Lunch

Biology II, building 2

Gym

I glance at the time again, 7:47. Quickly I stuff everything in my backpack and leave my truck. Before I start heading towards the English building I take a deep breath to calm my sudden nerves. Just two years, I tell myself, I can do this. It’s not like anyone is going to bite me. Exhaling I pull my hood up again and start walking to class.

Building 3 wasn’t very hard to find. Not with a giant number 3 on top anyway. Once I get to the building I follow behind two people in raincoats. As we pass the threshold of the door, they stop and put their coats on the coat hooks along the wall. I go to follow their example but stop short when I make eye contact with a black haired boy.

“Aren't you Elliot Brooks, Chief Swan’s kid?”

Suddenly deciding that I would be more comfortable with the coat I reply a short yes. The reply is barely out of my mouth when all of the students in the area turn to face us. Blushing I quickly turn and go up to the teacher, Mr. Mason, and have him sign the slip from the office. Lucky for me he has a bit of sympathy and puts me in the empty desk at the back of the room. Even though it makes it harder to gawk at me my new classmates somehow find a way. The class proceeds like most do on the first day of the school year. We go over the rules, requirements, and assignments for the year. Mr. Mason hands out a short syllabus along with a reading list for the class. Glancing through it I realize it is mostly classic literature, a plus for me as I own many of the books listed. I haven’t read all of them yet, so this is a good opportunity to do so. Before I know it the bell is ringing and everyone starts to pack up and leave. As I get my stuff together, the black haired boy from earlier comes to stand in front of my desk.

“Sorry I didn’t really get to introduce myself earlier, I'm Eric Yorkie” the boy, Eric, says as he sticks a hand out to me.

“Hello,” I say as I shake his hand and walk around my desk, meeting him on the other side. We both start walking towards the door when Eric continues the conversation.

“So what class do you have next?”

I have to rack my brain for a moment before I answer “trigonometry with Varner, building 5.”

As soon as we enter the hallway all eyes turn on us. Everyone wants to get a look at the new kid, yay. I keep walking forward, trying and failing, to not meet people's eyes. It's a hard thing to do when literally EVERYONE is looking right at you.

“If you’d like,” Eric says unbothered by all of the staring, “I can take you there.”

“That would be great.”

Eric seems like one of those people who are too eager to help. And a bit to cheerful. At least he’s nice. I would rather meet a nice and overly helpful person on the first day rather than someone who is rude.

As the two of us head out of the building we’re forced to put the hoods of our jackets up. Mother nature decided to rear her ugly head and bestow rain upon Forks. I can’t help the noise of announce that I let out, prompting Eric to start up another conversation.

“I bet this is a lot different from Phoenix isn’t it? I heard it doesn’t rain much.”

“No it doesn’t, maybe a few times a year? I don’t know the exact amount but it’s mostly sunny all year.” I say.

“Man it must have been nice living in a place like that,” Eric says with a wishful look on his face.

“Ya it was. For a while anyway.”

“What do you mean?” Eric asks as we stop near building 5.

I don’t give him an answer. I can’t, not without outing myself and I refuse to do that again. Instead I just mutter a quick nothing and dash into the building. It was it bit rude I’ll admit but it was better than the alternative option. Tell him the truth and get hated on my first day? I may not like how nosy people are now but I’ll take it over being hated.

Finding the classroom wasn’t hard to do. The class itself, on the other hand, was an abomination to humankind. After signing my slip, Varner quickly gets on my bad side. Not only did he teach a subject I hate, but he made me introduce myself to the class. Being on the spot like that made me embarrass myself, stuttering over myself and almost tripping when going to my seat. On the bright side he made the others introduce themselves as well, even though they all knew each other. The rest of the classes all went the same way. Introduction of the class topic and going over rules and requirements. Basic first day stuff. Before long I started to recognize many of the people in my classes. Some of them introduced themselves, although for many I forgot their names almost immediately, and asked if I liked Forks. I lied and said I was enjoying it.

Before long the bell rings for lunch. This one girl who sat next to me in both Trig and Spanish, asks if I want to join her and her friends for lunch. As I have no better options I agree. It’s better than sitting alone, trust me I’ve done enough of that. As we walk to the lunch room I try to remember her name, continuously coming up short. We soon get lunch and head to her table of friends that she soon introduces me to. Even though the school is small, I don’t recognize anyone but the boy from English, Eric. We all soon start making small talk, mostly about me. They have plenty of questions to ask me: why did I come to Forks, why is my hair so long for a guy, what do I miss most from Phoenix. As I try to answer the question as vague as possible I glance around to the rest of the cafeteria. That's when I see them.

Sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, as far away as possible from the rest of the students, are five of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen. They consist of two girls and three guys. I can’t help but stare at them, taking in as many details as possible before my staring is noticed.

One girl, a blond with wavy hair, is the epitome of what most guys dream about. She has a beautiful figure, the kind you saw on the cover of magazines. Just looking at her could make even the most confident person’s self esteem drop. The other one, a short pixie-like girl, has deep black hair cropped short and pointing in every direction.

The three boys are all different as well. The big one has muscles that look like the size of my face, with dark, curly hair. Another is taller and leaner with honey blond hair, almost the same shade as the girl. The last was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze-colored hair. He seems more boyish than the others, who looked like they could be in college rather than high school. If I had to choose, he would be my favorite.

Other than the two blonds none of them looked related and yet they all seemed alike in a way. Every one of them is a chalky pale color. They all have very dark eyes despite the range in hair tones, with dark bruise like shadows under their eyes. All of their features were without a single blemish, no pimple or mole or freckle to be seen. All of them look perfect, almost inhumanly perfect.

After taking in their beauty I take in the rest of the scene. None of them were speaking or even looking at each other. It honestly seems like they aren’t staring at anything, zoned out in a way. They weren’t eating like the rest of us either, although they each have a tray of food in front of them. Every single one untouched. As I watch, the small girl rose with her tray — unopened soda, unbitten apple — and walked away with a quick, graceful lope that belonged to a professional ballerina. I watch her, amazed at the dance, until she dumps her tray and glides through the cafeteria door. She moved faster than I would have thought possible. My eyes dart back to the others at my table.

"Who are they ?" I ask the girl from my Spanish class, whose name I still don’t remember.

As she looks up to see who I meant, the bronze-haired one suddenly looks over. He stares at the girl for just a fraction of a second, and then his dark eyes flicker to mine. He looks away quickly, but even in that brief glance, I could tell his face held nothing of interest. It’s if she had called his name, and he'd looked up in involuntary response, already having decided not to answer. My neighbor giggles in embarrassment before answering my question. 

“Those are the Cullens.”

#twilight #twilight series #twilight movies #lgbt character #EdwardXOC #twilight saga #fanfiction #twilight fanfiction #Twilight rewrite #stephanie meyer #smeyer #twilight books #AO3 #archive of our own #original Character #m/m #bi edward #bisexual edward #twilight2thegayversion #gaytwilight

[psifitopia]

help please?  whump fic

Could I get some feedback on the fic I’m writing for MacGyver May?  It’s Mac whump, where Murdoc does the comforting.  No non-con.   If you want a link to everything I’ve written on this, I’ll send it to you, but what follows is just the part where Murdoc shows up and what has happened so far after that.   General feedback is welcome, but I need to know if the emotional tensions I’m trying for are coming through or if it’s too clincal? Flat?  idk  lol  Thank you for any help! :D

Someone unexpected was coming.  Murdoc had woken up in a hotel room.  Along with some warm clothes, including a heavy, leather jacket, someone had left a letter, giving him directions to this place and the keys to a truck.  Supposedly, the person was interested in helping Murdoc destroy the Phoenix Foundation and had promised he would find something of interest here.  Well, Murdoc was certainly intrigued.  He had parked a few yards back from his destination and was stealthily making the rest of the trip on foot.  Fortunately, his supposed benefactor had left him a gun and some bullets.  Murdoc had thoroughly inspected both, taking the gun apart and cleaning it, before deciding it was safe to use.  

Hearing the roar of a truck approaching, Murdoc disappeared into the shadows of the surrounding trees, waiting until the truck was gone, before moving ahead.  He approached his destination from the side, noticing movement in the back.  Murdoc crept around, watching as a man shoveled dirt into a grave.  Gregory.  Murdoc recognized him from his own past, doing jobs for the Organization.  Gregory's task was about half done. Weirdly, a hollow tube was sticking up from the site.  Noticing the cross, Murdoc crept around to read what it said:  Angus MacGyver. Laid to rest November 24th, 2019.

Without thinking, Murdoc aimed and fired his gun, killing Gregory instantly. Murdoc ran forward.  Surely the tube was for breathing?  The thought that MacGyver was already dead was...unacceptable.  Murdoc ignored his own racing heart, telling himself it was just from exertion.  Grabbing the shovel, he began removing the dirt from the grave, working furiously.  He forced himself not to think or examine his own motives.  He'd get his boyscout out and come up with excuses later.  After a couple of feet, the shovel hit something softer than dirt and a cry of pain could be heard clearly.  Tossing the shovel away, Murdoc began clawing the dirt out with his bare hands.  

The cry of pain echoed through Murdoc's mind in an alarming way, as he worked, the icy soil tearing at his fingers.  The closest comparison he could find for the sensation was the way he felt, whenever Cassian was crying.  Not fitting at <i>all</i>, he told himself, scornfully.  

With enough dirt cleared, MacGyver struggled into a sitting position, taking deep, gulping breaths from the tube.  Murdoc drew a knife, then cut away the tape holding the tube in place and the ties around his feet and hands.  Uneasily, Murdoc took in MacGyver's state.  The boyscout was nearly naked and shivering violently.  Even through the light layer of dirt on MacGyver, Murdoc could see his injuries, the dirt, mixed with blood, clinging to the cuts.  Fierce anger and protectiveness welled up in him.  No!  Not protectiveness, <i>possessiveness</i>, Murdoc told himself angrily, but he didn't listen, not even to himself.  

Murdoc froze, eyes wide, when MacGyver's gaze focused on him.

"Murdoc?" MacGyver asked, confused, almost not believing it.

He was too cold, tired, and wounded to hide his vulnerability.  He gazed at his nemesis and trembled, waiting for whatever would come, shoving away the part of him that wanted to hope.  Murdoc just nodded slightly at him, a strange expression blazing in his dark eyes.  He looked...alarmed?  MacGyver winced, as icy water started falling on him, the sky opening up and delivering sheets of sleet on their heads.  Murdoc gave an angry hiss, launching to his feet.  Too weak to fight, MacGyver wrapped his arms around his knees, trying to control his shaking.  To his surprise, Murdoc scooped MacGyver up into his arms, holding him close.  They made it to the door in just a few strides of Murdoc's long legs.

Fortunately, Gregory and Mason had left the door unlocked.  Murdoc got it open and carried MacGyver inside, like a groom carrying his bride over a threshold.  The thought made MacGyver giggle hysterically.  

"Don't you lose it on me, Boyscout," Murdoc said, fuming.  "You're going to explain what's going on to me!"

MacGyver nodded, though he wanted to tell Murdoc he didn't know.  What did Murdoc have to do with any of this?  Shouldn't he already know, himself?  The questions became unimportant, as Murdoc found the bathroom and set MacGyver on the sink.  Murdoc grabbed the box of handi-wipes sitting on the back of the toilet and began cleaning away the dirt that clung to MacGyver.  MacGyver cried out in pain, surprised, when Murdoc stopped for a moment or two, before continuing.

"I know, Boyscout, but we have to get you warmed up and those cuts and burns tended," Murdoc said, grimly.  "Just take it easy."  

MacGyver nodded, too confused to be worried, as Murdoc cleaned him.  Once that was done, Murdoc grabbed a towel from the rack and dried MacGyver's hair.  MacGyver let him, his thoughts rolling around.  Why?  Why was Murdoc helping him?  How had the assassin even <i>found</i> him?   MacGyver wasn't as surprised as he wanted to be, that Murdoc had managed to escape.  It was kind of his thing, really.  MacGyver tried not to be touched by the care he was receiving.  He couldn't afford that.  

"I'm not thinking clearly," MacGyver told Murdoc, the words trying to twist his tongue into knots.

He was fairly certain it was a stupid thing to say, anyway.

"You're in no condition to be thinking," Murdoc said, dryly, going through the medicine cabinet, then the drawers on the side of the sink.  "Just...worry about it later."

Murdoc found a thermometer and popped it into MacGyver's mouth, then continued rummaging. He managed to find antibiotic ointment, dressing, and bandage tape.  The thermometer went off and Murdoc took it out, studying the reading, with a grimace.  

"Ninety-five point nine," Murdoc announced.  "You are on the verge of hypothermia."

"Fun," MacGyver replied.  "Explains the exhaustion, shivering, nausea..."

"Shut up, Boyscout," Murdoc advised.

He liberally slathered MacGyver's burns and wounds with the ointment, then bandaged them.  MacGyver gave a sigh, still shaking from cold.  He sneezed, the sound almost startling him into falling off the sink.  Murdoc chuckled, catching him.

"Easy, Angus.  You're gonna end up with a fever, if we don't get you warm, soon.  Stay right here.  I'm going to find you some clothes."

MacGyver considered obeying.  He felt weak and disoriented.  But, breathing deeply, he caught the faint scent of wood smoke.  Stumbling and catching at the walls for balance, he followed it and found himself in a cozy living room with a blazing fire roaring in the fireplace.  Had Murdoc had time to do that?  Or was it Gregory?  Would he have doused the fire, before leaving?  Or, had he left?  Shivering, MacGyver sat as close to the fire as he could stand, staring into the flames and listening to the crackling of the wood.  Something glinted and caught his eye.  A sliver of glass was at the edge of the fire, surrounded by black plastic.  

His cell phone.  His cell phone was in the fire.  It must have been there for a while, he mused.  It was almost all gone, melted away.

"MACGYVER!" Murdoc shouted from the bathroom.

MacGyver started, then blinked.  Wow.  The man certainly had a good set of lungs.  He ignored the note of concern in the man's voice.  MacGyver was probably just imagining it, anyway.  He took a breath.

"Here!" he called, the sound coming out weakly and inducing a coughing fit.  

Murdoc strode into the room, his face set into hard lines.  His expression softened a bit when he spotted MacGyver and the fire.  He held up MacGyver's leather coat, which was on top of a pile of MacGyver's clothes.

"Looky what I found, Boyscout.  Your ridiculous jacket!  Come on, get dressed," Murdoc ordered, dropping the clothes beside MacGyver.  

Nodding, MacGyver reached for his pants, but his fingers weren't cooperating.  It took him a try or two, before managing to snag the pants and draw them closer.  Once he had them, he sat, looking at them, feeling clumsy.  He looked up, when Murdoc sighed.  Reaching out, he took the pants back and grabbed MacGyver's foot.  MacGyver peered owlishly at his own extremity, wondering what Murdoc wanted with it.  Murdoc drew the foot into the pants' leg, then grabbed the other one, repeating the move.  MacGyver picked at the bunched up cloth around his knee, making Murdoc laugh.  He slipped MacGyver's feet into his socks, then stood.

"Can you stand on your own?" Murdoc asked.

"I don't know," MacGyver answered mildly, making no move to find out, too tired to care.

"Well, then," Murdoc said dryly, putting his hands under MacGyver's armpits and lifting him to his feet.  

"You're strong," MacGyver told him, blinking.  

"Yes, I am," Murdoc agreed, somewhere between amused and alarmed.  

The cold was definitely getting to his boyscout's magnificent brain.  Murdoc lifted MacGyver's hands up above his shoulders.

"Keep those there," he ordered.

MacGyver obeyed, head tilted in curiosity.  Murdoc slipped MacGyver's sweater over his head, placing his hands into the sleeves and tugging them into place.  

"There.  Now, you're all cozy and ready for bed," Murdoc said, cheerfully.

"Bed?  It's not dark out.  I haven't even had lunch!"

"I'm going to get some food together, while you take a nap and warm up."

"I'm thirsty," MacGyver complained.  

"I'll bring you some broth."

Murdoc led MacGyver into a bedroom, maneuvering him into the middle of a king-sized bed.  He started to drape the blankets over MacGyver, but the boyscout began thrashing, shoving the blankets away.  

"Stop it, Angus.  You need to get warm."

"No!  I don't want them."

"Tough," Murdoc said ruthlessly, shoving MacGyver back.

"Murdoc, please!" MacGyver begged, his breath coming in heavy gasps.  "Shoot me first."

"Beg your pardon?" Murdoc asked, warily.

"Don't bury me alive.  Please."

Murdoc froze, the blankets still in his hands.  Well.  Hell.  Okay, he supposed that made sense, sort of, psychologically.

"Okay," Murdoc soothed.  "We'll find a way, without the blankets.  Lay down and I'll see what I can find."  

"Okay," MacGyver agreed, laying down.

Well, great.  Now what?  Murdoc fumed.  He ought to just strip down and use his own body heat to warm MacGyver up, but...he really did need to get them both something to eat.  He looked around, opening the bedroom closet.  Inside was a microfiber bathrobe, obviously meant for someone taller and heftier than MacGyver.  He also found a heavy, wool beanie.

"All right, these should do, in place of blankets.  Stand up and put these on."  

MacGyver struggled to his feet, wrestling with the clothes.  Murdoc disappeared for a couple of minutes, coming back with a large mug of broth.  Thoroughly layered, MacGyver drank the broth, then laid down on top of the blankets, curling in on himself.  Whatever Murdoc did next, MacGyver planned on sleeping right through it.   He fell into a blessedly dreamless, healing sleep.  

MacGyver drifted reluctantly awake, as his stomach protested being empty.  Groaning, he forced himself to sit up, rubbing at his eyes.  A warm, pungent smell that hadn't been there before drifted into the bedroom.  His stomach rumbled hungrily, as MacGyver breathed in the scent.  He wasn't sure what he was smelling, though he thought he detected carrots.  He just knew he wanted some.  MacGyver followed his nose, making his way to the kitchen and dining area.  

Murdoc sat in a chair at the heavy, wooden table, placing a spoonful of stew into his mouth.  Looking about, MacGyver spotted a large pot, being kept warm on the stove.  

"Help yourself, Angus," Murdoc invited.  "I didn't drag you out of that hole just to poison you."  

"Guess not," MacGyver agreed, roughly, going over to the stove and spooning stew into the bowl left out for him.  "How did you escape?"

"I didn't.  I was kidnapped," Murdoc claimed, amused.

"I beg your pardon?" MacGyver asked, confused.  "What does that even mean?"

"It means, my evening meal was drugged.  I fell asleep in my cell and woke up in a hotel room.  Someone left me a letter, directing me here."

"Mason," MacGyver clarified, bitterly.  "It had to be him, but why?  What does he want with you?"  

"I don't know.  Apparently, he thought I'd find your death of interest."  

"I was kind of under that impression myself."

"Oh, c'mon, MacGyver.  I'm not going to kill my best bud!" Murdoc claimed, boldly.

Somehow, he didn't think MacGyver was going to believe any future threats against his life, not that Murdoc didn't intend to still make them.   He had to have some fun!  

#feedback #whump #MacGyver #murdoc #macdoc #fanfiction #fanfic

[styomi]

Fifteen study dates | 15-day prompt challenge | Sweet Pea/OC | Day 12

AN: And, with this one, we’ve officially entered into the kink territory… Enjoy the ideas, you little curious ones :D

Info:

Fandom: Riverdale Pairing: Sweet Pea/OC Rating: T Word count: 1718 + 120 bonus Chapter count: 12/15

                                                   Stay still for me

Ruby was seriously regretting taking Mattie’s challenge and signing up for the art class at school. It was positively kicking her butt. The worst part, though, was the fact that her current assignment was to draw someone important in her life. And, she probably would’ve asked Jo to sit down for a portrait, because he wouldn’t’ve bothered her, no matter how crappy it came out. But, her father was out of town for work, like usual. So, that left her with the next best thing. Ruby groaned in advance and grabbed her phone, dialing a familiar number.

“Hey, short stuff,” Sweet Pea’s attractive rumble came from the other side of the call. “What’s up?” Ruby closed her eyes, praying for patience.

“Are you busy?” She asked, opting to take the least destructive road. Teasing would come, she knew, but that didn’t stop her from attempting to postpone it as much as she could.

“Not really, just hanging out with the guys.” Toni’s voice protested from his side, making Ruby grin. “And girls.” Sweet Pea corrected himself pointedly, more for his friend’s sake than anything else.

“Well, then… um… Canyoumodelformyartclassportrait?” Ruby rushed to get it all out, the words jumbling together in a smushed sentence.

“Errr, can I what?” Sweet Pea asked. “Didn’t catch that last part of mumbo-jumbo.”

