InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Breakfast included"

bl_michael (bl_michael) wrote in bloodlines_rp,
@ 2009-11-24 15:19:00

Entry tags:

jan 2003, lisa turpin, loc: private residence (blackthorn), michael corner, type: rp

Honey, I'm Home
Date & Time: 24 January 2003 | evening
Post Type: RP
Status: Closed: Complete
Character(s): Michael Corner, Lisa Turpin
Location: Magnolia Manor; Blackthorn Ridge
Summary: Michael returns and seeks refuge.

Michael apparated to a spot outside Magnolia Manor. The air was frigid and he shivered for a few seconds while he gazed up at the sky. B flat, A flat. C. A million stars showed the way, Whispered your name to me. I stood awhile that winter night, Wanting you to set me free. He adjusted the duffel bag slung over his shoulder and took the stairs two at a time.

He hesitated for a full five seconds before he raised his hand to knock. Two months? Or more since he'd seen her? They'd had no contact, but he knew she'd take him back. She always did and much the same in reverse. There were no feelings dark enough to split them apart forever. Not even leaving without goodbyes.

Michael wondered if his piano would fit in Lisa's flat or if her roommate would care if he set it up in the living room. He knocked and it echoed. D flat. He hummed in harmony with the echo while he waited.

(Post a new comment)

bl_lisa
2009-11-24 09:40 pm UTC (link)

Lisa was standing in her kitchen, contemplating what she was going to make for dinner, when there was a knock on her door. She scrunched up her face for a moment, trying to remember if someone had said they were dropping by. Most of the typical visitors would just take the Floo, unless Isaac had decided to drop by unexpectedly. She smiled to herself, thinking that wouldn't be an unwelcome visitor. It had just better not be Vince wanting to bug her about something work-related.

When she pulled open the door, she froze, her jaw hanging slightly open. Michael. He was the last person she'd expected to see standing there. She managed to recover herself in what she felt was record time and put one hand on her hip. "It would figure you'd show up when I was getting ready to make dinner," she said, a slight smile coming to her lips. She stepped aside enough that he could come inside, finding it was hard to restrain herself from giving him a bear hug. "I hope you at least have some interesting stories to share. Chicken all right with you?"

(Reply to this) (Thread)

bl_michael
2009-11-24 09:49 pm UTC (link)

Michael grinned at Lisa's expression. Shock. That's what it was. Complete shock, but not anger. He stepped inside and gently put his duffel by the door. No reason to toss his shrunken piano around. Then he turned and gave her a big, tight squeeze. When he let go, he kissed both her cheeks. "This is why your my favourite bird," he said. "Food sounds excellent. I never turn it down, do I? Only if I'm writing, which I'm not at this moment. So, yes, let's eat!"

Her flat looked very much as it had the last time he'd seen it. "I always have interesting stories, as do you, but first things first. I need a place to live. That scumbag over at Thornapple's let away my flat. It was a shite hole anyway, but now I'm, well, I'm homeless." He smiled widely at her. "And I remember you saying your bed was quite comfortable. Fancy a roommate?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_lisa
2009-11-24 10:33 pm UTC (link)

Lisa grinned as Michael pulled her into a tight hug. She always forced herself to forget how much she missed seeing him, but it came back full force upon seeing him again. And she couldn't help but be a little relieved that he was all right. "Of course I'm your favourite bird," she said, giving him one last apprising look before moving into the kitchen. "And there's very little you do turn down, even when you're writing."

She pulled the chicken out of the freezer and thawed it with a quick spell before moving to get out other ingredients. Something simple. Hopefully it would turn out okay. She turned on the hob and stuck a pan on it, throwing a few things into it.

"It was a shite hole," Lisa agreed. "Hardly could be called a flat, if you ask me." It was really too bad she already had someone interested in the empty bedroom, otherwise she'd have offered it to him in a second. Having Michael as a roommate wouldn't be bad at all. "The second bedroom's let already. As for my bed, well, I'm afraid you've got a bit of competition for that spot these days." She patted his shoulder, then kissed his cheek. "But the couch is pretty comfortable, and you're more than welcome to it for as long as you need it."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_michael
2009-11-24 11:10 pm UTC (link)

Michael laughed. "Are you talking about that bird who insisted I see her new Egyptian cotton sheets while I was rehearsing? Can you blame me? She had legs up to here," he said, holding his hand up to his chest. "Longer than yours although not as sexy."