“I’m in art class.” Ruby started again, her face on fire.

“A beautiful fact well-known to all, I don’t doubt. What’s that got to do with me?” Sweet Pea was quick to shoot back teasingly. She was already regretting calling him. She should’ve asked Toni or Fangs. Maybe even Jughead.

“We have a portrait assignment. Someone important in your life.” The girl couldn’t back down then. She’d already stepped into the mess with one foot.

“Oh, want me to ask Toni to come over?” He asked, voice going a bit distant as he moved away from the speaker, undoubtedly looking for the purple haired Serpent.

“No, you,” Ruby quickly cut him off. “I want to draw you,” Sweet Pea laughed. He actually laughed at her. Ruby snapped and cut the call off. She would just draw Jo from memory or something. Her phone rang again from the spot on her desk where she’d tossed it in mild anger and embarrassment. She watched Sweet Pea’s name flash on the screen for a few seconds before giving in and picking up the call. “What?” Ruby’s tone was anything but courteous.

“I’m coming over,” Sweet Pea replied in his usual rumble. “I’m leaving the quarry now, so I’ll be there in ten.” Ruby felt her anger vanish at his calm tone.

“Alright. See you in a bit.” When the line cut off, the girl placed her phone on her sketchbook gently, looking at the dark screen for a few moments. Then, she jumped up from her chair. Ruby rushed to her wardrobe, throwing the drawers open and looking for something nice to wear. Finally, she settled on a light blue sundress with a golden pattern of a phoenix on the front, which Mattie had drawn with some fabric paints when she’d come over. It took the girl a few minutes to have the dress on, tame her long hair with a brush and finally apply some casual mascara and her Chapstick. With a final check in the mirror, she decided that she looked nice enough, but not date-worthy. So, perfect. The doorbell rang Chili’s barking ringing throughout the house. Ruby jumped and rushed down the stairs barefoot, pulling the door open with a sharp motion.

“So, how naked should I get for this assignment?” Sweet Pea was leaning in the doorway, a smug smirk on his lips.

“It’s just a portrait. So, not at all.” Ruby shot back with a small smile, letting him in. Instantly, her dog started singing a different tune, trying to get the biker to pet him with passion.

“Bummer, I think that I’d be a great nude model.” Sweet Pea bent down a bit, petting the eager Chili across the back, then ruffled his ears and let the pooch go. As Ruby led the way to her bedroom, the dog stopped following them, retreating downstairs, where he usually hung out.

“Sit there and don’t move, if that’s possible,” Ruby instructed, making Sweet Pea plop on the window seat and get settled in. He shrugged off his signature leather jacket and tossed it on her bed, before starting to mess with the pillows on the seat, checking out the books and notes on it and looking out at the driveway.

“So, how’s it coming?” The boy asked after the first half an hour. Ruby was focused on her sketchpad, her pencil always moving and eraser coming up from time to time to correct something. She tossed him a glare at the question. Sweet Pea threw his hands up and leaned back, taking up one of the books she’d been reading and opening it. He started skimming through the pages at first. Then, he actually focused on it, becoming immersed in the storyline and reading it slowly. It gave Ruby plenty of time to draw him.

She wasn’t a good artist by any means. Mediocre, at best. But, at Mattie’s challenge to take an art class and develop that skill, she couldn’t resist. Now, drawing Sweet Pea, she wished that she was better. She knew that she couldn’t do his handsome face justice on the paper. After a while, Ruby lost focus and just ended up staring at the tall biker, ridiculously out of place in her window seat, reading a romance novel she’d been given for her birthday by her best friend, Mattie, as a joke.

“Am I distracting you?” Sweet Pea asked after a while, his eyes leaving the page and meeting hers over the top of the book.

“Incredibly.” Ruby sighed, closing her sketchpad and tossing it on the table, along with her pencil and eraser.

“Does that mean that we’re taking a break?” Sweet Pea eagerly suggested. “Because this thing has some very interesting suggestions that I’m just dying to try out.” He put the book up in the air, waving it. Ruby couldn’t resist laughing. She knew that the book had quite a few intimate scenes, rather descriptive, too.

“Mattie gave it to me,” she elaborated. “As a joke, of course.” But, Sweet Pea was already grinning wide from his spot.

“Maybe your bestie just wanted to help us spice it up from time to time,” he waggled his eyebrows and she lost it, bending over with laughter. “Seriously, that scene with the blindfold… Damn, it sounds good.”

“Do you want to try it, then?” Ruby suggested, rising from her seat. She walked over to the door of her room, taking a scarf from one of the hooks. When she turned, she saw that Sweet Pea’s eyes had been glued to her behind the whole way.

“Sure,” he replied, swallowing thickly. Ruby walked over to the window seat, pushing the books to the side to sit next to him and handed him the scarf. Sweet Pea’s hands were cold when they wrapped it around her head, covering her eyes. It told her that he was beyond excited about their little game. “Can you see anything?” He asked, voice coming from right in front of her. Ruby felt his hot breath on her face, smelling of peppermint and some kind of food. He’d probably chewed a gum on his way to her house.

“All dark,” Ruby replied, her voice trembling.

“Alright. Tell me if we go into weird territory, okay?” Sweet Pea’s rumble sent a pleasant chill down her spine.

“We passed it some time ago.” But, the comment wasn’t a biting remark, rather, a sentence of consent, which Sweet Pea knew well. It was like pressing the play button. The first thing Ruby felt was a soft brush of Sweet Pea’s fingers along her neck, down to her collarbone and then they traced the top of her dress and vanished. She took a shaky breath, waiting. Next, his hand took hers, interlocking their fingers. For once, hers were warmer than his. His lips were on her cheek then, gently trailing over it, without a kiss, but with a teasing touch. And, as he neared her mouth, Ruby leaned in, expecting a proper kiss, but met air. She huffed in disappointment.

“Relax, cupcake,” Sweet Pea whispered into her ear, almost making Ruby jump out of her skin. She had had no idea that he was there. “I’ve got you.” The next touch came in a form of a kiss to her neck, making her sigh. Sweet Pea knew what he was doing when it came to neck kisses. They were open-mouthed, hot, coupled with gentle and hard nips, along with promises of hickeys which usually stained Ruby’s skin for days. She couldn’t resist reaching up with her hands, letting go of his fingers, and following his arms up to his shoulders, neck and finally settling for pulling on his hair. It was gelled, an annoying fact that made running her fingers through it hard, but she wasn’t in the business of gentle toying with his locks then. Ruby just wanted to tug on the damned thing and make him kiss her properly. So, she did.

Sweet Pea obliged, his lips meeting hers gently at first, but she deepened the kiss immediately, her tongue seeking out his. It was sloppy, as Ruby couldn’t see anything, and she’d always preferred having her eyes open when kissing. However, the two managed. Then, Sweet Pea pulled away and his arms came around her, hefting her small body up and carrying her somewhere. Ruby sighed, excited by the suspense of not knowing what was going to happen next.

Then, her back met the mattress and she felt Sweet Pea lean against her body, the weight a familiar and welcome feeling. Ruby’s arms came up to go around his shoulders, but he pushed them down.

“No touching, tater tot,” Sweet Pea ordered her. “I sat still for you earlier. Now, it’s your turn.” Ruby nodded shakily and her fingers twisted into the covers, holding on for dear life. She managed to let him do as she wished for a while before she abandoned all thoughts of obeying his wishes.

I’m looking forward to hearing what you guys thought of this one :D

Taglist: @enticinghell @projectcampbell @sweetscamille @xoxodege

Previous parts: Day 1: A way to memorize Day 2: How to prepare for a study date (?) like a proper gentleman Day 3:  With proper motivation, anything is possible Day 4:  PG13 PDA sugar can be good motivation Day 5: Autumn time is picnic time Day 6: It’s best when we can compete Day 7:  Master of procrastination and his jailer Day 8: Take me anywhere, everywhere, away from here Day 9:  Dirty French for beginners   Day 10:  I need… sleep?… no, you… Day 11:  Delirium   Day 13:  Debate? Apparently, a turn-on   Day 14: Two-seater and Chinese   Day 15:  Unintentional intentions  

                                                          Bonus

“What the heck is that?” Toni asked, looking at the drawing Sweet Pea had pinned to the DIY cork board he had above his desk.

“Ruby drew me for her art class,” the tall Serpent shrugged. “I managed to convince her to let me have it.” The purple haired girl leaned away from inspecting the portrait done in pencil in order to raise her eyebrow at her friend.

“Sweet Pea, I love Ruby and all, she’s a darling in a small package…  But, that’s just plain ugly.” Toni spoke slowly like he couldn’t understand her. Sweet Pea laughed heartily and nodded.

“I know, but don’t let her hear that. If you ask me, she needs to drop that class ASAP.”

Now, I’m done :D

#styomi #writing #fanfiction #riverdale #riverdale oc #riverdale aesthetic #riverdale drabble #sweet pea #sweet pea x oc #sweet pea oc #sweet pea drabble #sweet pea aesthetic #ruby wolfe #ruby wolfe aesthetic #bansheehime #study date prompts #romantic prompts #fifteen day challenge

[edgewoodrp]

Congratulations, Phoenix! You have been accepted as your desired character, Lucio Rinaldi! Please be sure to complete the steps listed on the New Member checklist and send in your account within the next 24 hours.

Welcome to Edgewood. There’s no place like home.

OOC INFORMATION

Name (or alias): Phoenix

Pronouns: She/her

Timezone: PST

WRITING SAMPLE

If you had been able to choose, would you rather have been an only child or part of a very large family?

Lucio tilts his head to the side at the idea of this question. His index finger and thumb circle around his chin to indicate that the hunter was thinking. But was he really thinking about the question that presented itself or was he pretending to think? He wasn’t really sure if he needed to give it much thought since all his life he always wondered about the what ifs that came with the questions asked. Would he have the attention of his parents in a large group? Would he have the attention he had secretly craved, and missed, if he was their only child? There was no guarantee that even if he was born the only child his parents would’ve paid attention to him. But he was still trying to figure out an answer that actually made sense; despite clearly showing the way that he presented himself he actually had to think about it. Maybe for once in his life had really needed to decide if he wanted his life another way.

“Hmmm.” He slowly draws out, his thick voice falling softly past the lips that he sucked his breath against; slowly releasing a hissing sound. He quickly drops his index finger and thumb from his chin. He wraps his arms across his chest. Quickly and nearly effortlessly, Lucio twists his neck around slowly; a cracking sound coming as his bones crack and rattle beneath his skin. Lucio shakes out his shoulders gently. This movement if looked at in another way, someone would think he was getting ready for a battle. And maybe he was getting ready for one. After all, the question that presented itself did make the inner mind of the police officer workload; faster than his mind had run before. ‘Should I be completely honest? Should I lie?’ He asks himself, still wondering what the best way to answer the question would be. ‘Fuck lie … don’t let them know the truth. No one would understand. No judgers, okay?’ His subconscious mind screamed at him to lie, but Lucio knew that he wouldn’t be satisfied if he did lie about how he truly felt when it came to his family, or more importantly, his sister.

“Fine okay …” he says holding up a hand and mocking waving his hand around in a way to show that he was throwing up the white flag. “I’ll answer this time and not fuck around.” A heavy sigh escapes from deep within Lucio. His eyes close tightly as he tries to put the words together that he’s clearly been avoiding this whole time. “Yes, if given the chance, I would pick to be the only child. Don’t get me wrong, I love my sister and would do anything for her. But I’ve always craved the attention from my parents, always wanted their concern, their pride, and their love shown to me only. I’ve always wanted them to take notice of me. No matter what did or how much I showed them what I was capable of, it never seemed to be enough with someone like Claudia taking their attention and love away from me. It’s selfish for sure, but —” Lucio pierces his lips together and closes his eyes as his head tilts towards the ground. “I wanted that love and attention. I wanted them to see. To see me. No matter what I did it never seemed to be enough.” Feeling anger start to build up in him, Lucio turns around quickly and slams a large fist into the nearest wall. He stands there wondering why he did that move, why he took it out on the wall. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe somewhere deep down he was actually angry. No yes, he knew he was angry. He wasn’t given the chance to fully get the love and attention from his parents. He had tried so hard, but when Lucio’s parents died, that desire to get what he always thought was rightfully his went away as quickly as all those chances he once had did. Deep down inside he knew that never getting his parent’s love and attention clearly tore him up on the inside and left him feeling like he had a hole, a void, somewhere within him that was unreachable.

“I’m not one to hide amongst the people around me. So I feel that having a large family would be a bit much.” He says, his voicing calming down from the explosive yell that probably escaped when he hit the wall. “It would’ve been nice to have more siblings to fight against, to teach about the world we live in, but it would’ve been more siblings to fight against for the attention of my parents.” He snorts slightly, feeling his emotions start to tame. “And clearly giving more than one child attention was too much for them to handle. I mean, they couldn’t even give two children attention. God only knows what they would’ve done with more of us.” Lucio takes out his blade and shaper. He scraps the blade against the sharper and looks up from over the edge of the blade. “It would’ve been more people to beat out for my parents’ love and clearly I can’t handle that. Even the idea of more siblings besides Claudia makes me panic.” Lucios on the blade to make it shinier than it was. “Look …” he hisses out, clearly wanting to move on. “Is there anything else that needs to be discussed? Because if there isn’t I’d surely like to leave now. I got supernaturals to chase after and kill. You know? Take my frustration out on them. Easier targets than parents who are dead, right?” Lucio places the blade back into his pocket. Quickly his hands fix the cease on his leather jacket that he wears. “Nothing else to say?” He says, pouting slightly. “That’s fine. I’ll be on my way now.” Lucio chugs down his beer quickly before turning around to start moving away. “This has been fun. A little boring, but at least someone cared enough to see how I truly felt. Thanks for that. I’m pumped up now to make those not worthy of my temper pay for my selfish feelings that come from being neglected.” Without another word, Lucio turns around from whoever asked the question, someone not important and easily forgettable. Just as quickly as he came, the quicker he left and without much of a word, Lucio leaves the bar and walks out into the darkest of the night to find his next target; someone innocent creature unworthy of his wrath.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Lucio loves his sister, but sometimes his jealousy doesn’t let him show that he does.

He always wonders how his life would be if he wasn’t raised to be a hunter.

Sometimes he thinks about being able to pick his own path and not picking one that clearly didn’t get him what he craved the most; attention from his parents.

He was terrified on his first hunt, but he kept himself together so that his father would be proud of him.

Lucio never had a relationship since he was too busy trying to work hard to impress his parents. Sometimes he wonders if he should’ve spent his energy on many girls and guys that worked hard for the attention of two people who could care less.

Lucio hasn’t come out as bisexual. He doesn’t think he should. There really isn’t a point at this time in his life. He clearly doesn’t have time for a relationship right now. So why should he bother seeking someone out?

#accepted

[pinksweatergettingbetter]

warning, the following has mainly snarky (and possibly furious) opinions on Spirit of Justice. Reader discretion is advised.

-

alright, we’re here live with phoenix wright at temple temple 

lets see where we go.

-

aw he’s worried about maya. thank god someone is.

-

“I didn’t come all the way to khura’in to be useless”

prove it, edgey

-

oh its one of those lady gaga guards again

Lah’kee. aww cute

-

“I advise you accept the invitation”

well he can’t really decline it, miles.

Also “Lakhee” haha. at least edgeworth’s ability to mess up names is still here.

-

hm i wonder how she’s really spying on everyone. something ridiculous no doubt. 

-

oooh the ‘audience chamber’

i smell a cutscene 

-

ooh i was right

kinda

-

“this place is still as magnificent as last time”

wait what do you mean last time

it was listed as a new location in the map

-

“looks like you’re doing well”

damnit nick you made me laugh.

-

phoenix now has ‘bludgeoned by child’ to add to his list of stuff he’s survived 

-

we’ve already established that you cant get spiritual power from the orb unless you’re a medium already. come on now.

-

“For in Khura’in, only those who possess spiritual power may sit on the throne” 

uh im all for feminism and that but you might wanna open your king or queenitude to a wider and possibly more qualified range of people. 

i mean spirit mediums are awesome and all but summoning ghosts does not necessarily make you a good politician. 

-

“But the queen seems almost giddy for someone who’s husband was just murdered”

well I'm glad you told me that, phoenix, because i cannot fucking tell on her flat ass face

-

poor rayfa... she’s really grown on me. i hope she’ll be okay.

-

hmm. something just happened that i *think* should have tripped the magatama... but who cares. nothing works anymore.

-

“When it turned out Dhurke was forging evidence the people were devastated, and trust in the legal system plummeted”

anD THUS BEGAN THE DARK AGE OF THE 

NO

NO NON O NON NOOOOOO WE LEFT THAT BEHIND IN DD DO NOT BRING IT BACK.

-

“We have the divination seance, so we don’t need lawyers anymore”

yeah you also don’t need prosecutors anymore either. all you need is a judge to go “huh, looks legit” and into the slammer they go.

...and yet... and yet...

-

WHOA WHAT

SHE MOVES?!

also thats literally Morgan’s laugh but flipped. She’s evil. 

-

“it’s missing? I'm sure Dhurke had it when he went into the tomb”

why is phoenix so fucking stupid when he goes to kooraheen. its like when he sets foot on their soil his brain just drops every single shred of self preservation it once had. i mean i know he used to show evidence to blatant criminals but like, at least he had misgivings about doing it.

-

“From his odd hairstyle, may we assume him to be a relative? Perhaps, your younger brother?”

‘no, he’s my son.’

haha but in all seriousness considering Jove’s facial similarity to phoenix and the amount of shoehorned backstory for Apollo, they could pretty damn well be related.

-

wow. not only does phoenix yell EW NO HES NOT RELATED TO ME but he /also/ lets slip that he’s related to Dhurke. You know. Right in front of the queen who hates the living shit out of Dhurke.

Thanks for draining my baby’s braincells, SOJ......

-

“whats she whispering to that guard?”

oh i dunno nick maybe something about that thing you said about Apollo being related to the queen’s ARCH NEMESIS.

GOOD FUCKING LORD.

-

“That’s one swanky throne. I wouldn't mind taking a seat there myself.”

the audacity. and yet i love him for it.

“The jester and the crown. I imagine it’d make quite the interesting picture”

Ouuuch

“You know, Edgeworth, I hate to say this, but you’re absolutely right.”

he’s remembering that time he got all doe eyed over Dhurke’s mouldy jacket. 

-

why is the bazaar also a new area

we’ve been there before

-

...oh. warbaads sound like lions?? the fuck????

its a form of mimicry? to protect against predators??

when did he learn this again?!

-

oh god. of course. of course it would be Vore Machine who makes a fucking gunshot noise in the middle of a crowded area.

brilliant.

-

“since more people are joining us, ive decided to employ something that sounds like a gunshot to scare the fuck outta them!’

flawless strategy as always, dingel.

-

“What with the murder/suicide!”

he shouts with a huge grin

“Hopefully this means Tahrust’s death won’t be in vain after all”

GOD. even brain dead nick noticed it was abso-fuckin’-lutely pointless.

-

“see, i give my fellow rebels things that sound like gunshots, that will of course draw attention AWAY from them. yes, the loud noise things will definitely ward OFF the royal guards” genius.

-

“those firecrackers are more useful than i thought”

yeah because he used one on a fucking vulnerable child. maybe try it again when the actual trained police are on your tail, see how well that turns out for you. 

also fuck you Datz.

-

aw i love Rayfa and Nick’s interactions. She’s adorable and he humours her so much. It’s sweet. 

this is genuine by the way; its the highlight of the kooraheen cases for me. as i said Rayfa’s really grown on me. she was annoying at first but now it’s just kinda... cute?

-

“But hearing her all alone I... I can’t help but think of Trucy”

OW

OW

OW

OW

-

“it’s as if your brain-to-mouth filter shuts off the second you step out of the courtroom” 

oh man edge. you'd be snacking on your words if you saw his internal monologue. 

-

phoenix: men are messy. i am messy. 

-

where IS nayna...

in other news, Phoenix continues to dad at Rayfa

-

(weeping) oh god Rayfa’s so cute

please be kind to her pleaaase

-

(rayfa seems really worried for Nayna...)

yea maybe you should do something about that nick

-

Phoenix: rayfs maybe you uhh shouldnt do the divination thing i can do that

wehhh protect her nick

god she’s even feeling bad for being a brat. please just give her a hug or something, jeez;

-

i know its just a call back but how /did/ he get his hands on some J’suis Lebelle?

-

“I like my natural stress-grey very much ,thank you!”

-

“Do you suppose if I slept on it, I could see my father once more?”