He followed Lisa into the kitchen. He had rightly assumed that Lisa still had her flatmate--Ana, was it? No. Aliyah. No. He shook his head. It didn't matter. One eyebrow shot up on his forehead. "I have competition for your bed?" he asked in surprise. "Don't tell me you've reunited with Boot," he said. "He mentioned you in one of the owls he sent a while back." Michael glanced over the couch. It would have to do, and he'd definitely slept in worse spots.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_lisa
2009-11-24 11:34 pm UTC (link)

"No," Lisa said, laughing. "I can't blame you. When have I ever blamed you?"

She stirred in a bit of seasoning, then left the pot to simmer on the hob for a bit. Moving back to the refrigerator, she pulled out a couple of beers and popped the tops, handing one to Michael. Raising it to her lips, she very nearly choked on her own breath, though she was glad she hadn't taken a drink yet.

"T--Terry?" Lisa stammered, trying to catch her breath again. "Why the hell would you think that?" She was going to kill Terry if he'd said anything misleading about their relationship, though she had no idea why on earth he would. "I'm not even sure we're actually friends, much less shagging. Fuck." She took a drink of her beer to sooth her throat, then let out an odd sort of laugh.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_michael
2009-11-25 12:22 am UTC (link)

Michael leaned over to smell what Lisa dumped in the pot. He lifted his beer in thanks and took a long swig. He laughed at her when she stuttered. "Okay, so it's not Boot," he said. Clearly she and Boot had some unresolved issues. They weren't friends? Still? Now that those two were so much closer together, Michael didn't understand why they wouldn't want to work things out? Why had Terry mentioned her then? Minor key. A flat. E flat. F. Remember when you smiled at me, that long and easy grin? Can't we travel back today, to when you loved me then?

"Then who?" he asked curiously. "Who has banished me to the couch?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_lisa
2009-11-25 12:24 am UTC (link)

"It's most emphatically not Boot," she said. Lifting her beer to her lips again, she tipped it back and drained half the bottle in one go. Even though she hated it, she was still curious to know what Terry had said about her to Michael. But she refused to ask.

"His name is Isaac. Cornfoot. He's one of Stephen's brothers," she said as she stirred the mixture, turning the chicken bits so they'd brown evenly. "I love you and all, but...." Lisa spared a glance at Michael, then focused on the concoction in the pot again. "Well, he's damn tough competition, that's all."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_michael
2009-11-25 12:40 am UTC (link)

Michael nursed his beer and watched Lisa's arse wiggle while she stirred. Then he ran his fingers over the counter, composing a tune about how perfect that arse was. He couldn't help but grin. Most emphatically. Michael decided he might need to scheme in order to get two of his oldest and best mates on friendly terms again.

"Stephen?" Michael asked. "Is this Isaac anything like Stephen? He was a bit too quiet for your taste I'd think. And I offer pretty stiff competition. Want me to take off my shirt?" he asked with a playful wink. He would, too.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_lisa
2009-11-25 12:50 am UTC (link)

"Stephen's not so bad. He's a Hit Wizard now--did you know that? Gotta respect a man who can take down a wizard three times his size with only a few flicks of his wand." And a lot of rain and blood, but that wasn't the important part, was it? "But no," she added with a little smile, "Isaac's not all that much like Stephen. He was a Gryffindor, for one. Not a bookish bone in his body."

He asked if he should take off his shirt, and Lisa laughed and waved a hand at him, shaking her head. "If you're going to be living on my couch for awhile, I'm sure I'll get the opportunity sooner or later anyway. Might as well draw out the suspense."

She pulled down two plates and dished a bit of the food out onto each, then handed one to Michael, gesturing toward the sitting room. Once they were seated, she said, "Oh, and he's a professional Quidditch player. Might have forgotten to mention that bit." She smirked at him.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_michael
2009-11-25 01:13 am UTC (link)

Michael finished his beer. "A Hit Wizard? That's impressive, yeah? And I'm just a guy who loves music," he said with a shrug. Michael couldn't picture Stephen taking down bad guys, but he did remember him being an intelligent bloke. He was probably a whiz at strategies and all that other necessary crap. "That sounds more like you. A non-bookish, overly noble and probably foolhardy bloke."

He forked in a mouthful and his mouth nearly fell open. He swallowed quickly. "You're bloody kidding! A Quidditch player? Now I'm bloody jealous. Who does he play for?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_lisa
2009-11-25 03:26 pm UTC (link)

"Yeah, and I'm just a girl who likes to take pictures," Lisa said, nudging his shoulder. She nearly snorted her beer when he described what was apparently her 'type'--or maybe just her Gryffindor type. "Well, I wasn't exactly thinking about that when this whole thing started. More that he had Merlin nice hands. The rest of him, too, but whew the hands."