OW

WHAT THE FUCK SOJ

obviously phoenix agrees with me. jesus.

-

shdgah i thought the notepad was a sandwich 

-

Huh! Inga was face-blind. who knew?

i kid, i kid. its probably related to queenbean’s magic surveillance shit 

-

hehehe everybody luuuurves edgeworth

-

Phoenix: drugs??? oh no I'm a cool kid. say no

(steals drugs)

-

n’awww. her birfday was the safe code. i guess even bad men love their daughters.

OH AND HER BABY LETTERS IN THERE TOO AHH

-

(yells) gfakgkkajafksj THERE’S AN ‘ASSASSINATION PLAN”

GOD

fake. fake fake fake. fake as fuck.

people don’t write little “my evil plan” notes to themselves. 

-

Rayfa: *sees picture of someone other than her mother holding her as a baby* MY WHOLE LIFE IS A LIIIIIIIE

-

“I wonder what’s afoot?”

THE GAME, EDGEWORTH, THE GAME!!!

-

Edgeworth’s bitten by a fuckin dog and he STILL Cant manage a human emotion. good lord.

-

hmm. i know that was supposed to be comedic but the lack of visuals really kinda dampened the thing.

...plus, to choke edgeworth, the pressure would need to be applied to the front of his neck, not the back, and since the dog is on the front, it cant have choked him. it couldn’t have even pulled the “cravat” tighter because it’s not actually tied up.

(sigh) oh whatever.

-

Datz, emerging from a manhole to recruit 

-

Wow Datz sure loves to scare the shit out of children. What a class act.

“HAHA FUCK YOU KID, I HOPE YOUR DOG’S LOST FOREVER AND MAYBE DIES”

SUCH a class act.

-

“Ahlbi’s not exactly the picture of self restraint...”

phoenix he’s nine

-

“I worry about his future sometimes...”

of course you do, dad ;)

-

“You cant go trespassing like that, even if it’s for a good cause; it’s just not right!”

hey, trilogy and AJ nick would say otherwise, old man. you use to be cool. and interested in doing bad things for good ends.

-

weird haircut - friend of phoenix 

-

“a big orange spider leg” AHLBI 

he's right, but he shouldn’t say it!

-

“they were being pursued by royal guards!”

:) hey phoenix :) maybe next time dont tell the queen :) that they’re involved with her mortal enemy :) maybe :)))))

-

alright and that’s part 2 of the investigation over. apparently there’s a part 3? they sure are breaking the established time codes for cases in this game... oh well! stay tuned for the next time!

#sulking over SOJ #ooc #this one's actually pretty civil; this part of the investigation wasn't that bad #i actually had a pretty good time!]

[fan-of-mulligan]

FOM BLOG: COVENTRY CITY 1-0 GILLINGHAM

My Thoughts On Coventry City V Gillingham………

I made sure I had the following things on me,,,,, Money, Keys, My Coventry City Ticket, My Sony Xperia XA1, Lightweight Jacket, 500ML Bottle Of Coca Cola, Match-Day Programmes, Lids, Bag, Polo’s, Pad and Pens, Can Of Lynx, Charger and Portable Chargers - And I double checked I had everything on me before leaving the house at 8.40AM Before making the ten minute walk from My House to the pick up point out-side The Cricketers Pub, And there were a few Gillingham Supporters standing around waiting for the coach, and I got speaking with Gary, and we spoke about how we might see a decent away attendance, because quite a few supporters will have not been to St Andrews Before (Coventry City are ground-sharing at Birmingham City’s Stadium For The 2019 / 2020 Season), and even though we would like to see Gillingham pick up all three points, A Draw For Gillingham against Coventry City would be a very respectable result, considering that Coventry City were unbeaten after four League One Matches and they are third in League One Table going into this weekend’s clash against Gillingham.

We also spoke about Tuesday Night’s 2-2 draw against Blackpool, and how Gillingham have conceded all five league goals that we have conceded just before half time in three league games, Burton Albion and Blackpool have both scored twice between The Thirty Eighth Minute and Half Time, and that is something that Gillingham need to sort out going forwards, Blackpool hit the inside of the post in the first half and Jack Bonham made a magnificent save in the second half to keep the score-line level, and Gillingham battered Blackpool in the final fifteen minutes of the match, and it would have been great had Gillingham won, and drawing 2-2 after going 2-0 up is very disappointing, But Blackpool created some very good goal-scoring opportunities and perhaps could have won the game, but Gillingham could have won late on against Blackpool as well.

The Kings Ferry Coach arrived at 9.20AM, And I got on the coach and sat towards the back, and once I was seated, I Re-Tweeted The Score Prediction Polls From Gills Debate and Gills In The Blood, And I Re-Tweeted The It’s Match-Day Tweets From Gills Debate and The Gillingham Official Twitter Account, before updating My Status Updates On Facebook and Twitter with the following message,,, On My Way To St Andrews As Gillingham take on Coventry City In League One This Afternoon, Hopefully, Gillingham can build on our point against Blackpool in mid-week and Gillingham can pick up all three points against Coventry City - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!

We headed towards our next pick up point at Priestfield Stadium, where the majority of Gills Supporters got on the coach, and once everyone was on the coach, we were on to our next pick up point out-side The Strand, and while we were waiting at this pick up point, I replied to D3D4’s Match-Day Post With The Following,,,, St Andrews, Coventry City V Gillingham, Coventry City 2-2 Gillingham - Alex Jakubaik and Brandon Hanlan to get themselves on the score-sheet for Gillingham. And the fourth question was favourite movie, and I put Terminator Two.

And we then arrived at the final pick up point at 10AM, which was out-side Strood Sports Centre, and we had a problem, the coach was over-booked and some people’s names were not written down on Peter’s List, and six people had to be turned away from the coach, and the six supporters who were turned away decided to group together and drive up to Birmingham Instead, And this isn’t particularly fair on Peter, and we are fortunate that six people have found other methods of transportation to Birmingham.

Peter then went through all the formalities of the rules and regulations, and The Coach Prices for Adults and Children, and no alcohol on the coach - not that anyone would carry alcohol on the coach - and the travel costs were £25 for Adults, and £21 for juniors, and Peter mentioned that the plan was to stop off at Watford Gap Services or a service station closer to Birmingham, but a lot will depend on traffic and driving regulations, and because there was only one driver on the coach, we will have to have a long stop at the services when we hit those driving regulations, Peter also mentioned to everyone who wishes to book on Kings Ferry to book with him directly and not book with Gillingham Football Club, because they do not always pass the relevant information on, sometimes if there is spare room on the coach like when we are traveling to the likes of Blackpool or Accrington Stanley then there is going to be seats available, and over-booking isn’t a problem in those situations, but there were no spare seats on the coach, and that has meant that six people are traveling to Birmingham via car.

I then re-tweeted The League One Fixtures and a few tweets regarding Bury being saved for the time being at the very least, But Bury have only been given an extension to try and get the change of ownership over the line, and I really do hope that happens sooner rather then later, and Bury can then move forward, finally play there first competitive match of the season after six matches have been postponed, and even if the worst was to happen in-terms of what happens on the field this season, IE: Bury Relegated Into League Two, Bury supporters will still have there football club, and that surely is what is important, Because I am sure that if you offered Bury Supporters a change in ownership, but the downside of this is relegation into League Two, then Bury Supporters will take that over the alternative of liquidation any day of the week - I wish Bury Supporters all the best, and hope that the necessary changes go through without any problems.

Also, If you want a better understanding of what is going on at Bury, Then I recommend watching this video clip LINK IS HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=jVKglkDawmA - And give Bury Supporter Peter Taylor a follow on Twitter and his Twitter Account is @burymeinexile

UPDATE: Unfortunately, The worst case scenario has happened and Bury have been expelled by The English Football League and Bury Football Club no longer exist, and this is horrible news, just horrible, I have no idea how Bury Supporters, Players, Staff and Academy Staff And Academy Players are dealing with this announcement, and what happens next I am not sure, But there has already been talk of A Phoenix Club and maybe Bury Athletic or AFC Bury will be the new name of the Phoenix Football Club, but making sure that The New Bury Football Club plays football matches at Gigg Lane is essential and Bury Football Club has to own Gigg Lane and ensure that football matches continued to be played there for the foreseeable future.

Thankfully, It only took us ten minutes to get through Dartford Crossing, because we know how bad Dartford Crossing can be when traveling to away games on A Saturday Morning, And looking at potential team news from our opponents, Coventry City could start with no right back against Gillingham and Steve Evans will be in the dugout after serving his four match suspension, I think Steve Evans might adopt the strategy of sitting higher up in the stands for the first half, and then take his position in the dugout for the second half, I have also seen a few suggestions along the lines that Steve Evans not being in the dugout for the first four matches of the season could be a contributing factor as to why Gillingham have yet to win a competitive match In The 2019 / 2020 Season, And Gillingham will be putting that theory to the test against Coventry City this afternoon.

Diane mentioned that the traffic is very slow on The M1 at Toddington Services and Diane mentioned that there are other traffic problems on the way up to Birmingham, And I just hope that we will make it in time for kick off, I have only missed kick off for away games three times, AFC Bournemouth V Gillingham For The 2008 / 2009 Season where Gary Mulligan scored the equaliser, (I missed the first fifteen minutes in that match) Bradford City V Gillingham and I missed the first five minutes of that game, and I think the third game was Bristol Rovers V Gillingham on A Easter Weekend, There have been matches where I arrived with minutes to spare, Like Stockport County 1-5 Gillingham and Cody McDonald scored a hat-trick at Edgeley Park, And Coventry City V Gillingham looks like it is going to be one of those days where it is touch and go if we arrive in time for kick off.

Barry Fuller was going to be making his 200th appearance for Gillingham against Coventry City, And Barry Fuller Is The Fifty First Gillingham Player to reach that milestone, and it would be the perfect way for Barry Fuller to make his 200th appearance for The Gills by scoring the winning goal today, And as for the likelihood of Gillingham picking up all three points, I am hopeful, But I am not confidant at all, Coventry City have made a very impressive start to the season, Gillingham have yet to win a competitive match and Coventry City finished Eighth In League One Last Season, They are a very good team and if Gillingham were to leave St Andrews with a point, then it would be a very good point.

Peter then came round to collect the money, and I paid My £25 Fare, I mentioned to Peter that Diane had made other travel arrangements for the trip to St Andrews and Peter mentioned that there is a good chance that we will have to stop for forty five minutes because of driving regulations, and much will depend on traffic on which service station we will be stopping at, Because so far, traffic has been very stop and start which has only added additional time on to our journey.

Diane mentioned that there has been a crash nearby which has added further additional delays on to the journey, and I mentioned that The Kings Ferry Coach will probably arrive at 2.30PM, The GISC Coach had stopped off at Corley Services at 12.15PM and they are likely to leave the service station at 1PM, But Diane is only nineteen miles away from Birmingham, compared to our fifty four miles away from Birmingham, and we have yet to stop off at the services, This has been a very stop and start journey all the way to Birmingham and I think it is going to be touch and go if we make it in time for kick off, It is when you get traffic jams and delays on the motorway, that you can see the benefits of traveling via train, but to make train travel affordable, you need to book your train tickets months in advance and try and group save if at all possible, and you might need to get a taxi from the train station to the football ground depending on how away the stadium is from the train station, I experienced this when traveling to Bearsted in pre-season and I had to pay £13 for A Taxi, Thankfully, I got a lift back to Maidstone West Train Station after the game, but Bearsted’s Stadium really is in the middle of no-where.

We then stopped off at Watford Gap Services at 12.35PM, And Peter mentioned that we had to stop for forty five minutes, I then checked Goggle Maps, And we still had just over a hour before we arrived at The St Andrews Stadium, So your talking best case scenario, we arrive at 2.30PM, And it is frustrating we had to stop off at Watford Gap Services for so long, and even with the long  stop, the queue for food and drink at McDonalds was ridiculous, and I really wanted to get something to eat and drink, but with the length of the queue, there is just not enough time to get food and drink ordered and served in forty five minutes, and I decided to leave it and buy a small snack, and One 500ML Bottle Of Coca Cola For £3.

I got speaking with Charlie for a bit, and I mentioned that we should just about arrive in time for kick off, but for anyone who wants to look around and get something to eat and drink, or meet up with people they know who are going to the game who have not traveled via coach, then that is going to be very difficult, We also spoke about The Gillingham V Blackpool Game and how Gillingham have conceded another two more goals before half time and Gillingham have conceded five goals in three league games between The Thirty Eighth And Forty Fifth Minutes Of The Match, and going forwards, Gillingham cannot continue to concede goals just before half time, The positives were Alex Jakubiak getting himself on the score-sheet and how Gillingham battered Blackpool defensively for the final fifteen minutes of the match, but the negatives are the defence conceding two goals at home for the third successive home match, and had Jack Bonham not made that fantastic save, then Blackpool could have picked up all three points.

As there was time to spare before getting back on the coach, Me and Louis spoke about the up and coming match against Coventry City, and A Draw would be a very respectable result for Gillingham and while we are hoping for a win, avoiding defeat and building on the draw against Blackpool is of course very important as well, I mentioned that we should arrive out-side Birmingham’s Ground at 2.30PM, And hopefully there are very few traffic disruptions on our way to St Andrews Stadium, I mentioned that I brought Gillingham’s New Home Shirt On Tuesday, And I had to Buy 3XL, And I know so many fans who have had to go one, two, or even three shirt sizes up compared to the shirt sizes on last season’s kit, Because Marcon (Who are Gillingham’s Shirt Manufacture) have messed up the shirt sizes for this season’s kit.

I mentioned that the driving regulations have not helped us at all, A Forty Five Minute Stop means that we are running things close if we are to arrive in time for kick off, The coach was also twenty minutes late and I was picked up at 9.20AM, And the traffic has been stop and start on The M1 for the majority of the journey as well, I do think that both coaches could have left thirty minutes earlier, which would mean arriving at the ground at 2PM, But there is not much we can do about the traffic and the road works on The M1.

I got back on the coach, and once everyone was back on the coach again, we were on our way at 13.20PM, And I was charging up My Mobile Phone With My Portable Charger, I mentioned to Diane and Stephen on Facebook that The Kings Ferry Coach had left from Watford Gap Services and hopefully we will make it in time for kick off, I mentioned to Diane that we should arrive in time for kick off and this has been a dreadful journey, Diane in comparison is half a mile away from the ground compared to our forty two miles, This is going to be one of those away journeys where we will know the team news while we are still traveling to an away game.

I mentioned on Twitter The Following,,,,, We should arrive at St Andrews Stadium at 14.30PM, Traffic has been horrendous on The M1, And I also re-tweeted video clips of what is the latest on Bury’s Situation, And A Coventry City V Gillingham Preview From Gabriel Sutton, While Gillingham had uploaded a few photo’s and a video clip on to there Official Twitter Account and I guessed correctly which ground was in The Gills In The Blood Photo, As I mentioned that the stadium in the photo was Plymouth Argyle’s Stadium, And as we are coming up to 2PM, Gillingham’s Team News should be announced within a few minutes.

Eventually, Gillingham’s Team News Appeared On Twitter, And Gillingham Lined Up As Follows,,,,,,,,, Jack Bonham, Lee Hodson, Max Ehmer, Connor Ogilvie, Barry Fuller, Stuart O’Keefe, Alfie Jones, Mark Byrne, Regan Charles-Cook, Brandon Hanlan, Alex Jakubiak SUBS: Joe Walsh (GK), Ousseynou Cissé, Henry Woods, Mark Marshall, Elliott List, Mikael Ndjoli and Mikael Mandron - Gillingham have named a very attacking substitutes bench, with a defensive midfielder, a attacking midfielder, a winger and three strikers, So there are plenty of attacking options on the bench, should Gillingham want to or need to make changes later on in the match, I asked Nicholas the following question, What do you think in-terms of the formation, 4-3-3, 4-3-1-2, diamond midfield or maybe three at the back???, And Nicholas thought that Gillingham would line up with a 4.1.3.2 formation, But Steve Evans could well decide to line up with a 4.3.3 formation though.

I then re-tweeted a few Gillingham Line Up’s On Twitter, But I also noticed that Billy Bingham and Josh Rees were both starting for Bromley against Boredom Wood Today, I then re-tweeted The Team-Sheet, And there was a photo of Neal Ardley and Cody McDonald together at Stonebridge Road, as Ebbsfleet United host Notts County In The Conference National This Afternoon.

Ben then mentioned to me that stewards are not allowing supporters to take drinks with them inside the stadium and the stewards are being stingy to say the least, especially when you take the weather into consideration, Finally, we had arrived at St Andrews Stadium, But our coach was diverted and we had to be dropped off and then we walked to the stadium, I then double checked I had everything on me I wanted to take with me inside the ground, and once I got off the coach, I got speaking with Nicholas, Debbie and Charlie, and we had arrived at St Andrews at 2.30PM, and we have at least made it in time for kick off, and that was the most important thing.

In-terms of The Starting Line Up, I think we are going to be guessing on whether it is A 4.2.3.1 Formation, 4.1.3.2, 4.4.2 Diamond Midfield or 4.3.3, But Gillingham have got the players on the pitch to change to different formations without having to make a substitution, we could even go to three at the back if required, Because Connor Ogilvie, Max Ehmer and Alfie Jones are all starting for Gillingham, But regardless of formations or tactical flexibility, we need to see something from Gillingham against Coventry City This Afternoon.

And as we approached the entrance by The Away Turnstiles, Everyone was searched prior before being allowed to queue up to get into the away end, And once I gave My Ticket To The Turnstile Operator, I went through The Turnstiles and waited for Nicholas and Debbie, and that was a bit excessive when it came to being searched before being allowed through to the away end, I brought One Match-Day Programme for £3 before walking upstairs to The Away Concourse to queue up to get something to drink.

I mentioned to Diane and Stephen that the queue in the away concourse was packed, and while I was queuing up to get something to drink, I got speaking with Brad and James, and I mentioned the terrible traffic problems on The M1, Before we got speaking about Steve Evans as Gillingham Manager, and while there has been plenty of comments online, I have only seen two people face to face at home games who want Gillingham Football Club to lose football matches to get Steve Evans sacked, and regardless of anyone’s opinions either for or against the manager, I cannot see a situation or scenario where I would cheer on the opposition to win football matches against Gillingham Football Club because I want Gillingham Football Club to win football matches.

I also mentioned what happened against Blackpool On Tuesday Night, And If not naming Darren Oldaker and Miquel Scarlett on the bench for Tuesday Night's Match against Blackpool is a ploy by the coaching staff to try and force The Chairman's hand to strengthen the squad, Then I cannot see that going well. But we do need a few reinforcements into the squad before the transfer window closes, But the main point I made on Tuesday Night is this, If a young player has made the right impression for Gillingham's Youth Team, Then in situations like the game against Blackpool is where you reward the young player by naming them on the bench, and it sets the benchmark for all the youth team players that there is a pathway into the first team, And I think Steve Evans has named six substitutes to try and enforce Chairman Paul Scally into strengthening the squad, and if Steve Evans (Or any Gillingham Manager for that matter) were to try and battle with Chairman Paul Scally when it comes to transfer dealings, then The Chairman is going to win that battle.

After paying £2.50 for my drink (which was poured into a plastic cup and you were given a straw) I made my way pitch-side to try and find somewhere to stand, the back five rows were packed, So I stood next to Diane roughly halfway up the away end, and there was a decent turnout from Gillingham Supporters At St Andrews This Afternoon, I took to my seat at 2.55PM, And there was just enough time for me to send the following tweet on Twitter,,, Coventry City V Gillingham - COME ON THE GILLS - I got My Notebook and Pen out ready for the match to begin, and we have just made it in time for the match.

Both teams had walked out on to the pitch and lined up in-front of the main stand, Gillingham were kicking towards The Tilton Road Stand In The First Half, And Coventry City were kicking towards The Gil Merrick Stand, meaning that Gillingham were kicking towards the end where there supporters are situated In The Second Half, Coventry City Supporters were situated in The Spion Kop Stand down the right side of the pitch, There were no supporters in the stand behind the goal.

Hopefully, the traffic is the worst part of the day and we can see Gillingham get there league season up and running with Gillingham getting there first league win of the season against a decent Coventry City Side, because five points from four matches would be a reasonable points tally considering that Gillingham have played against Doncaster Rovers, Burton Albion, Blackpool and Coventry City - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FIRST HALF:

And Matt Godden gets the match underway by passing the ball back to Michael Rose, who takes a touch to control the ball before kicking the ball long down the right side of the pitch, and the ball goes out of play for A Gillingham Throw On, In Gillingham’s Defensive Final Third, And From The Resulting Throw On, Barry Fuller throws the ball long down the line and Sam McCallum wins the initial aerial challenge and Jordan Shipley wins the second aerial challenge and Michael Rose wins the aerial challenge up against Alex Jakubiak, and Stuart O’Keefe plays a first time pass over the top towards Brandon Hanlan down the left side of the pitch, And Brandon Hanlan manages to force Sam McCallum to knock the ball out of play for A Gillingham Throw On In Coventry City’s Final Third, And From The Resulting Throw On, Barry Fuller throws the ball short to Regan Charles-Cook, who passes the ball back out-wide to Barry Fuller, And Barry Fuller is intercepted by Sam McCallum, But Gillingham do manage to win themselves another throw, and it is from this throw where Gillingham create a half decent goal-scoring opportunity, Barry Fuller throws the ball short to Brandon Hanlan, who chests the ball back out-wide to Barry Fuller, And Barry Fuller takes a touch to control the ball before whipping in a high and hanging ball towards the back-stick which is over-hit and runs out of play for A Coventry City Goal-Kick.

And From The Resulting Goal-Kick, Marko Marosi has kicked an appalling goal-kick down-field and Mark Byrne has headed the ball into Alex Jakubiak’s Path, And Alex Jakubiak gets the ball under control and attempts to cut inside, before going on a driving run around the out-side and Alex Jakubiak goes on a driving run forwards inside Coventry City’s Penalty Area, And Alex Jakubiak see’s his low shot towards goal blocked by Michael Rose and the ball deflects out of play for A Gillingham Throw On, And From The Resulting Throw On, Mark Byrne throws the ball down the line towards Regan Charles-Cook, And Regan Charles-Cook manages to get the ball under control before running away from goal towards the byline, And Regan Charles-Cook turns back on himself and uses his pace and skill to take on Dominic Hyam and Regan Charles-Cook fires in a low cross across Coventry City’s Penalty Area, and the home side manage to clear there lines and Connor Ogilvie is penalised for his challenge on Matt Godden, And Coventry City have been awarded a free kick on the halfway line.

And From The Resulting Free Kick, Michael Rose plays a cross-field pass towards Brandon Mason, who manages to get the ball under control, And Brandon Mason passes the ball down the line towards Jordan Shipley, who is intercepted by Alfie Jones, But Jordan Shipley manages to shield the ball out of play for A Coventry City Throw On, And From The Resulting Throw On, Brandon Mason throws the ball short to Jordan Shipley, who passes the ball back out-wide to Brandon Mason and Brandon Mason has to run back in possession of the ball before passing the ball forwards to Zain Westbrooke, who flicks the ball around the corner and Lee Hodson was well positioned to kick the ball long down-field and Dominic Hyam wins the aerial challenge to header the ball into Gillingham’s Half Of The Pitch, And Although Mark Byrne wins the initial aerial challenge, Matt Godden manages to win the second aerial challenge to header the ball back to Zain Westbrooke, who plays a first time pass out-wide to Wesley Jobello, And Wesley Jobello runs forwards in possession of the ball down the left wing, And Wesley Jobello whips in a fantastic in-swinging cross towards the far post and Matt Godden see’s his powerful downward header brilliantly saved by Jack Bonham and Matt Godden tries to get to the re-bound and Max Ehmer manages to shield the ball so that Jack Bonham can dive on to the loose ball, Coventry City Supporters wanted a penalty, But Referee Martin Coy was not interested, and I don’t think that was ever going to be a penalty kick for the hosts either.

Four Minutes Into The Match, And Stuart O’Keefe takes the sensible option of passing the ball back to Jack Bonham because Coventry City are on the front-foot, And Jack Bonham takes a few touches in possession of the ball before kicking the ball long down-field and Dominic Hyam wins the aerial challenge up against Alex Jakubiak and Mark Byrne is on to the loose ball and passes the ball out-wide to Lee Hodson, who takes a touch to control the ball before kicking the ball long down the line and Dominic Hyam has to kick the ball into touch at the expense of conceding a throw on because of pressure from Alex Jakubiak, and from the resulting throw on, Lee Hodson throws the ball short to Alex Jakubiak, who gets the ball under control, But The Watford Loanee is crowded out and Liam Kelly manages to intercept the ball and clear the ball long down-field and Connor Ogilvie takes no chances and kicks the ball into touch for A Coventry City Throw On.

And From The Resulting Throw On, Brandon Mason throws the ball short to Jordan Shipley, who passes the ball back to Brandon Mason, And Brandon Mason runs past Alfie Jones and continue’s running forwards in possession of the ball and Brandon Mason’s through-ball through to Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila down the left side of the pitch is over-hit and runs out of play for A Gillingham Goal-Kick - Both Brandon Mason and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila are very quick, and with Coventry City not having a natural Right Back In There Starting Line Up, Then we can expect to see Coventry City being over-reliant on there left sided players to create goal-scoring opportunities against Gillingham this afternoon.

Six Minutes Into The Match, And Stuart O’Keefe managed to win Gillingham A Defensive Free Kick after Brandon Mason had played a neat one / two with Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, And The Defensive Free Kick Decision infuriated Coventry City Supporters, but this decision also just relieved some of the pressure building on to Gillingham’s Goal, And From Here, we have seen Gillingham Line Up So Far, Gillingham’s Line Up Is As Follows,,,,, Jack Bonham In Goal, Lee Hodson, Max Ehmer, Connor Ogilvie and Barry Fuller as Gillingham’s Back Four, Alfie Jones playing in Defensive Midfield, Mark Byrne and Stuart O’Keefe lining up in central midfield, Regan Charles-Cook lining up behind Brandon Hanlan and Alex Jakubiak in attack, as Gillingham Line Up With A 4.4.2 Diamond Midfield Formation.

And From The Resulting Free Kick, Jack Bonham kicks the ball long down-field and Dominic Hyam wins the initial aerial challenge and Alfie Jones headers the ball forwards and Sam McCallum headers the ball away from goal for Coventry City and Mark Byrne headers the ball forwards to Brandon Hanlan, who manages to retain possession of the ball before laying the ball off to Regan Charles-Cook, who runs towards the left flank in possession of the ball, And Regan Charles-Cook continue’s his run down the left flank, and tries to take on Sam McCallum, who manages to shield the ball out of play for A Coventry City Goal-Kick.

However, From The Resulting Goal-Kick, Coventry City had the chance to open the scoring, Marko Marosi clips the ball down the right side of the pitch, and Sam McCallum chests the ball under control before evading the challenge from Mark Byrne and Sam McCallum manages to pick out Brandon Mason with a accurate cross-field pass, And Brandon Mason gets the ball under control and passes the ball forwards to Jordan Shipley, who lays the ball off to Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila runs down the left flank in possession of the ball before threading the ball through to Matt Godden by the byline, and Matt Godden’s attempted pull-back is blocked by Max Ehmer and diverted out of play for A Coventry City Corner Kick, And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Zain Westbrooke whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards Michael Rose at the far post, and Max Ehmer has done enough to stop Michael Rose from getting on the end of that cross and the ball goes out of play for A Gillingham Goal-Kick.

Nine Minutes Into The Match, And Max Ehmer is penalised for his challenge on Matt Godden just in Gillingham’s Half Of The Pitch, And Coventry City have been awarded a free kick, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Liam Kelly passes the ball back to Michael Rose, who passes the ball out-wide to Sam McCallum, And Sam McCallum takes a few touches in possession of the ball before passing the ball through to Zain Westbrooke, And Zain Westbrooke gets the ball under control before passing the ball out-wide to Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila down the right side of the pitch, And Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila passes the ball back to Sam McCallum who passes the ball forwards to Jordan Shipley, And Jordan Shipley lays the ball off to Zain Westbrooke, And Zain Westbrooke passes the ball out-wide to Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila down the right side of the pitch, and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila runs into a central position on the pitch before looking to attempt to pick out Brandon Mason with a cross-field pass which is over-hit and runs out of play for A Gillingham Throw On - But there was a level of frustration aimed at Gillingham for the amount of possession that Coventry City had in that passage of play.

And Coventry City are still in the ascendancy, Because Mark Byrne is penalised for his challenge on Sam McCallum, Because The Make-Shift Right Back For Coventry City goes on a driving run forwards in possession of the ball and Coventry City have been awarded a free kick in a very promising position here, and from the resulting free kick, Jordan Shipley whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila’s glancing header goes wide of Jack Bonham’s Right Hand Post and the ball goes out of play for A Gillingham Goal-Kick - Coventry City were appealing for a corner kick, But Referee Martin Coy points for A Gillingham Goal-Kick.

And From The Resulting Goal-Kick, Jack Bonham quickly kicks the ball long down-field and Brandon Mason wins the aerial challenge up against Regan Charles-Cook and Liam Kelly kicks the ball up into the air and into Gillingham’s Half Of The Pitch, And Connor Ogilvie manages to header the ball away from Gillingham’s Goal and Michael Rose takes a touch to control the ball before kicking the ball long down the right side of the pitch, and Barry Fuller wins the aerial challenge up against Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila before kicking the ball high up into the air and although Regan Charles-Cook manages to win the initial aerial challenge, Regan Charles-Cook cannot keep the ball in play and the ball runs out of play for A Coventry City Throw On, right in-front of the dugouts.

And From The Resulting Throw On, Sam McCallum throws the ball short to Zain Westbrooke, who runs towards his own half in possession of the ball and passes the ball back to Michael Rose, who kicks the ball high up into the air first time and Lee Hodson headers the ball clear and away from danger and Jordan Shipley beats Stuart O’Keefe to the second ball, and Jordan Shipley gets the ball under control before going on a driving run forwards in possession of the ball down the left side of the pitch, and Jordan Shipley threads a pass through to Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, who lays the ball off to Jordan Shipley first time and Lee Hodson kicks the ball against The Coventry City Midfielder to win Gillingham A Goal-Kick - And Gillingham are under the cosh at the moment.

Fourteen Minutes Into The Match, And Liam Kelly kicks a long ball down-field for Matt Godden to chase, And Connor Ogilvie just about manages to header the ball back to Jack Bonham, and only just as well, and from here, Jack Bonham rolls the ball short to Connor Ogilvie, who runs forwards in possession of the ball, And Connor Ogilvie runs forward towards the halfway line and is tripped by Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila and Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Jack Bonham plays a horrendous pass down the line towards Regan Charles-Cook, who was expecting Jack Bonham to kick the ball long down-field, and Brandon Mason goes on a driving run forwards in possession of the ball before running into a more central area on the pitch, And Brandon Mason manages to thread a pass through to Matt Godden to run on to, And Matt Godden see’s his first time chipped effort saved by Jack Bonham, who at least has atoned for his error by making the save, but what on earth was that pass from Jack Bonham, a terrible decision which could have cost Gillingham a goal as well.

Eighteen Minutes Into The Match, And Regan Charles-Cook is penalised for hand-ball when Stuart O’Keefe looked to pick out Regan Charles-Cook with a pass towards the centre circle, and from the resulting free kick, Liam Kelly passes the ball back to Michael Rose, who passes the ball out-wide to Sam McCallum, who takes a touch to control the ball before passing the ball back to Michael Rose, And Michael Rose passes the ball square to Dominic Hyam, who passes the ball forwards to Liam Kelly, And Liam Kelly drops the ball off back to Michael Rose, who manages to pick out Brandon Mason with a forty yard cross-field pass, and Brandon Mason gets the ball under control down the left side of the pitch in Gillingham’s Final Third, And Brandon Mason looks to take on Lee Hodson inside Gillingham’s Penalty Area and Lee Hodson has done enough to shield the ball back to Alfie Jones, who runs wide in possession of the ball and Alfie Jones kicks the ball long down-field and Dominic Hyam wins the aerial challenge up against Alex Jakubiak and Liam Kelly gets the second ball under control, evades the challenge from Stuart O’Keefe, And Liam Kelly see’s attempted pass down the line intercepted by Regan Charles-Cook - Anywhere will do for Gillingham at the moment as The Gills are on the back-foot.

Nineteen Minutes Into The Match, And Dominic Hyam tries to pick out Wesley Jobello with an attempted cross-field pass and Barry Fuller headers the ball clear and out of play for A Coventry City Throw On, And From The Resulting Throw On, Sam McCallum throws the ball short to Zain Westbrooke, who passes the ball back out-wide to Sam McCallum, And Sam McCallum passes the ball square to Wesley Jobello, who manages to retain possession of the ball before playing a one / two with Zain Westbrooke, And Wesley Jobello losses possession of the ball to Barry Fuller, who turns back on himself, and although there was a collision between Barry Fuller and Mark Byrne, Alfie Jones is alert to the danger and threads a pass down the left flank to Alex Jakubiak on the halfway line, And Alex Jakubiak runs forwards in possession of the ball before playing a threaded through-ball through to Brandon Hanlan, And Brandon Hanlan does in-fact get to the loose ball first, And Brandon Hanlan cuts back on himself and is twisting and turning and causing Michael Rose all sorts of problems, And Brandon Hanlan whips in a high and hanging cross towards the back-stick which goes out of play for A Coventry City Goal-Kick - And having Brandon Hanlan and Alex Jakubiak down the left side of the pitch is problematic with Gillingham lining up with a 4.4.2 diamond midfield formation.

But Gillingham have got to The Twenty Minute Mark with the score-line still goal-less, and that is always the first benchmark I look for when Gillingham are playing away from home, get to the first twenty minutes of the match with the score-line still deadlocked, or maybe go 1-0 up, But at the moment, The score-line is goal-less, even though Coventry City have been the much better team based on the passage of play, But as long as the score-line remains goal-less and even if Gillingham have been second best for the majority of the game, there is always that one chance for Gillingham to open the scoring, We just need to see a bit more from Gillingham as an attacking threat.

Twenty Two Minutes Into The Match, And Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila is penalised for a foul on Lee Hodson, But everyone in the away end was furious with the decision a minute later, Jack Bonham has kicked the ball long down the right side of the pitch, And Regan Charles-Cook was flagged for offside, and every Gillingham Supporter was baffled as to how or why Regan Charles-Cook was flagged for offside when he had possession of the ball in Gillingham’s Half Of The Pitch ??? - We know that Gillingham are going to be in for a difficult game against Coventry City, but decisions like that one from The Linesman are not going to help Gillingham out at all.

Perhaps that strange offside decision was a sign of things to come, because things did not improve for Gillingham when play resumes, But before play could resume, All Twenty Two Players had a drinks break and this stoppage in play gave Steve Evans the chance to relay any tactical instructions to the players, and also, this gave a few supporters the chance to go to the refreshments stand to get something to eat and drink, particularly those of us who had traveled via coach and we arrived with just twenty minutes before kick off, I had my drink on me, so no worries there, but others might take this drinks stoppage break to buy a drink themselves.

And when play resumed, Dominic Hyam passes the ball short to Liam Kelly, who passes the ball back to Dominic Hyam, And Dominic Hyam plays a one / two with Michael Rose, And Dominic Hyam threads the ball through to Brandon Mason, who controls the ball on the half-turn before laying the ball off to Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, And Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Wesley Jobello wins the initial aerial challenge to header the ball across Gillingham’s Penalty Area and Stuart O’Keefe’s horrendous defensive header has basically teed up Zain Westbrooke to hit the ball first time on the volley and Mark Byrne has threw himself in-front of the shot and the ball deflects off Mark Byrne and over the crossbar for A Coventry City Corner Kick, And It Is From The Resulting Corner Kick Where Coventry City open the scoring, Zain Westbrooke whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross which Jack Bonham completely misses and the final touch either comes off Dominic Hyam or Connor Ogilvie and Coventry City take the lead.

But that is such a scrappy goal to concede, And Jack Bonham should be getting on the end of corner kicks whipped inside the six yard box, granted the penalty area was packed and any touch will lead to a goal, But Jack Bonham went to punch the ball clear and missed the ball and unfortunately, it is his error which has lead to Coventry City scoring from a very simple set piece, Other questions have to be asked as well, like why was Dominic Hyam unmarked, and also, this goal is a contribution of another error, because if Stuart O’Keefe doesn’t tee up Zain Westbrooke for the volley, then Coventry City don’t get the corner kick which leads to the opening goal of the game, and now Gillingham need to respond and respond quickly.

Twenty Seven Minutes Into The Match, And Barry Fuller is penalised for his challenge on Wesley Jobello in Gillingham’s Final Third (A Challenge Which See’s Barry Fuller Shown A Yellow Card), and because that free kick decision came straight after Coventry City’s Goal, that just fuelled further frustration from Gillingham Supporters In The Away End, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Coventry City could and perhaps should have gone 2-0 up, Zain Westbrooke whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the far post and Michael Rose Headers the ball back to Matt Godden, who see’s his first time low effort towards goal cleared off the line by Max Ehmer and Matt Godden see’s his follow up effort blocked by Alfie Jones and Matt Godden plays a clipped short pass to Michael Rose see’s his cross towards the edge of Gillingham’s Penalty Area headed clear by Mark Byrne and Sam McCallum plays a first time high ball over the top towards Wesley Jobello, who has aches of space inside Gillingham’s Penalty Area, and Wesley Jobello retains possession of the ball before dropping the ball out-wide to Zain Westbrooke, who takes a touch to control the ball before whipping in a dangerous in-swinging cross which is headed clear by Alfie Jones and Mark Byrne can only header the ball out of play for A Coventry City Corner Kick.

And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Matt Godden whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the near post, and although Wesley Jobello wins the initial aerial challenge, he cannot direct his header towards goal and Mark Byrne headers the ball wide and away from goal, But Matt Godden is on to the loose ball, and Matt Godden whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Brandon Hanlan headers the ball clear and Michael Rose kicks the ball up into the air and Max Ehmer wins the first aerial challenge and Stuart O’Keefe wins the aerial challenge up against Liam Kelly to header the ball forwards to Regan Charles-Cook, And Regan Charles-Cook runs forwards up towards the halfway line before dropping the ball back to Stuart O’Keefe, And Stuart O’Keefe plays a long pass down the line towards Alex Jakubiak, And Alex Jakubiak see’s his first time effort towards goal saved by Marko Marosi and the second ball ricochets off Alex Jakubiak and goes out of play for A Coventry City Goal-Kick.

And after the ball had gone out of play, Gillingham make there first substitution after thirty minutes, Because Mikael Ndjoli comes on to replace Regan Charles-Cook, Now either this was a tactical decision from Steve Evans and Paul Raynor, Or, Regan Charles-Cook had indeed picked up a knock and Gillingham are earring on the side of caution to ensure that Regan Charles-Cook isn’t out injured on the sidelines for the medium to long term.

Thirty Two Minutes Into The Match, And Coventry City win themselves another corner kick as Liam Kelly tries to pick out Wesley Jobello with a long ball down-field and Barry Fuller at full stretch has to header the ball behind for A Coventry City Corner Kick, And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Matt Godden whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the back-stick and Liam Kelly headers the ball back across the face of goal and Max Ehmer manages to header the ball partially clear and away from danger, and Wesley Jobello is on to the loose ball first and lays the ball off to Matt Godden, And Matt Godden see’s his driven effort towards goal blocked by Lee Hodson, and the ball ricochets back to Zain Westbrooke just in Gillingham’s half of the pitch, And Zain Westbrooke manages to pick out Dominic Hyam with a cross-field pass, And Dominic Hyam tries to header the ball down towards Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, But Jack Bonham was able to make the save.

Thirty Three Minutes Into The Match, And Brandon Mason is penalised for his challenge on Brandon Hanlan, And Gillingham have been awarded a free kick in a very promising position here, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Stuart O’Keefe whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Liam Kelly manages to header the ball clear and away from goal down the left side of the pitch with a glancing header, and Wesley Jobello gets to the loose ball first and Mark Byrne times his challenge to perfection with a excellent sliding tackle to prevent Coventry City to hit Gillingham on the counter attack, But for some obscure reason, Referee Martin Coy has shown Mark Byrne A Yellow Card and none of us could believe it in the away end that Mark Byrne had been booked for a combative challenge that was never a free kick in the first place, and nor should Mark Byrne have been shown A Yellow Card as well.

Thirty Six Minutes Into The Match, And Gillingham have been awarded a free kick because Matt Godden is penalised for climbing all over the back of Barry Fuller From Sam McCallum’s Long Throw On, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Barry Fuller hits a high and hanging cross-field pass and although Max Ehmer wins the initial aerial battle, Zain Westbrooke smashes the ball long down-field and although Matt Godden has won the foot-race up against Lee Hodson, Jack Bonham has come out of his penalty area to header the ball towards Mark Byrne, who kicks the ball high and away from goal so this allows Jack Bonham to get back inside his penalty area, and Stuart O’Keefe gets on to the loose ball, And Stuart O’Keefe passes the ball first time down the line towards Brandon Hanlan, who is fouled by Dominic Hyam and no free kick decision was given for the foul, and when Brandon Hanlan tries to take on Dominic Hyam, The Coventry City Defender shields the ball out of play for A Coventry City Goal-Kick, the shielding the ball out of play was good defending, but the foul on Brandon Hanlan prior should have been awarded in Gillingham’s Favour - And Gillingham Supporters were infuriated with The Official’s For Not Awarding Gillingham A Free Kick.

Thirty Eight Minutes Into The Match, And Brandon Mason threads a through-ball down the line towards Matt Godden, And although Matt Godden see’s his attempted pull back blocked by Lee Hodson and the ball is deflected out for A Coventry City Corner Kick, The Linesman Down The Near Side Of The Pitch Had His Flag Raised For Offside, And In The Thirty Ninth Minute Of The Match, Brandon Hanlan is penalised for his challenge on Dominic Hyam and Coventry City have been awarded a defensive free kick.

Forty One Minutes Into The Match, And Coventry City had the chance to double there lead just before half time, Marko Marosi has possession of the ball for Coventry City, And Marko Marosi plays a one / two with Michael Rose before passing the ball out-wide to Dominic Hyam, And Dominic Hyam runs forwards in possession of the ball before passing the ball out-wide to Brandon Mason down the left side of the pitch on the halfway line, And Brandon Mason passes the ball inside centrally to Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, who cannot get the ball under control and Mark Byrne nips in there to intercept the ball, takes another touch and kicks the ball long down-field and Dominic Hyam headers the ball down the line towards Brandon Mason, who manages to keep the ball in play, And Brandon Mason passes the ball back to Liam Kelly, who passes the ball back to Dominic Hyam, And Dominic Hyam lays the ball off to Liam Kelly, who passes the ball square to Michael Rose, And Michael Rose passes the ball out-wide to Sam McCallum, who passes the ball inside first time to Zain Westbrooke, And Zain Westbrooke passes the ball back to Sam McCallum, and Sam McCallum drops the ball off to Michael Rose, And Michael Rose kicks the ball long down-field and Connor Ogilvie wins the aerial challenge and the ball goes out of play for A Coventry City Throw On, And From The Resulting Throw On, Michael Rose throws the ball back to Goalkeeper Marko Marosi, And Marko Marosi passes the ball square to Dominic Hyam, And Dominic Hyam passes the ball forwards to Liam Kelly, And Liam Kelly takes a touch to control the ball before passing the ball out-wide to Brandon Mason, who runs inside centrally before passing the ball forwards to Jordan Shipley, And Jordan Shipley runs forwards in possession of the ball and see’s his attempted through-ball through to Matt Godden saved by Jack Bonham.

Forty Four Minutes Into The Match, And Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila mis-controls Sam McCallum’s Pass and the ball goes out of play for A Gillingham Throw On, And just as we are about to approach half time, I thought that Lee Hodson was harshly judged to have fouled Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Liam Kelly passes the ball back to Dominic Hyam, And Dominic Hyam passes the ball square to Michael Rose, And Michael Rose kicks the ball long down-field and Wesley Jobello cannot get the ball under control and the ball goes out of play for A Gillingham Goal-Kick.

And right at the very end of the first half, both teams had half chances to get themselves on the score-sheet, Wesley Jobello passes the ball back to Liam Kelly, And Liam Kelly passes the ball out-wide to Zain Westbrooke down the right side of the pitch on the halfway line, And Zain Westbrooke passes the ball first time through to Wesley Jobello, And Wesley Jobello goes on a driving run forwards in possession of the ball, twisting and turning past Barry Fuller before whipping in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila headers the ball back to Matt Godden, who cannot get a decent connection on to his strike towards goal, And Barry Fuller was able to clear Gillingham’s Defensive Lines and Alex Jakubiak gets the ball under control before flicking the ball through to Brandon Hanlan, and the ball bounces over the heads of Brandon Hanlan and Michael Rose, and the ball runs through to Mikael Ndjol, who goes on a driving run forwards in possession of the ball, And Mikael Ndjoli continue’s his run forwards into Coventry City’s Penalty Area, And Mikael Ndjoli fails to hit the target with his shot towards goal, and maybe Liam Kelly had done enough to put off Mikael Ndjoli.

And that was the final noteworthy moment of the first half, And Coventry City go in at the break with a slender 1-0 advantage, There is a lot of work for Gillingham to do if we are to get anything out of this match, Gary and one or two others on the coach mentioned pre-match that they would not be disappointed with a point, And if Gillingham were to leave St Andrews with a point, then that would be a fantastic result, but to get a point, we need to see a better performance from The Gills.

HALF TIME: COVENTRY CITY 1-0 GILLINGHAM

Half Time gave me the opportunity to sit down and I updated My Status Updates On Facebook And Twitter with the following comment, HT: COVENTRY CITY 1-0 GILLINGHAM - A Goalkeeping Error From Bonham is the difference between both sides at half time, But Coventry have had chances to extend the lead further in there favour, Because Max Ehmer has made a important goal-line clearance to keep the score-line at 1-0 - I think from what we have seen from the match so far, Coventry City have been the much better side, Because Matt Godden saw his header saved by Jack Bonham in the opening stages of the match, Matt Godden almost scored as Coventry City tried to hit Gillingham on the counter attack, But Jack Bonham made up for his terrible pass with a decent save, But the next error from Jack Bonham was a costly one, Zain Westbrooke whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross which Jack Bonham completely misses and the final touch either comes off Dominic Hyam or Connor Ogilvie and Coventry City take the lead.

Max Ehmer’s Goal-Line Clearance has kept Gillingham in the game 1-0 down, But I do think there is a huge level of difference in quality and ability between Coventry City and Gillingham, Coventry City’s passing and movement has been superb, and there is always a pass on for A Coventry City Player, Gillingham just cannot get the ball back, or, we are looking to stand off them and retain our shape, but something has got to change In The Second Half, If we want to see Gillingham get something out of this match, and that is easier said then done, also, Alex Jakubiak and Brandon Hanlan are not strikers who can retain possession of the ball or play with there backs to goal, So I do wonder if Mikael Mandron will come on sooner rather then later to give Gillingham a focal point in attack.

Another thing that is worth mentioning is the divide amongst Gillingham Supporters who are Pro Steve Evans, those who are in the middle and those who are Anti Steve Evans, Because there were a few Steve Evans Barmy Army And Steve Evans Is A (Insert Swear-Word Here) Chants in patches in the first half, and this was not the case for Doncaster Rovers Away On The Opening Day Of The Season, And The Team-Sheet For Gillingham V Blackpool On Tuesday Night only raises concerns, Because If not naming Darren Oldaker and Miquel Scarlett on the bench for Tuesday Night's Match against Blackpool is a ploy by the coaching staff to try and force The Chairman's hand to strengthen the squad, Then I cannot see that going well. But we do need a few reinforcements into the squad before the transfer window closes, But the main point I made on Tuesday Night is this, If a young player has made the right impression for Gillingham's Youth Team, Then in situations like the game against Blackpool is where you reward the young player by naming them on the bench, and it sets the benchmark for all the youth team players that there is a pathway into the first team, And I think Steve Evans has named six substitutes to try and enforce Chairman Paul Scally into strengthening the squad, and if Steve Evans (Or any Gillingham Manager for that matter) were to try and battle with Chairman Paul Scally when it comes to transfer dealings, then The Chairman is going to win that battle.

Darren Oldaker’s Contract being paid up when the young midfielder had two years left on his contract was another concern, and I think sending Darren Oldaker out on loan to A Conference National Club would have given Darren Oldaker the game-time he needs, Gillingham can then track the young midfielder’s progress and see how well he plays, and then if Darren Oldaker is playing really well between now and January, then Gillingham can always recall Darren Oldaker back into The First Team if and when Darren Oldaker should be required.

But as far as any tactical changes go for The Second Half, Because Mikael Ndjoli has come on to replace Regan Charles-Cook In The First Half, I cannot see Gillingham making any substitutions at the break, But Steve Evans might wait for fifteen minutes before deciding on whether any changes need to be made to try and force Gillingham back into this match, But what we need to see is a massive second half performance from The Gills, and let’s hope that is precisely what we see and Gillingham can battle back from 1-0 down to 1-1, and maybe, just maybe, push on and flip this match on it’s head to try and find the winning goal - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SECOND HALF:

And when both teams came out on to the pitch for the start of The Second Half, Neither Mark Robins or Steve Evans had made half time substitutions at the break, with both manager’s perhaps waiting to see what happens for the first fifteen minutes of The Second Half before looking to make any changes, If Gillingham were to equalise, that might change which players we want to bring on, And if Coventry City were to double there lead to 2-0, then Mark Robins might look to make defensive changes to see the rest of this game out.

And Stuart O’Keefe gets this second half underway by passing the ball back to Connor Ogilvie, who kicks the ball long down the right side of the pitch, and although Brandon Hanlan wins the initial aerial challenge, the ball goes out of play for A Coventry City Throw On, and from the resulting throw on, Brandon Mason throws the ball short to Jordan Shipley, who passes the ball back to Brandon Mason, And Brandon Mason is intercepted by Alfie Jones in Coventry City’s Final Third, And the second ball runs kindly into Brandon Hanlan’s Path, And Brandon Hanlan fires in a low cross which is cut out by Wesley Jobello and Mark Byrne gets on to the loose ball and passes the ball back to Connor Ogilvie, And Connor Ogilvie takes a few touches in possession of the ball before clipping the ball long down-field and Michael Rose headers the ball clear and Mark Byrne headers the ball out-wide to Barry Fuller, who headers the ball towards Stuart O’Keefe, But Sam McCallum was in the right place at the right time to header the ball clear and down the line, But Mark Byrne was able to get on to the second ball and pass the ball through to Mikael Ndjoli, who losses out to Liam Kelly and the ball ricochets to Alfie Jones, who passes the ball forwards to Mikael Ndjoli, And Zain Westbrooke times his challenge to perfection and Michael Rose tries to pick out Wesley Jobello with a threaded through-ball, and Lee Hodson slides to make a crucial interception and Mark Byrne cleans up and passes the ball back to Jack Bonham.

And From Here, Jack Bonham kicks the ball long down-field and Dominic Hyam wins the aerial challenge up against Brandon Hanlan and Alfie Jones wins the aerial challenge up against Jordan Shipley, and Liam Kelly smashes the ball long down-field and Wesley Jobello is penalised for handball when going for a fifty / fifty challenge with Barry Fuller and Gillingham have been awarded a defensive free kick, But the next passage of play see’s the hosts looking to double there lead to 2-0, Because from the resulting free kick, Jack Bonham kicks the ball long down-field and Dominic Hyam wins the aerial challenge and Alfie Jones and Stuart O’Keefe win the next two aerial challenges, and Liam Kelly kicks the ball long down-field and Connor Ogilvie headers the ball clear and Mark Byrne’s attempted flick on is cut out by Liam Kelly, who passes the ball out-wide to Wesley Jobello, And Wesley Jobello tries to take on Barry Fuller and Barry Fuller times his slide tackle to perfection and Barry Fuller then gets up and kicks the ball long down-field, And Barry Fuller won Gillingham’s Player Of The Season Award Last Season, Now If Barry Fuller keeps putting in consistent performances again this season, then Barry Fuller is going to be a contender for the main award again at the end of this season.

Forty Eight Minutes Into The Match, And Coventry City were looking to score the second goal they believe they needed to give them a much stronger chance of picking up all three points, Jordan Shipley has possession of the ball down the left side of the pitch in Gillingham’s Final Third, And Jordan Shipley tries to pick out Brandon Mason with a pass down the line which is cut out by Mikael Ndjoli and Coventry City have been awarded a throw on, and from the resulting throw on, Brandon Mason throws the ball short to Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila, who manages to retain possession of the ball, And Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila passes the ball back to Liam Kelly, who passes the ball square to Sam McCallum, And Sam McCallum almost losses possession of the ball to Alex Jakubiak, And Sam McCallum manages to regain possession of the ball and kick a long ball down-field towards Matt Godden, And Jack Bonham was quick off his line to make a very brave save to prevent Matt Godden from getting through on goal.

Forty Nine Minutes Into The Match, And Barry Fuller takes on Zain Westbrooke down Gillingham’s Left Side Of The Pitch, And Barry Fuller see’s his pass down the line towards Brandon Hanlan cut out by Michael Rose and Gillingham have been awarded a throw on in Coventry City’s Half Of The Pitch, And From The Resulting Throw On, Barry Fuller throws the ball short to Mark Byrne, who passes the ball back out-wide to Barry Fuller, And Barry Fuller passes the ball down the line towards Brandon Hanlan, who manages to retain possession of the ball before passing the ball short to Stuart O’Keefe, who wins Gillingham another throw on after a challenge from Liam Kelly, And From The Second Throw On, Barry Fuller throws the ball short to Brandon Hanlan, who passes the ball back to Barry Fuller, And Barry Fuller’s pass down the line is cut out by Sam McCallum, but the loose ball comes back to Barry Fuller, who passes the ball forwards to Alex Jakubiak, And Alex Jakubiak manages to retain possession of the ball and lay the ball off to Stuart O’Keefe, who manages to run down the left flank in possession of the ball, and although Stuart O’Keefe is double marked by Zain Westbrooke, And Sam McCallum, Stuart O’Keefe’s cross is charged down by Sam McCallum, And Gillingham have been awarded a corner kick, And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Stuart O’Keefe whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Max Ehmer wins the initial aerial challenge to header the ball towards goal and Dominic Hyam is well positioned to header the ball partially clear, But Mikael Ndjoli is on to the second ball inside Coventry City’s Penalty Area, And Mikael Ndjoli works his way to the byline and Mikael Ndjoli see’s his cross towards the near post saved by Marko Marosi.

And From Here, Marko Marosi rolls the ball short to Michael Rose, who takes a few touches in possession of the ball, And Michael Rose passes the ball square to Dominic Hyam, who runs forwards in possession of the ball and passes the ball out-wide to Brandon Mason, And Brandon Mason see’s his pass down the line intercepted by Alfie Jones, who passes the ball short to Stuart O’Keefe, And Stuart O’Keefe passes the ball forwards to Brandon Hanlan, And Brandon Hanlan manages to retain possession of the ball before passing the ball out-wide to Alfie Jones, who plays the ball down the line to Lee Hodson on the over-lap, And Lee Hodson goes on a decent run forwards in possession of the ball before passing the ball inside centrally to Alfie Jones on the edge of Coventry City’s Penalty Area, And Alfie Jones see’s his attempted through-ball ricochet off Liam Kelly and Marko Marosi is able to gather the ball with ease.

Coventry City had the chance to capitalise on A Gillingham Defensive Error In The Fifty Second Minute, Jordan Shipley manages to intercept the ball from Alfie Jones, And Jordan Shipley runs forwards in possession of the ball and Jordan Shipley passes the ball through to Matt Godden down the left side of Gillingham’s Penalty Area, And Matt Godden fires a low cross across the face of goal to try and pick out Jordan Shipley. But Max Ehmer was in the right place at the right time to kick the ball into touch for A Coventry City Throw On, And From The Resulting Throw On, And we all thought for a moment that Coventry City had gone 2-0 up, Sam McCallum throws the ball throws the ball short to Zain Westbrooke, who passes the ball back out-wide to Sam McCallum, And Sam McCallum whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Matt Godden’s glancing header narrowly goes wide of Jack Bonham’s Far Right Post - And had that header been on target - Then Coventry City would have gone 2-0 up.

And having almost conceded at one end of the pitch, Gillingham had the chance to get back on to level terms a minute later, Jack Bonham passes the ball short to Max Ehmer, who takes a touch to control the ball, And Max Ehmer runs forwards in possession of the ball and waiting for support, and with few passing options, Max Ehmer kicks the ball long down-field and Brandon Hanlan does magnificently to get the ball under control, And Brandon Hanlan has three Coventry City Players around him and Brandon Hanlan passes the ball short to Stuart O’Keefe, And Stuart O’Keefe manages to retain possession of the ball before passing the ball back to Lee Hodson, And Lee Hodson manages to keep the ball in play and pass the ball short to Stuart O’Keefe, who is intercepted by Brandon Mason and the ball ricochets all the way back to Max Ehmer, who passes the ball centrally to Mark Byrne just inside Coventry City’s Half Of The Pitch, And Mark Byrne passes the ball short to Connor Ogilvie, And Connor Ogilvie passes the ball forwards to Alex Jakubiak, who retains possession of the ball and passes the ball square to Mark Byrne, And Mark Byrne runs forwards in possession of the ball before passing the ball square to Alfie Jones, And Alfie Jones passes the ball back to Mark Byrne, who manages to pick out Alex Jakubiak with a first time pass down the left side of the pitch on the edge of Coventry City’s Penalty Area, And Alex Jakubiak shifts inside centrally and see’s his shot towards goal blocked and the ball ricochets back to Alex Jakubiak, who passes the ball back to Mark Byrne, And Mark Byrne manages to pick out Mikael Ndjoli with a pass down a right / central area on the pitch, And Mikael Ndjoli takes a touch to control the ball before firing a low effort towards goal which goes well wide of Marko Marosi’s Far Right Post - Gillingham have got to move the ball quicker to create better and more clear cut goal-scoring opportunities.

Fifty Six Minutes Into The Match, And Every Gillingham Supporter had a heart in mouth moment because Sam McCallum kicks the ball long down-field for Matt Godden to chase and Jack Bonham comes rushing out of his goal-line and allows the ball to bounce over his head and go out of play for A Gillingham Goal-Kick - Unconventional to say the least, And I genuinely thought that Jack Bonham had completely mis-judged the flight of the ball - But we will take the goal-kick decision all day long, just don’t do that again please Jack Bonham.

And In The Same Minute Of The Match, Alex Jakubiak slipped and Gillingham were awarded a free kick, neither Alex Jakubiak or Sam McCallum had got on the end of Jack Bonham’s Long Ball Down-Field, And Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, Now all we need to see is Gillingham capitalise on this free kick by scoring the equaliser, and from the resulting free kick, Mark Byrne whips in a high and hanging cross-field pass and Michael Rose manages to header the ball clear and away from danger and Lee Hodson gets on to the loose ball and manages to pick out Connor Ogilvie with a cross-field pass into a central area on the pitch, And Connor Ogilvie passes the ball back to Mark Byrne, And Mark Byrne passes the ball out-wide to Alex Jakubiak down the left side of the pitch in Coventry City’s Final Third, And Alex Jakubiak whips in a dangerous low cross and Dominic Hyam headers the ball clear and Brandon Mason can only header the ball towards Alex Jakubiak, who passes the ball down the line towards Mar Byrne, And Mark Byrne whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross which is comfortable for Marko Marosi, Decent skill from Mark Byrne to work his way into a crossing position, But the cross was comfortable for The Coventry City Goalkeeper To Save.

Fifty Eight Minutes Into The Match, And Sam McCallum has to kick the ball into touch for A Gillingham Throw On, But Coventry City Players And Supporters thought that Brandon Hanlan should have been penalised for a foul there, and from the resulting throw on, Barry Fuller throws the ball short to Alex Jakubiak, who passes the ball back out-wide to Barry Fuller, And Barry Fuller works his way towards the byline and digs out a cross towards the back-stick and Marko Marosi manages to punch the ball away from Mikael Ndjoli and Brandon Mason kicks the ball partially clear and away from danger, and Lee Hodson wins the aerial battle to header the ball back to Mikael Ndjoli, who manages to retain possession of the ball before passing the ball back to Alfie Jones, And Alfie Jones passes the ball forwards to Stuart O’Keefe, who passes the ball square to Mikael Ndjoli on the edge of Coventry City’s Penalty Area, And Mikael Ndjoli passes the ball out-wide to Lee Hodson, who works his way into a crossing position, And Lee Hodson whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Alfie Jones has been penalised for hand-ball and Coventry City have been awarded a defensive free kick.

And on the hour mark, the hosts were awarded an free kick in there own half, because Alfie Jones was penalised for his challenge on Jordan Shipley, and from the resulting free kick, Dominic Hyam kicks the ball long down the line and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila wins the initial aerial challenge and Max Ehmer manages to header the ball clear and away from goal, and Matt Godden wins the next aerial challenge up against Mikael Ndjoli and the loose ball runs through to Brandon Mason, and although Stuart O’Keefe wins the ball from Brandon Mason, he losses possession of the ball to Liam Kelly, And Liam Kelly allows the loose ball to run through to Brandon Mason, who runs down the left flank in possession of the ball, and Brandon Mason works his way towards the byline and digs out a cross towards the near post which Max Ehmer manages to header partially clear and away from danger and Wesley Jobello gets on to the loose ball, and Wesley Jobello manages to whip in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the back-stick and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila see’s his attempted pull back across the face of goal saved by Jack Bonham.

And In The Sixty First Minute Of The Match, Gillingham manage to win themselves a corner kick, Jack Bonham rolls the ball short to Mikael Ndjoli, who passes the ball inside centrally to Alfie Jones, And Alfie Jones kicks a long ball over the top for Brandon Hanlan to get on the end of and Michael Rose has to come across and knock the ball out of play for A Gillingham Corner Kick, And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Stuart O’Keefe whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Matt Godden headers the ball partially clear and away from danger and Lee Hodson is on to the loose ball and passes the ball out-wide to Stuart O’Keefe, who has to pass the ball back to Barry Fuller in Gillingham’s Half Of The Pitch, And Barry Fuller takes a few touches in possession of the ball before playing a cross-field towards towards Max Ehmer down the left side of the pitch, And Max Ehmer flicks the ball on down towards Alex Jakubiak, And Alex Jakubiak forces Michael Rose to knock the ball out of play for A Gillingham Corner Kick - Coventry City Supporters believed that Michael Rose had been penalised and Coventry City should have been awarded a defensive free kick, But Referee Martin Coy points towards the corner flag - And from the resulting corner kick, Stuart O’Keefe whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the back-stick and neither Brandon Hanlan or Connor Ogilvie could header the ball on target and the ball goes out of play for A Coventry City Goal-Kick.

And once the ball goes out of play, Steve Evans makes Gillingham’s Second Substitution Of The Match after Sixty Two Minutes, Because Elliott List comes on to replace Stuart O’Keefe just to give Gillingham something extra in attack, and with Brandon Hanlan, Mikael Ndjoli, Alex Jakubiak and Elliott List all on the pitch at the same-time, we’re hoping that those four as Gillingham’s Front Four can do enough to salvage a point for The Gills, Because a point from this situation with less then thirty minutes to go would be an excellent point for The Gills.

Elliott List coming on was a substitution to try and impact the game in a positive manner for The Gills, However, After that substitution, Coventry City could have gone 2-0 up, Marko Marosi kicks the ball long down-field and Wesley Jobello wins the aerial challenge up against Barry Fuller and the ball diverts out of play for A Coventry City Throw, And From The Resulting Throw On, Sam McCallum throws the ball short to Zain Westbrooke, who passes the ball back out-wide to Sam McCallum, And Sam McCallum lays the ball off to Zain Westbrooke, who passes the ball centrally to Liam Kelly, And Liam Kelly passes the ball square to Brandon Mason, who takes on Mikael Ndjoli and manages to slide tackle the ball through to Matt Godden, who takes a touch to control the ball before firing a low driven effort towards the bottom right corner of the net, And Jack Bonham saves and then gathers the ball at the second attempt before Zain Westbrooke and Jordan Shipley can get on to the re-bound, and that save has kept Gillingham in this match at 1-0 down.

Coventry City see Wesley Jobello penalised for his foul on Alex Jakubiak and Gillingham have been awarded a free kick in a decent goal-scoring opportunity, and from the resulting free kick, Elliott List whips in a high and hanging cross and Michael Rose manages to header the clear and away from danger and the ball goes out of play for A Gillingham Throw On, And From The Resulting Throw On, Lee Hodson throws the ball short to Mark Byrne, who passes the ball back out-wide to Lee Hodson, And Lee Hodson passes the ball back to Mark Byrne, who passes the ball square to Connor Ogilvie on the halfway line, And Connor Ogilvie takes a touch to control the ball before running forwards in possession of the ball, and Connor Ogilvie tries to pick out Barry Fuller with a threaded through-ball down the line, And Sam McCallum has done enough to shield the ball to prevent the ball from reaching Barry Fuller and Sam McCallum gets the ball clear and away from danger and Alfie Jones headers the ball to Alex Jakubiak, who slips underneath the challenge from Liam Kelly and Gillingham have been awarded a free kick.

And From The Resulting Free Kick, Lee Hodson passes the ball square to Mark Byrne, who see’s his first time cross cleared by the first man and Barry Fuller has to quickly run back to the loose ball and pass the ball back to Jack Bonham, And Jack Bonham kicks the ball long down-field towards Mikael Ndjoli, who was flagged for offside by The Linesman and it is infuriating when Mikael Ndjoli is looking across the line and he is still flagged for offside.

Once this stoppage in play ensued, Callum O’Hare comes on to replace Zain Westbrooke as Coventry City make there first substitution of the match, And I am looking at Gillingham’s Remaining Substitutes, And Mikael Mandron and Mark Marshall are both attacking options that Gillingham could look to bring on to try and change the match in our favour, and given that we need someone who can be a focal point in attack, then I think that Mikael Mandron needs to come on sooner rather then later, the other out-field substitutions are Ousseynou Cissé (Who would be a good player to bring on if Gillingham are looking to see out a 1-0 win) and youngster Henry Woods, who I cannot see coming on given that Gillingham need a goal to try and get something out of this match.

While this substitution was being completed, Referee Martin Coy stopped the match for a drinks break, and Steve Evans and Paul Raynor could use this stoppage in play to relay any tactical instructions to the players and give the players a bit of motivation to try and turn this 1-0 deficit into a 1-1 draw, Because If Gillingham were to find the equaliser between now and the full time whistle, then A 1-1 Draw away from home against Coventry City would be a decent point.

And when play resumed, Sam McCallum throws the ball short to Callum O’Hare, who takes a touch to control the ball before playing an over-hit pass back to Sam McCallum, and the ball goes out of play for A Gillingham Throw On, Only For A Coventry City Throw On to be awarded instead, much to be bemusement of every Gillingham Supporter In The Away End, because that was quite clearly A Gillingham Throw On, And In The Seventy First Minute Of The Match, Brandon Hanlan is penalised for his late challenge on Liam Kelly And Coventry City have been awarded a defensive free kick.

And From The Resulting Free Kick, Gillingham had a half chance to try and get themselves back on to level terms, Dominic Hyam passes the ball back to Marko Marosi, And Marko Marosi passes the ball square to Michael Rose, And Michael Rose runs forwards in possession of the ball before kicking the ball long down-field and Lee Hodson headers the ball back to Jack Bonham, who gathers the ball with ease, And Jack Bonham kicks the ball down the line and the ball goes out of play for A Coventry City Throw On, In Coventry City’s Final Third Down The Left Side Of The Pitch, And From The Resulting Throw On, Brandon Mason throws the ball long down the line and Max Ehmer headers the ball forwards towards Elliott List, and although Liam Kelly wins the initial aerial challenge, the second ball drops to Lee Hodson, who kicks the ball long down the line towards Brandon Hanlan, who gets to the ball first ahead of Dominic Hyam, And Brandon Hanlan tries to kick the ball against Dominic Hyam to win Gillingham A Corner Kick, But Brandon Hanlan slips at the crucial moment and the ball goes out of play for A Coventry City Goal-Kick.

Seventy Three Minutes Into The Match, And Sam McCallum whips in a dangerous low cross and Connor Ogilvie was in the right place at the right time to kick the ball into touch at the expense of conceding a throw on, which is much better then conceding a goal, because all the while Gillingham are still in this match at 1-0 down, then Gillingham have got a chance of picking up something out of this match against Coventry City, And From The Resulting Throw On, Sam McCallum throws the ball down the line towards Wesley Jobello, And Wesley Jobello losses possession of the ball to Barry Fuller and Barry Fuller passes the ball back to Connor Ogilvie, who kicks the ball long down-field and Sam McCallum headers the ball down the line towards Wesley Jobello, who manages to retain possession of the ball and spin past Barry Fuller before whipping in a cross towards the near post which was saved by Jack Bonham.

And From Here, Jack Bonham throws the ball down the line towards Mikael Ndjoli, who runs down the right flank in possession of the ball, and despite the challenge from Jordan Shipley, Mikael Ndjoli manages to retain possession of the ball, although, Referee Martin Coy had already given a free kick in Gillingham’s Favour, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Lee Hodson kicks the ball long down-field and Brandon Hanlan lays the ball off to Mikael Ndjoli, who initially losses out to Jordan Shipley, And Jordan Shipley kicks the ball into Mikael Ndjoli and the ball ricochets towards Alfie Jones, who passes the ball square to Elliott List, And Elliott List is bundled down to the deck by Callum O’Hare, And Gillingham have been awarded a free kick right on the edge of Coventry City’s Penalty Area in a central position, and this is the chance for Gillingham to hopefully (and potentially) score the equaliser.

And From The Resulting Free Kick, Mikael Ndjoli tries to pick out the top left corner of the net with a powerful strike and Marko Marosi does brilliantly to prevent Mikael Ndjoli from scoring by making a fantastic save and Max Ehmer headers the ball towards Brandon Hanlan, and the ball ricochets through to Marko Marosi, who was able to gather the ball, all be it, with some difficulty - Everything Mikael Ndjoli did for that free kick was correct, a powerful accurate free kick which was on target and only a fantastic save from Marko Marosi has prevented Gillingham from scoring the equaliser.

We did wonder before hand who was going to take the free kick, Because Luke O’Neill signed for AFC Wimbledon in the summer and Luke O’Neill scored some fantastic free kicks for The Gills Last Season, including the equaliser against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, One Player who scored a fantastic free kick against Faversham Town in pre-season was Nathan Thomas, but he re-signed for Carlisle United on loan before the season started and there are plenty of players who can put themselves forwards to take free kicks for The Gills throughout The 2019 / 2020 Season.

Seventy Seven Minutes Into The Match, And Gillingham were pushing for the equaliser, Connor Ogilvie plays a long ball down-field towards Brandon Hanlan and the ball runs all the way through to Marko Marosi, And In The Seventy Ninth Minute Of The Match, Connor Ogilvie runs forwards in possession of the ball before passing the ball down the left flank towards Alex Jakubiak, And Alex Jakubiak flicks the ball around the corner for Elliott List to run on to, And I thought that Elliott List was harshly penalised for his challenge on Liam Kelly, And Coventry City have been awarded a defensive free kick.

And before play could resume, Coventry City make a double substitution, as the hosts look to see out the rest of this match, Amadou Bakayoko and Charlie Wakefield come on to replace Matt Godden and Wesley Jobello, And while those substitutions are going on, we are looking across to The Gillingham Bench thinking that one of Mark Marshall or Mikael Mandron should come on, And maybe, Gillingham gamble by substituting one of Lee Hodson or Barry Fuller and bring on one of Mark Marshall or Mikael Mandron and just throw everything into attack to try and score the equaliser.

Eighty Two Minutes Into The Match, And Connor Ogilvie’s Pass Out-Wide To Mikael Ndjoli is under-hit and gone behind Mikael Ndjoli and out of play for A Coventry City Throw On, And From Here, Brandon Mason throws the resulting throw on down the line and Barry Fuller wins the initial aerial challenge and Brandon Mason kicks the ball high down-field and Barry Fuller wins the first aerial challenge, Callum O’Hare wins the second aerial challenge, Max Ehmer wins the third aerial challenge and Mikael Ndjoli flicks the ball on towards Elliott List, And Elliott List gets the ball under control before going on a decent run down the right side of the pitch, And Elliott List was twisting and turning and waiting for support, And Elliott List was tripped by Liam Kelly in Coventry City’s Final Third, And Elliott List does brilliantly to win Gillingham a free kick in a promising position on the pitch.

And From The Resulting Free Kick, Gillingham had the chance to score the equaliser, Lee Hodson whips in a high and hanging cross towards the back-stick, and Alfie Jones wins the initial aerial challenge, and the second ball drops kindly to Connor Ogilvie, who see’s his shot towards goal deflect off Jordan Shipley and the ball loops up into the air and Marko Marosi punches the ball clear and away from goal and by doing so clatteres into Brandon Hanlan, and Sam McCallum manages to clear the ball away from goal for Coventry City, I know Marko Marosi has jumped over Brandon Hanlan to punch the ball clear, but if the situation was reversed and Jack Bonham jumped over Matt Godden to punch the ball clear we would be saying good goalkeeping, even though as Gillingham Supporters we are willing the ball into the back of the net for an equaliser.

Eighty Five Minutes Into The Match, And Gillingham make there third and final substitution, Because Mikael Mandron comes on to replace Brandon Hanlan, And Mikael Mandron could and perhaps should have come on ten minutes earlier, And I also think that Brandon Hanlan and Mikael Mandron could have played alongside each other, with Elliott List, Mikael Ndjoli and Alex Jakubiak being the three attacking players behind that front two, But Mikael Mandron has come on, and hopefully, Mandron can contribute by scoring or assisting a last gasp equaliser for The Gills.

And when play resumed, the ball has gone out of play for two successive Gillingham Throw On’s, However, In The Eighty Seventh Minute Of The Match, Coventry City had the chance to double there lead, Brandon Mason passes the ball forwards to Callum O’Hare, who goes on a driving run forwards in possession of the ball, and Callum O’Hare is twisting and turning and waiting for support before whipping in a high and hanging cross towards the back-stick, And Charlie Wakefield manages to keep the ball in play before turning back on himself to face goal-wards, And Charlie Wakefield runs towards the byline in possession of the ball before seeing his attempted cross charged down by Barry Fuller at the expense of conceding a corner kick, And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Jordan Shipley whips in a high and hanging cross towards the far post and Dominic Hyam headers the ball back across the face of goal and there was Max Ehmer in the right place at the right time to clear the ball away from danger, and Callum O’Hare passes the ball short to Charlie Wakefield and Charlie Wakefield is intercepted by Alfie Jones, And Alfie Jones passes the ball forwards to Alex Jakubiak, And Alex Jakubiak manages to retain possession of the ball before threading through a fantastic through-ball through to Mikael Ndjoli down the right side of the pitch in Coventry City’s Defensive Final Third, And Mikael Ndjoli passes the ball back to Mark Byrne, And Mark Byrne waits for support before passing the ball out-wide to Lee Hodson, And Lee Hodson threads the ball down the line towards Alex Jakubiak, And Alex Jakubiak’s cross was disappointing, because the ball swerves out of play for A Coventry City Goal-Kick, and that was a wasteful goal-scoring opportunity for The Gills.

But Gillingham are still pressing for the equaliser a minute later In The Eighty Ninth Minute, Because Barry Fuller tries to pick out Mark Byrne with a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the far post and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila has to header the ball out of play for A Gillingham Corner Kick and the atmosphere from the away end raised in volume, And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Elliott List passes the ball short to Lee Hodson, who lays the ball off to Elliott List and Elliott List passes the ball out-wide to Lee Hodson, who see’s his cross charged down by Callum O’Hare and the ball deflects out of play for A Gillingham Throw On In Coventry City’s Final Third, And From The Resulting Throw On, Mark Byrne hurls in a dangerous long throw and Gillingham were penalised for a foul instantaneously, much to the infuriation from The Gillingham Supporters situated in the back of the away end.

But despite this match going into added time, and there was not much time left before full time, Gillingham were on the front-foot looking for a very late equaliser, Coventry City had a throw on in there own defensive final third, And Brandon Mason throws the ball long down the line, and Max Ehmer wins the initial aerial challenge while Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila wins the second aerial challenge, and the loose ball drops kindly to Callum O’Hare, who was looking to kick the ball long down-field, But Mark Byrne intercepts the ball from Callum O’Hare, and the loose ball falls kindly to Connor Ogilvie, who passes the ball back to Jack Bonham, And Jack Bonham kicks the ball long down-field and Mikael Mandron flicks the ball on and Sam McCallum kicks the ball clear and away from danger, and Max Ehmer is on to the loose ball and Max Ehmer’s long ball down-field is headed clear by Michael Rose and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila manages to keep the ball in play before kicking a cross-field pass to try and run down the clock, But Barry Fuller manages to header the ball forwards to Mark Byrne, And Mark Byrne passes the ball forwards to Elliott List, who goes on a driving run forwards in possession of the ball, And Elliott List passes the ball out-wide to Alex Jakubiak, And Alex Jakubiak cuts inside into a more central position, And Alex Jakubiak see’s his shot deflect off Liam Kelly and go out of play for A Gillingham Corner Kick.

Elliott List goes across to take the resulting corner kick, And Jack Bonham has come forwards into Coventry City’s Penalty Area, and this is last chance saloon for The Gills, And Elliott List whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Mikael Mandron’s looping header was comfortably saved by Marko Marosi, and that was the final noteworthy goal-scoring opportunity and the final noteworthy moment of the match, And Referee Martin Coy blows his whistle for Full Time and Coventry City have won this match at St Andrews by one goal to nil.

FULL TIME: COVENTRY CITY 1-0 GILLINGHAM

I applauded the players who came across to applaud The Gillingham Supporters who had travelled to Birmingham City’s Ground for what was a disappointing defeat for The Gills, Coventry City deserved there win against Gillingham, but we were hoping that Gillingham scored a late equaliser, which may not have been fully deserved based on the balance of play, but you want to see Gillingham picking up as many points as possible in the early stages of The 2019 / 2020 Season, So that Gillingham are not looking over there shoulder at The League One Relegation Zone after ten league games or fifteen league games.

I got speaking with Colin after the full time whistle, And Gillingham just didn’t offer much as an attacking threat against Coventry City, and our best chance to score was Mikael Ndjoli’s Free Kick, which was brilliantly saved by Marko Marosi, Coventry City could and perhaps should have gone in at half time 2-0 up or 3-0 up and all the while the score-line is 1-0, then Gillingham have got a chance, Second Half was much better for Gillingham, But we couldn’t have played as bad as we did In The First Half during The Second Half.

I also got speaking with James and Brad post match as well, and the main talking point we were talking about was, when you see your football club bring in a new manager, new staff and new players, the sensible argument would be that you give the new manager time to implement those idea’s, time for the squad to settle and gel, time to try and turn things around during the season if the start of the season see’s Gillingham towards the bottom of The League One Table rather then challenging towards the top, But given how divided Gillingham Supporters are regarding the appointment of Steve Evans As Gillingham Manager - and the mixed chants in the away end for Coventry City V Gillingham suggests that there is a dived - then Steve Evans isn’t going to get that time, especially as he has come in to try and help Gillingham challenge towards the top end of The League One Table.

And while we may well be just four league games into The 2019 / 2020 Season, there is already a few cracks appearing which are very concerning, Because if not naming Darren Oldaker and Miquel Scarlett on the bench for Tuesday Night's Match against Blackpool is a ploy by the coaching staff to try and force The Chairman's hand to strengthen the squad, Then I cannot see that going well, Other problems are seeing the likes of Josh Rees, Callum Reilly, Dean Parrett and Darren Oldaker released from there contracts at Gillingham Football Club, Because paying up player contracts isn’t going to be cheap, and in some cases, the players being paid off are going to be expensive to get off the wage bill, especially Darren Oldaker who had two years left on his contract, And I would have liked to have seen Darren Oldaker sent out on A Season Long Loan To A Conference National Club, which would only enhance Darren Oldaker’s Development As A Player.

And there are other concerns as well, Gillingham not winning any of there first five competitive matches, not keeping a clean sheet in any of those five matches, And Gillingham have opened the scoring against Doncaster Rovers, Newport County, Blackpool and Burton Albion, and in those three matches, Gillingham have drawn two and lost two, Granted, The Newport County Game see’s Gillingham lose on penalties, But Gillingham lost out on a lot of revenue, Because Gillingham V West Ham United In The Second Round Of The League Cup could have generated over £200,000, and some of that money could have been used to strengthen the squad as well.

I said c ya to James and Brad before speaking with two other Gillingham Supporters, who also had difficulty getting to the game because of train problems, they didn’t arrive quite as late as we did on The Kings Ferry Coach, But all of us have experienced difficulty getting to St Andrews for this match, and it was strange seeing Coventry City and Gillingham both playing away from home in A League One Fixture, and we do hope that Coventry City can sort out something regarding The Ricoh Arena, Or, Coventry City can build there own football stadium, which could well be the better alternative.

I said c ya to The Two Gillingham Supporters, Because The Kings Ferry Coach was about to leave, So I got on the coach and took to My Seat Towards The Back Of The Coach, And I mentioned to Stephen On Facebook that we had both got our predictions spot on for The Gillingham NoirCat Prediction League, Ann and Diane had also predicted defeat in there predictions, I have got My Predictions Spot On For The Doncaster Rovers and Coventry City Matches, and if you get half your predictions spot on, then your going to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season, Ann has incredibly got four predictions spot on out of four.

I then sent the following status updates on Twitter and Facebook,,,,, FULL TIME: COVENTRY CITY 1-0 GILLINGHAM - Gillingham were much better in the second half, and had Gillingham picked up a point today, It would have been a undeserved point but a much welcomed point. A disappointing result on a day where I just about arrived in time for kick off. - Peter then came up those of us sitting at the back of the coach, and Peter mentioned that we won’t be stopping off at the service station on the way back and we will look to get back home as quick as possible.

I re-tweeted Gillingham’s Tweet On There Twitter Account which mentioned that Barry Fuller had made his 200th appearance for Gillingham Football Club, And I also replied to Shane’s tweet mentioning how generous Gillingham can be even though we are playing against Bolton Wanderers Youngsters Next Week, And I replied back with the following,,,,,, I know it is too early in the season to be using the phrase 'A Must Win Game' But I really do think that Gillingham V Bolton is turning into a must win game simply, so that Gillingham can try and get there League One Season up and running.

The League One Table see’s Gillingham In Nineteenth Position, AFC Wimbledon and Southend United are both below Gillingham and they have played a game more, But Rotherham United have picked up six points from just three League One Fixtures, It is going to take time before The League One Table is settled, and it’s too early in the season to be talking about who is challenging for promotion, who is pushing for the playoffs, and who is looking over there shoulder at A League One Relegation Battle, But two points from four matches puts Gillingham in a less then ideal situation, A Win against Bolton Wanderers is needed just to get that first league win of the season and to give the players a confidence boost.

Gabriel Sutton had posted his Post Match Thoughts On To Twitter ( And I recommend you give Gabriel A Follow Here @_FootbalLab) And I re-tweeted Matt’s Video Clip Of Barry Fuller getting stuck into a sliding challenge, as usual, It is those combative challenges and consistent performances which saw Barry Fuller named as Gillingham’s Player Of The Season For The 2018 / 2019 Season.

Looking at results from elsewhere, Gillingham Town managed to win 2-1 against Dorchester Sports FC despite going down to ten men, While I posted the following on Twitter,,,, Feel free to ask me any questions you have about today's match #Gillingham #Gills - I then had a look of the video clip of Coventry City’s Goal which was posted by Matt On Twitter, And the goal has to go down to A Goalkeeping Error From Jack Bonham, and that is the goal that has made the difference between the two sides, Matt also shared the video clip of Mikael Ndjoli’s Free Kick which was saved by Marko Marosi, And I shared that video clip with the following comment,,,, If only Mikael Ndjoli had scored Gillingham's Equaliser from this free kick.

And looking at other results from elsewhere, Tooting and Mitcham 1-0 Faversham Town see’s Faversham Town knocked out of The FA Cup, So No Faversham Town V Gillingham In The FA Cup This Season For Stephen, But Faversham Town are still In The Kent Senior Cup so that is always a possibility, Taylor had replied to one of my earlier tweets and I had replied back with the following,,,,, The first half was very poor and Gillingham were lucky to go in at half time 1-0 down, And had Gillingham managed to earn themselves a point today, It would have been a undeserved point, but a most welcomed point and something to build on for The Gills.

I was then asked a question about Gillingham’s Attacking Options and who should started against Bolton Wanderers Next Saturday, And I replied back with the following,,,, I think Mandron and Hanlan can link up with a decent strike-partnership, But it would be harsh to drop Jakubaik, Because he is Gillingham's Top Goal-Scorer, We also have Ndjoli and List. Gillingham do need to sign a replacement for Eaves, someone who is the focal point in attack - And I think looking to sign a replacement for Tom Eaves is important, not just in-terms of goal contribution, But someone in attack who can hold the ball up, flick the ball on and lay the ball off to a team-mate, Because going long with Hanlan, Jakubiak and Ndjoli on the pitch just isn’t going to be very effective.

Someone had asked how many signings had Steve Evans made as Gillingham Made So Far, And I mentioned the following,,,,,, Bonham, Hodson, Jones, Ogilvie (on a permanent basis) O'Keefe, Cisse, Willock, Ndjoli, Marshall, Mandron, Jakubiak and Thomas have been Gillingham's twelve signings so far - Thomas had left Gillingham on compassionate grounds and signed for Carlisle United instead.

Comments From Steve Evans had just started to come through regarding Gillingham’s Performance Against Coventry City, Perhaps the most interesting comment from Steve Evans was his comments about Gillingham being very active In The Transfer Market, I disagree with Steve Evans Comments about only one team trying to win the game In The Second Half, I know Mikael Ndjoli’s Free Kick was saved and Gillingham were better In The Second Half, But I don’t think we have severely tested Marko Marosi in goal for Coventry City, But a stat also appeared online which showed that Coventry City had conceded just eleven shots on goal in five League One Matches, which truly is a remarkable stat.

Gillingham had then thanked the supporters who went to the match on there Social Media Accounts, And I asked Nicholas the following questions,,,, Would you like to see Mikael Mandron start for Gillingham in our next match against Bolton Wanderers. ??? And would you look to make additional changes to the team that started against Coventry City Today for next Saturday's Match??? And Nicholas replied back with the following,,,,, ONE: I think that I'd go with the 4-1-3-2/4-4-2 diamond formation that we used against Blackpool, and that Mandron does perhaps deserve a chance to start, so I'd perhaps go with him alongside Jakubiak up front, who has been the most impressive of our forward options so far in AND TWO: my opinion. Other than that, I'd potentially give Willock a shot in the CAM role instead of Charles-Cook, depending of course on whether he's fit or not. The line-up could of course also depend on whether we are able to bring in any new players during the next week.

I mentioned to Ben the following,,, A Dreadful Performance and Result For Gillingham Today, And combine Gillingham losing against Coventry City with the traffic problems on The M1 and arriving at the ground at 2.30PM, It's not been the best away game for The Gills. Next week is now A 'Must Win Game' For Gillingham, And Ben agreed that Gillingham V Bolton Wanderers is now a must win game for The Gills, I also saw a few pictures that had been posted from Coventry City V Gillingham, While Hollands & Blair FC Won 1-0 against Lordswood In The Southern Counties East Football League.

Peter came round asking everyone who is booking on the coach for any of the up and coming away matches, I mentioned that I am not sure what is happening regarding Tranmere Rovers Away, But I have booked on the coach for Bristol Rovers Away, I needed to speak with Stephen about his plans for traveling via car to Tranmere Rovers, Tranmere Rovers Away would be a new ground for Stephen to go to, and I think a new ground for quite a few of our supporters to travel to as well.

We arrived back in Kent around 9PM and we started to drop everyone off at the various drop off points on the way back home, with the majority of Gillingham Supporters getting off The Kings Ferry Coach Out-Side Priestfield Stadium, And I Said C Ya to the lads on the back of the coach who were getting off the coach, and as the next drop off point was out-side The Cricketers Pub In Rainham, I made sure that I had everything on me, And Me and three other Gilingham Supporters got off the coach in Rainham at 9.45PM, And I made the fifteen minute walk from out-side The Cricketers Pub to back home again.

All in all, A Dreadful Journey, A Dreadful Performance And A Dreadful Result, and despite the fact that we are only four league matches into The 2019 / 2020 Season, there is already question marks surrounding Steve Evans and whether he is going to be Gillingham Manager, and two draws and two defeats from our opening four league matches of the season, and the fact that Gillingham have been knocked out of The First Round Of The League Cup Against Newport County meaning that Gillingham missed out on A Money Spinning Second Round Home Tie Against West Ham United have also raised a few doubts.

And not only that, there has been concerns raised over the departures of Josh Rees, Callum Reilly, Dean Parrett and Darren Oldaker and Gillingham have failed to win any of our three home matches in all competitions so far, And with Gillingham conceding six goals in three home matches and Gillingham winless at home, It puts a lot of pressure on Steve Evans to try and turn Gillingham’s Home Form Around, Hopefully, Gillingham can do that with back to back home wins against Bolton Wanderers and Colchester United, While The Colchester United Match Is A Football League Trophy Match, Any win will do to give the players a morale and confidence boost going into some difficult league matches in September - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#Gillingham #Coventry City #LeagueOne #Football

[ladysqueakinpip]

every. single. one. of those OC questions, and the ones that you have to have a specific OC pick whoever you want, but make sure a couple of them are Darrvi and Taffel and Abbe and I think you have a fairy lady? or a dryad lady? or both? do them too, for whatever ones you want

i’m going to talk about so many ocs. 

1. Do any of your OCs have a speech impediment?

heykel talks with a stutter! i’m not sure if this counts as an impediment but amytis’ voice is naturally very quiet so she has a hard time contributing to large conversations or arguments not because she doesn’t want to say anything but because people never hear what she says haha. 

2. Do any of your OCs have a physical disability?

hmmm well my side fantroll syddie (who i hardly ever talk about r i p) has bowed legs from a trauma injury. she has to wear leg braces to talk. again, i’m not sure if this counts as a disability but since elian’s epileptic & not medicated he has to be careful going up and down stairs or swimming/bathing and it does put a limit on the types of activities he can do in the day.  

3. What is your OCs favorite band if they have one?

okay well since u said darrvi first here he comes. darrvi would like music similar to john mayer and jason mraz. he probably knows a couple underground bands but they’re like. pop underground. they’re not really underground just sorta underground. it’s also a little known darrvi-fact that he enjoys listening to ke$ha music. 

4. Does your OC have anything they take pride in? (like an award or collection?)

and taffel is next. is it bad to say i feel like he likes his stupid ripped up jeans? the ones he literally just cuts with a chainsaw? he probably likes that dumb varsity jacket i’m always drawing him in. so i guess the answer is a couple clothing items but he’s not a very materialistic person. other than the jeans and jacket i feel like he’s really proud of his physical fitness. he works really hard to keep it up lol. 

5. Does your OC have a favorite film?

abbe’s favorite film…. uh…. hard to say since they don’t actually have movies in EG? abbe strikes me as the type of person who would like those cheesy family-oriented hallmark movies. he marathons the christmas movies in december. 

6. How tall is your OC?

i’m assuming by “fairy lady” you mean maya! i haven’t made official heights for them yet but judging from my character reference sheet she’s near 5′9″ or 5′10″! 

7. Does your OC have any celebrity crushes?

by dryad-lady do you mean lia merson? if so i don’t think she does! she was made for @pidgenerd ‘s story and i don’t think there’s an easy way to spread news in her world like we have in ours with TV/phones/radio/internet and all that media. i doubt lia really knows much about the world outside of her small tree community lol. besides, even if she had time for celebrities, she’s got a crush on @topazpearl ‘s kurama anyway *u*

8. Do you ship any 2 of your OCs?

um….. ya. a lot. elianXanneliese, abbeXrosalie, rolandXjeannine, irenaXdwayne the rock johnson, darrvitaffel, heykeltaffel, bodrumamytis, akhettalekah, whatever the heck is going on between fidias/paatni, and even though heykel/amytis blackrom is literal filth i still like the idea of it bye. 

those are just the ships with ONLY my characters lol come back later for more swaggie shipping. 

9. How would you describe your OCs fashion taste?

i’m gonna go back to maya on this because i really love her and i don’t talk about her a lot. maya likes dresses! bright colors and intricate, detailed patterns. this is a good example. also this. i feel like everything she wears could be described as a maxi dress or a sun dress. 

10. Does your OC have any special talents?

u wanted more darrvi and taffel??? i’ll give you more darrvi and taffel. darrvi’s a decent baker? he sticks to making pies and cupcakes. i bet darrvi’s super secret talent is being able to find really good albums/movies/games in those giant “discount” bins you see at walmart. he goes to the clearance section or to thrift stores and gets really nice pairs of pants for $3. taffel on the other hand is a sculptor. he’s made a couple trinkets for leaena. he likes to work with clay and wood the most i bet he always has dirt under his nails. or splinters in his hands. his super secret talent is bumping up against vending machines and being able to knock a soda or a bag of chips out for free. he’s the guy who checks the slot to see if someone left a soda there and he always finds one. 

11. Is your OC really bad at something?

darrvi is really bad at styling his hair. it just floofs up and poofs all over the place and he’s sick of it but he’s given up. he seems like he’s bad at making a decision and sticking with it good grief i feel like half of his life problems stem from the fact that he just doesn’t know what he wants. 

taffel is really bad at cooking oh my gosh. no wonder darrvi can bake he had to learn for the both of them. i think taffel’s issue is that he’s that person who thinks “oh yea i can multitask i’ve got this” and before he knows it dinner is burnt, the laundry’s been sitting out for 2 hours, he didn’t vacuum up that mess in the living room and he forgot to call leaena back. 

12. Does your OC have both of their parents?

maya’s dad died before EG starts. i’m sure her mother is still around but after her dad died she just left home and the rest of her family for something bigger. 

lia does have both her parents but her dad is out working & traveling a lot since he’s a merchant. she lingers around her tree home with her mom and waits for dad to bring them treats and money from his travels. 

13. Does your OC know their parents?

I HAVE TO KEEP ANSWERING THESE FOR LIA AND MAYA BECAUSE TROLLS DON’T HAVE ANY PARENTS RIP!!! but yes! they both know both of their parents. 

14. Does your OC have any siblings?

maya has a lot of siblings! i’m thinking her family might have five children total, though i haven’t decided entirely on the birth order + genders of her siblings. i was thinking 2 older brothers and 2 younger sisters? this could change don’t hold me to it. 

lia doesn’t have any other siblings. :’( it’s very sad and lonely but when your mother is a dryad and your father is a human obviously things aren’t going to work out perfectly. 

15. Do any of your OCs have pets?

my oc kate has a pet canary! i’ve been toying with the idea of giving elian a service dog. his brother roland has some horses. 

i don’t think trolls really have pets? so i guess none of my trolls have pets.

16. Do you have any nonhuman OCs?

no one from EG is a human and none of my trolls are humans haha. lia merson’s a dryad…. talise is some weird otter-anthro furry…. i think my only human ocs are my fankids? and faige and kaleb.

17. Do you have any OCs you haven’t posted about?

i have a couple of new dryads in the works for lia’s world, actually! but i don’t know anything about them i just wanted to draw more tree girls so i did. 

i’ve also been thinking up a couple phoenix ocs from another part of the EG map but there’s not much happening with them. 

18. How would you describe your OCs nature in one word?

watch me do darrvi and taffel again because i’m predictable. i think darrvi’s word would be “hopeful”? he wants the best for himself and for the people he loves so he comes up with elaborate schemes to make everything work out haha. he wants to believe that there’s some goodness in a world that’s so dark and violent. he gets let down a lot but somehow he’s muscled through. 

i think taffel’s word is “self-centered”, but in more than one way. i mean he is pretty selfish and a lot of his actions are thoughtless and only benefit himself but i think that’s because he has a hard time connecting & understanding other people on an emotional level? so he ends up having this little world that’s just his and he doesn’t consider the impact of his actions on other people until after he’s done something. 

19. Who is your youngest OC?

paseri! she’s only 11. 

20. Who is your oldest OC?

i guess technically bodrum is the oldest since he’s like 200+ years old but um. we don’t talk about that and physically/mentally/emotionally he’s around 15 so uh. yea. otherwise i think my oldest is elian’s doctor/irena’s dad? he’s somewhere in his 50s-60s. 

21. What race is your OC?

since most of my ocs aren’t human i don’t think i can answer this one? no one’s technically white/black/asian/etc. heck, maya is blue. all my fankids are just white. kaleb’s white. faige is biracial but i haven’t decided if her mom is black and her dad is white or if her dad is black and her mom is white. 

22. Would your OC like you?

of course they like me everyone likes me -shot- 

#Anonymous #oc stuff #lets T-A-L-K-A-B-O-U-T about ocs #THIS TOOK SO LONG KDJALKJLDAJKLS but i enjoyed it thanks #if u read thru all that u deserve to know every spoiler in EG bye

[reminiscingdreamer]

Dual Destinies semi-stream-of-consciousness thoughts

So I finished Dual Destinies for some time now and I decided to write my stream-of-consciousness-esque (even though it was written after I finished the game, haha) thing. Beware of freaking out and spoilers!

I knew the jacket Apollo wore at the beginning couldn’t have been his but gawd, did it really have to hurt so much to find out it really wasn’t?

When Athena flipped that police officer right into Apollo! Whoo!

I like when Blackquill talks about the different prison inmates. I keep thinking at least some could be references to previous AA villains, but it’s been so long that I don’t remember a lot of them.  

Aaaaaaaah! Apollo is so cute! Especially his abashed sprite.

I cannot express how much I love Apollo’s “I’m unamused” face. It is the stuff of stories.

There’s… a distressing amount of typos, which is bad because it’s not as though it’s a bootleg or anything. Heck, there was even a whole segment of conversation with Jinxie which didn’t register in the dialogue log. I remember there was only like 1 typo in all the previous 4 games put together. What happened?

The whole division of Themis Legal Academy kind of confuses me. They have a division for lawyers, prosecutors, and judges, but… prosecutors are lawyers. I suppose it’s to draw a distinction between prosecutors and every other lawyer (defense attorneys aren’t the only lawyers to exist, despite what impression the game tries to give, after all. There are accident lawyers, civil rights lawyers, etc.) I guess it’s because prosecutors are government so it’s different and therefore needs a line to be drawn between? I don’t know.

So you’re telling me this entire school has only two faculty members? Really?

Aristotle Means’s grin is creepy but you don’t need me to tell you that.

Speaking of Aristotle, the whole reason he was caught was because his staff was lodged into Courte’s body to make it appear like Phoenix’s arm but he was carrying that staff when everyone met him at the lecture hall before the mock trial? So… how’s that possible? Did he have a spare staff?

Also, how did Means get the body to stay upright?

I got kind of excited when Robin could’ve possibly been a trans character. She did sort of turn out to be one in a way, I guess, just not in a way I expected :/

My favorite minor characters are probably Hugh and Starbuck (Clay doesn’t count because I don’t actually know all that much about him and I probably only like him that much because of his relation to Apollo and his character design.) I felt sympathy when Hugh revealed he wasn’t a genius and his true age. And Starbuck really did have what it took to go into space despite his fears.

I liked how Phoenix got angry at Ted for attacking Apollo when they were at the Detention Center. Phoenix, your papa bear is showing, haha. I liked it because it shows how Phoenix sees not only Trucy as family, but Apollo and possibly Athena too, so he got mad when someone attacked one of them.

I really disliked the dub in the main storyline (the dub in the DLC case was okay). Every time an animated cutscene played, I’d cringe because the dub sounds like the voice actors were reading off a script. The only dub I liked was Starbuck’s.

I literally screamed when Edgeworth appeared.

I hate his dub the most though.

Grown-up Pearly aaaaaaaaah!

So… I guess we’re not going to be learning about the secret Kristoph Gavin was unconsciously holding? I was kind of hoping to know what it was :/ I hope it’ll be addressed in a future game as part of a larger overarching thing and that they haven’t forgotten it. It’s good to at least have some information on what the black lock was at least.

They kept calling the bandages around Apollo’s eye an eyepatch, but it’s a bandage. Also it didn’t have to be that that long. Someone has a flair for the dramatic = 3=

I get that Apollo shucking his jacket is a symbol of shucking away his doubt and burdens but… that jacket’s still Clay’s! You don’t have to wear it but at least bring it with you!

Best lines of the game: “But what is faith without doubt? That’s why… I need to question her guilt!” There’s just so much in there.

I CAN’T BELIEVE FULBRIGHT(?) WAS THE CULPRIT OHMYGAWD I LIKED HIM AAAAAAAAAAAA

Not gonna lie, when the spy first revealed his Starbuck mask, I was throwing my hands in the air and rolling my eyes and going, of course. But thank gawd the spy wasn’t actually Starbuck.

So the real Fulbright died a year ago and was unidentified ever since. I’m just wondering how it could’ve taken a year to get his fingerprints to identify him.

The real Fulbright’s death also makes me sad because the spy’s impersonation is 100% accurate, which means that this would’ve been what the real Fulbright would’ve been like had he not been killed; a good guy who loves justice and would do anything to help people. The AA universe just lost a good man.

It was really freaky when the spy wore the mask of Phoenix.

Despite having murdered Clay and Metis, I can’t bring myself to hate the spy. He’s just so pitiful.

The dedication Blackquill had towards Metis and Athena. I mean, I could even see that he goes easier on Athena during the Themis trial. Sure he doesn’t hold back but when compared to when he went up against Apollo, he’s less strict.

Gawddammit! It was so adorable how Athena couldn’t tell the difference between robots and humans. But when she had the same line of reasoning for why she put her mother on the operating table thinking she could fix her it quickly became an oh gawd no moment. My heart. Help.

I find myself wishing really badly that Clay hadn’t died. I mean, I knew next to nothing about him except for the few snippets Apollo shared, but his death had hurt Apollo so much and it hurt me to see him hurting that I can’t help but ache for something that can never be. Plus, he seemed like a swell guy. I’m not sure if it’s better that we never get to talk to him in the game or not. Don’t know which would hurt less.

Which makes the final animated segment where Starbuck blasts into space so much more emotional for me, cringey voice-acting and all.

As I’m incredulously selecting Orla as witness, really? We’re really doing this again? Yes. Yes we are. Just like that parrot… NO I WILL NOT LET THAT GO. I’LL PROBABLY NEVER LET THIS GO EITHER.

The whole cross-examination with Orla was funny though.

The ending made me feel sympathetic and soft. It’s great.

But then how’d the blood get on Orla? I mean, if Shipley fell to his death in the show stage pool, that’d explain how it got on the rock, but Orla was never even lowered into that pool so… how?

My favorite moment in the entire game: When Apollo, despite truly wanting to believe in Athena, refuses to look away from his doubts and the evidence and blindingly having faith, choosing instead to try to seek answers for himself and look for help in Phoenix. Apollo truly is my favorite character.

#ace attorney #dual destinies #a dreamer's sleeptalk

[bowiebwe-blog]

Bowie’s Favorite Albums of 2017 Big List! (Intro, #60-41)

Alright! One of my favorite times of the year is actually this list haha. It’s when I finally get to unleash on the world some of my collected thoughts on what came out in the music world this year, and there are a lot of them! I used to just post this list on Facebook in previous years, but this year’s list is a whole new monster. A monster waaaayyy too big for Facebook.

Out of all the years in my life, 2017 was probably my favorite year in music so far (2013 taking 2nd place). Maybe that’s just because I’ve become more invested in it since years past, but either way, it blew me away. I knew last year about some of the big names preparing for releases this year (Eminem, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Taylor Swift, etc.), so of course expectations were high, but those got beat! And I’m lovin’ it! SUCH A GOOD YEAR IN MUSIC!! And my band released our first EP earlier this year too, but out of fairness and all that jazz that won’t be included on here. But hey, I’m a fan ;)

So here I’ve got my top-60 favorite albums of 2017. I listened to around 65 or so new albums this year, but some honestly weren’t good enough to be included and sixty’s a nice, pleasant number haha. Please understand that these are my OPINIONS, so even if it sounds like I’m saying something that could be taken as a fact, like, “this album is amazing,” it’s really not a fact at all. I believe that there really aren’t definitive answers for music. It’s all about how it hits us individually. To say a song is or isn’t great as a fact is kinda dumb. The closest guide I use is what I once heard John Mayer say, which is “the public is never wrong.” And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

So here I’m going to give you the album artist and title, my thoughts on the release, and a few (or one, or whatever I feel like, dang it) of my favorite songs from the album. Just because I like them doesn’t necessarily mean I’d recommend them though. We’re all different, and I try to make my recommendations very personalized. So take a quick look, read every word, skip to number one, or whatever you’d like. It’s all here for you. Enjoy!

———-

Honorable Mention:

Coldplay - Kaleidoscope EP

The only reason this isn’t on the main list is because it’s not actually a full-scale “album.” That’s. It. Coldplay still consistently makes some of the best music out there today (the public is never wrong), and this EP is full of solid songs. Well, besides the live version of “Something Just Like This,” I just don’t feel like that was necessary here and takes away from the cohesiveness of the EP. But the rest of the songs push Coldplay’s songwriting to new limits, seeing how far they can stretch it without losing who they are at heart. “Aliens” might just be their most experimental song to date, “All I Can Think About Is You” feels like the beautiful love child of “Atlas” and their old “Blue Room EP,” and “Hypnotized” I’ll be babbling about later. Great EP.

*All I Can Think About Is You, Hypnotized

——–

60. Julien Baker - Turn Out The Lights

I was intrigued to listen to this one after hearing her debut album a while back, but it’s not an album to lose any sleep over. Most every song uses similar guitar tones, effects, and patterns on top of repetitive singing tones and patterns. It’s one of those albums I wouldn’t mind just having in the background of a chill session (is that a thing?) for a little bit, but that’s about it for me.

*Claws In Your Back

——

59. Kesha - Rainbow

Good album, not great. Somehow it creaked into Rolling Stone’s top-10, but hey, to each their own haha. Kesha went out and made a very self-empowering album here, and she very clearly states she’s done takin’ y'all’s crap. It has it’s very cool moments (“Praying”), and very possibly the most charming song of the year (“Godzilla”), but it’s just a “good” album to me.

*Praying, Godzilla, Old Flames

—

58. Migos - Culture

Maybe this album will grow on me, buuuut I’m not there yet haha. It’s not a bad album, I just don’t get all the hype that’s been around it. But like I said, maybe I will someday. There are interesting ideas and concepts in here, and definitely some interesting uses of onomatopoeia (never predicted I’d use that word on this list) though, and it makes it an album to at least check out. I don’t see this album changing rap forever like some have claimed, but it is interesting.

*Big On Big, Slippery

—

57. AJR - The Click

Ya know, this album gets a lot better when I forget about the hat. AJR are an interesting band. They’re part of that new generation/movement that has access to an incredible amount of digital sounds and decides to use a very high, diverse selection of them. I mean, Native Instruments might as well sponsor these guys at this point with how often they show off their Maschine and all the sounds the got from it during their live shows. So it’s an interesting album. But it’s also pretty good. Not all great, but mostly “good.” Think Twenty One Pilots’ little eccentric cousin. I dunno. It’s good haha. Definitely a bit fascinating to listen to for the production choices if not much else. And they use an overture, which I actually really dig. Definitely one of the harder albums here to wrap your mind around, for better or worse.

*Overture, The Good Part

—

56. Phoenix - Ti Amo

I just found out Phoenix is from France. Huh. Anyway, Phoenix has built a reputation as being a consistently solod alternative band. They go for a bit of a change of sound this time around, and it makes me kinda think of an 80’s high school dance -type thing. But they do it really well, and even though that was probably a terrible comparison, it does sound modern and groovey. Definitely a much more colorful, bright album than their previous albums. Phoenix just makes good albums.

*Fior Di Latte, Ti Amo, Tuttifrutti

—

55. Margo Price - All American Made

I checked this album out because Rolling Stone named it their #1 country album of the year, and though I don’t quiiiite agree with that placement, I’m glad I did. Simple, genuine, charming. Definitely an honest album from the artist, and it gives a good insight on her views on some of the social issues out there today. And in a world that’s losing that “old country” feel, albums like this keep it alive, and it’s a beautiful thing.

*Learning to Lose

——

54. Maroon 5 - Red Pill Blues

2017. This album in one word. There’s been a lot of distaste by listeners for Maroon 5 over the past few years because of their draw towards pop trendiness instead of the way they used to be in the early 00’s, and I can’t say I blame ‘em, but Maroon 5 is still Maroon 5, and you can’t get as big as they are without making at least “pretty good” music. (What a big run-on sentence.) I mean, you can still occasionally hear the old Maroon 5 somewhere deep in here but it’s too often buried beneath the biggest sounds and trends of 2017, and that really does detract from the heart of everything. But still, the album has it’s good moments and is generally enjoyable. Definitely not their best, but it’s still a decent pop album.

*Denim Jacket, Lips On You

—

53. Andy Grammer - The Good Parts

Alright, we’ve all heard Andy Grammer on the radio before, and that’s pretty much what you get. No big changes or evolutions, no big surprises, but you get an enjoyable, radio-factory, cookie-cutter pop album. Basically like any AG album haha. He follows the national trend with this one and has gone more electronic and all that, and that’s as new as you’ll get, but he still does those feel-good vibes probably better than anyone else on pop radio these days (and I actually believe him). I wish he’d sometimes take a step back from overreaching for a catch at the expense of an emotional center (I’m looking at you, “The Good Parts”), but I still enjoyed listening to this one.

*Fresh Eyes, Workin On It

—–

52. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

Nah, I get it. I really do. Some people adore this album and it’s near the top of their “Best of 2017” lists. But I don’t quite feel it as much. Probably the main issue I’ve got with it is that it’s just. too. long. The average song on here is six minutes long. For me, I don’t mind long songs at any given time if there’s some sort of change in them, something that expands its reach and says something else within that spectrum (Green Day’s “Jesus Of Suburbia” comes to mind). These songs sometimes just kinda feel like they take forever to say what they need to say. So it’s hard to sit down with this album and thoroughly enjoy it without checking my watch, but the songs themselves are good songs I wouldn’t mind having shuffled in my playlists on occasion. Despite its length and lack of strong melodies, it is a well-made album and worthy of the praise it’s gotten, but it just doesn’t click with me super well.

*Pain

—

51. Zac Brown Band - Welcome Home

If you know Zac Brown Band, you know what you’re getting here. If not, this is another upbeat, fun, warm album from one of the best country groups out there today. Not really anything suprising here or any big changes of formula from the usual ZBB, but it’s still a very enjoyable album to just throw on and have a good day to.

*Long Haul, All The Best

—

50. Prophets Of Rage - Prophets Of Rage

You think these guys voted democrat?

I’m a huge Rage Against The Machine fan, so I was pretty excited when I heard about these guys coming together to form this project. It’s a hard-hitting, no punches pulled, fists in the air, solid rap/rock album. Just be prepared to deal with strong opinions, because pretty much every track on this album is exactly that. It’s pure disruption. These guys do what they do very well though, and no matter your social stances, it’s a fun time getting into. (Please note though, the songs I chose for this album are purely based off musical preferences.)

*Living On The 110, Hail To The Chief

—–

49. William Patrick Corgan - Ogilala

“William *Patrick* Corgan.” This is not the same Willy/Billy I’ve ever heard haha. No more of The Smashing Pumpkins’ grungey guitars or hard-hitting drums here. No more drums here. He took a huge step back here and made a true solo album that is primarily just piano and guitar, and it actually makes his songwriting glow a bit. It’s probably the simplest album on this list, and it’s kind of refreshing to listen to at times. Solid effort, Willy/Billy. Solid effort.

*Aeronaut

—-

48. Mansionz - Mansionz

If you haven’t listened to this just because of the cover art, I can’t say I blame you haha. These guys (Mike Posner and Blackbear, actually really good artists) are throwing all popular opinions and expectations out the window and making sure you know it. Seems like they literally just got together, said “**** it, let’s make a crazy album,” and did it. But here’s the shocking thing, is it’s actually pretty good. Not all of it was all that great, but it’s mostly an enjoyable experience. Mike Posner is also one of the artists out there I’m most fascinated by these days (“I’m Thinking About Horses”), and it’s interesting to see what these two guys made together.

*I’m Thinking About Horses, Rich White Girls, White Linen

—–

47. Linkin Park - One More Light

It’d be really easy to write a glowing opinion on this one because of what happened with Linkin Park this year, but I’m going to try to drop all sentimentality for a sec. Linkin Park went pop here. Though not to the levels of Chainsmokers or whatever, that’s what they did. These artists who are filled up with so much fire and rage in their youth grow up, and if they’re being honest their music grows up with them, which usually means it mellows out at least a bit (look at Eminem). So pop seems like it was just the place where what they were feeling and wanted to express happened to fit at the moment. WHICH IS TOTALLY FINE. And it breaks my heart now like it broke my heart when this album came out that a lot of their fans don’t seem to understand that. Or probably moreso. Linkin Park made a really good album here, but rather than supporting the band at heart and looking at this album for what it really is, a lot of their fans supported their own idea of what they wanted to the band to be instead and ripped on this one, which makes me really sad. It’s a good album. Sure, I definitely wouldn’t grade it anywhere near as high as “Hybrid Theory,” but Linkin Park are still Linkin Park here, and Linkin Park makes dang good music. If this is going to be Linkin Park’s last album, they ended on a different, but strong note.

*Good Goodbye, One More Light, Sorry For Now

—

46. Rise Against - Wolves

Well, they’re not exactly trying to make an “Abbey Road” here or anything like that, but I do love me some Rise Against! Rise Against is one of those bands that has a formula for themseleves that works and that they do very well, and they stick to it rather than try to re-create themselves all the time. But hey, that’s perfectly fine by me. There will always be a nice spot on my lifting playlists for their songs. And, “if it ain’t broke…”

*Wolves, Miracle

—

45. Beck - Colors

Considering the tone of Beck’s previous album, the excellent “Morning Phase,” this one was a bit of a surprise. He got a lot groovier, and I dig it. It’s a very bright, fun album. Definitely more reliant on synthetic sounds this time around, but that’s not a bad thing. Beck’s still out there making great albums.

*Seventh Heaven, Up All Night

——

44. Russ - There’s Really A Wolf

Russ is an intriguing guy. This isn’t some amazing, instant-standout rap album. But! It is a good rap album. And Russ strikes me as a guy who has worked his butt off to get where he is and who will continue to work his butt off to get where he wants to be. It feels like the beginning of something. Will he get hits later and make it to arenas? I dunno. He writes, produces, mixes and engineers all of his songs himself though, and that is enough to impress me with the level these songs are at. It’s a promising start to his mainstream career.

*There’s Really A Wolf, Pull The Trigger

—

43. The National - Sleep Well Beast

This album feels kinda like taking a warm bath. It’s nice and relaxing, but not quite “hot,” you know? But don’t get me wrong, it is definitely a good album. There aren’t really many standout songs, or any that stand out significantly to me, but the album as a whole is the kind of solid piece of art we’ve come to know and love from The National. I’d recommend playing it in the background of a chill night.

*Carin At The Liquor Store, Dark Side Of The Gym

–

42. The Chainsmokers - Memories… Do Not Open

Love 'em or hate 'em, there’s no denying The Chainsmokers are good at what they do, which is making hits. If you want 2017 pop radio summed up in an album, this would probably be a decent one to pick. They’ve got catchy choruses, big drops, the works. It’s not exactly a Da Vinci of an album, but hey, I enjoy dipping my feet in it on rare occasion.

*Something Just Like This, Paris

——

41. St. Vincent - Masseduction

Yeah, no, this is a pretty dang good alternative album. Definitely not the usual album out that’s out there. Has it’s own vibe going. Kinda strange (not in a bad way), and kinda empowering. It’s not *all* my cup of tea, but there are some really good songs on here (“Los Ageless”) for sure. This is the first St. Vincent album I’ve listened to and it’s good enough for me to want to keeo checking out more of them. So even though it’s not quite all the way up my alley, I can see why it’s held in such high regard.

-Slow Disco, Los Ageless

—-

[junker-town]

Philadelphia had a historic sports night. Now watch us strut.

I said what I said.

Before we begin, I must set the mood.

** turns on Beats Pill at 3 am and plays Dreams And Nightmares by Meek Mill loud enough not to hear the neighbor’s cussin **

Good. We needed ambiance.

Let me explain something to you real quick, humble internet reader. If you have never been to Philadelphia, you have never seen the slender face of God stuff a pretzel and cheesesteak in his mouth at the same time. That is the only way I can describe what happened on October 23rd in front of the world. The Sixers and the Eagles won on the same day for the first time since December 2013. Even more importantly: the Eagles are 6-1 for the first time since Freeway didn’t have a beard.

“Ain’t this what they been waiting for? You ready?”

I’m not, Meek. I’m not ready for this moment set in motion so long ago.

Back in 2013, we did not know Sam Hinkie would die for our sins and set in motion the dreams of a generation of wahoos from the Italian Market to Kensington. Hater rest in peace, rest in peace to the parking lot. Our Phantom got so big it can’t eem fit in the parking spot. This is real. My body might combust.

This historic night must live on in the future of our fandom as Philadelphians because this shit probably should have never happened. Hinkie should still be GM of this fun, dumb basketball team but the Basketball Gods can’t have us infallible. Andy Reid should still be coaching football in winter puffer jackets during August, but we mustn’t be fat with greed. In an ideal world: Chip Kelly isn’t smirking on a sideline and dealing away DeSean Jackson and Shady McCoy for onion rings and whatever Sam Bradford is, but losses make you humble. We shouldn’t have been able to move up to No. 2 in the 2016 NFL Draft by trading away 8 mufflers to the Browns to hire Carson Wentz, aka Yakubian Warren Moon, aka Diet Big Ben, but we must remember Cleveland only knows failure.

“I go and get it regardless, draw like I’m an artist, no crawlin’ wen’t straight to walkin’ wit foreigns in my garage...”

That’s right, Meek.

Make no mistake, humble internet reader, Philly deserves this. We deserve to laugh at the misfortune of other franchises and cities because our existence is inherently unfortunate. We are the sons and daughters of dock workers and stadium cranks and all the other lies Rocky movies tell you about this city. We are the kids who tried to kill Santa with batteries on Christmas. We are only two cheesesteak shops deep and everyone lives in the same crevice on Broad St. The world thinks of us as either preppy jawns at St. Joe’s and Nova or gritty jawns at Temple and La Salle, so damnit, that’s what we’ll be.

William Penn came here in 1862, a Quaker devoid of sports, and wondered: what the hell would happen if a kid from North Dakota, a Cameroonian by way of Kansas, and Melbourne’s First Born son were in the same place years from now? “Lol, that would probably be fire as fuck,” he texted into his blackberry.

We deserve this right now, no matter how unprecedented it is, because Philly doesn’t wait for shit. We want it right now. It doesn’t matter if we have to sacrifice half the city for a Super Bowl, we will do it and honor those we lost when the Yuengling runs out. No. I’m not lying. We basically tried to do it after the Phils won the Series.

Philly is a city devoid of expectations. Everything is crap and everyone has their own story of how crap it is whether you live off 23rd and Berks or you lavishly sip Brandy in a golden hot tub in Rittenhouse Square.

Really, Philly is the healthiest version of what a city should be: we have no ambition. Everything in the country basically started here, and we don’t have anything else to contribute. That’s as much as we want to succeed. This isn’t Houston building into the ocean. This isn’t Phoenix making new solar panels. This isn’t DC gentrifying everything in sight. We built your shitty country and we would like our sports to be as good as promised in the Constitution. We ask for so little.

Jeff Bezos wanna build an Amazon plant here? Will it get Doug Pederson to call better plays? Fuck it then. The new mayor wants to put in a Soda Tax? Is that improving Markelle Fultz’s jumper? Fuck it then. Half the history of the city is tied to a fictitious boxer that made white people feel good during a down time in the city’s history. Don’t you dare tell me all we want isn’t just sports fame.

“I don’t say a word, I don’t say a word. Was on my grind and I got what I deserved..”

Amen, Meek.

We deserve this moment. When Wentz threw 100 interceptions last year, we waited his growth out. When Ben Simmons had a set back and we were told to wait, we did it. When Joel Embiid decided to cripple the beginning of the future of the Sixers franchise by getting some trash cornrows, we told him to take them out and we started winning. This is our Shakespearean tale. It has always ended in tragedy. If only for a second in our miserable history, let us appreciate the glory in this moment.

So, Boston can keep its shitty Dunkin’ Donuts and Tom Brady, we’ll drink a Yards at Standard Tap with Wentz. Atlanta can keep Migos and the ghost of Dominique Wilkins, we’ll mix Meek and Beans and Freeway and watch Iverson lace up a du-rag and put on a mink. New York can keep it’s cabs and chopped cheese, DC can have the Metro and Half-Smokes, we’ll stuff 18 cheesesteaks in our mouths and ride SEPTA into the sunset.

This is for the goonies in the market eating wooder ice. This is for everyone who eats their steaks not at Pat’s and Geno’s. This is for the ol’heads on 52nd and Market still sellin tank tops and blasting Musiq Soulchild. This is for the moms in Lawncrest that can’t get their kid on a fall ball team because he likes to fight. This is for the homeowners in Norf Philly still flippin double birds to gentrifiers. This is for the boul Joey Jihad’s lost career. This is for the Catholic League and the Public League. Hell, this is even for you Andrew Bynum, Doug Collins, Rube Amaro, Johnny Paplebon and Marcus Smith.

I don’t know what’s next for our little hovel of a sports town, but I know it will sing the songs of failures past and give us our own version of glory.

“Hold Up, wait a minute, y’all thought I was finished?”

That’ll do, for now, Meek. We just getting started. And also, my neighbors are probably calling the police.

2007: “Jeff Garcia, he’s our baby!” 2017: "Love the Birds, love Wentz & that team. They’re tough just like the city." - @JeffGarciaJGFA http://pic.twitter.com/vhl1yNKDUs

— NBC Sports Philly (@NBCSPhilly) October 19, 2017