She only grinned more at Michael's reaction. He was as big a fan as she was, so she'd known he'd appreciate that particular fact. "He just got picked for the Falcons reserve. Beater."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_michael
2009-11-25 03:49 pm UTC (link)

Michael ate and watched Lisa's expressions. He didn't miss the emphasis she placed on certain words, and he didn't miss what she was implying beneath her explanation.

"Thing?" he asked curiously. "Are you saying you're having a thing with this Cornfoot bloke? You don't have things." Neither one of them did actually. Lisa didn't settle down and Michael had yet to find any bird who wanted to make him settle down except for Lisa and that was ridiculously complicated and only a desire half the time. They were better friends. At least that was permanent. Relationships weren't. Look at her and Boot.

His eyes widened. "You're bloody joking!" he repeated. "I love the Falcons! Merlin, even when they suck I'm a major fan. I'm past jealous now. I'd say I'm extremely covetous. Is he into blokes?" he teased.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_lisa
2009-11-25 04:11 pm UTC (link)

"Yeah, well, maybe I am. Maybe I do," Lisa said, looking down at her plate as she pushed the food around a bit. Michael, unlike Terry, understood exactly what she meant when she said she didn't date. But she was dating Isaac, or at least something very close. She certainly wasn't thinking about being with anyone else.

"Second in the League," she said with more than a little pride. "Soon to be first. That whole second thing is only a temporary setback, with them losing a top Chaser and all." She levelled a gazed at him. "No. And even if he was, I'm not sharing."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_michael
2009-11-25 04:19 pm UTC (link)

Michael finished his meal and leaned back on the couch. "Well, well, well, if Ms. Lisa Turpin doesn't sound like she's having a relationship then put a dress on me and call me Sally," he said, shaking his head and chuckling. "I never thought I'd see the day. So tell me all about it," he teased and batted his eyelashes. "Did he win you over with his big Beater hands or was it that abrasive Gryffindor charm?"

He shook his head. "The Falcons are the best, and any setback is minor for them because I've seen them go from a losing streak to being top of the league in a single year. They're ruthless." He frowned. "They lost a Chaser? Traded someone?" That wasn't likely. They were usually a tight team, unwilling to separate from each other. He gave her a playful shove when she said she wasn't sharing. "It was worth a try."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_lisa
2009-11-25 04:50 pm UTC (link)

Michael was teasing her, and that was normal, comfortable. But she didn't want to be teased about it, not really. Things with Isaac were fine--great--but if she really let herself take a step back, the fear was still there, and she didn't like that. Maybe this wasn't a good time to get into that, though. Michael had just gotten back home. Thinking about Isaac was easier than thinking about their relationship. Lisa laughed a little. "A little of both, I think."

She frowned at him. Had he been that much out of the loop. "You didn't hear about the murder? Elena Vickers. They found her dead at the Christmas ball last month. It was...pretty intense. Still haven't caught who did it, either. Will said they were smart, whoever they are."

Lisa took a bite of her food and washed it down with beer. "But enough about me. Where the hell have you been? Please tell me that the Germans are now in love with some composition of yours, and they've offered you a castle and a lifetime supply of beer, or some shite."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

bl_michael
2009-11-25 05:26 pm UTC (link)

Michael sat up quickly. "Murdered?" he practically shouted. "You are bloody out of your mind? Seriously? Holy shite, Vickers?" He shook his head. Who the fuck would murder a Quidditch star? "She was hot, too. Damn. Bastards," he continued. "And at Christmas?" He exhaled. "Just...wow." It was awful. Bloody awful. Star blazing fast and bright, shooting across the sky. Gone, gone, gone in the night, No one told me to cry. Minor third. Raise the last. Move into the fugue.

He shook his head again. "Fuck, that's awful." He shoved his hands through his messy hair and reached for his beer, but he'd already drained the bottle. "Oh, here and there," he answered. "Germany yes, but no castles or beer for life yet. My mum divorced her second husband. Seems he was less than stellar. I helped her move out and then move in. She was a bit torn up about it, and she gave me some money. My dad's money actually. I put it away. Most of it. The rest I used to travel and put toward my career. But I have stories. Good ones from Romania."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

bl_lisa
2009-11-25 06:12 pm UTC (link)

Lisa nodded. There wasn't really any reason to answer in voice, as Michael grasped exactly how serious of a matter it was. "They held us all for half the night, for all the good it did." So many people had left by the time they found the body that it was likely the murderer had already gone. She knew Will was frustrated with work lately, and she was frustrated for him. "No reason for it, either. Except the papers are saying it was because she was sick." She rolled her eyes. "I think that's a load of shite, but it doesn't make less sense than other theories, I guess."

She listened as he explained what had called him away. It wasn't nearly as exciting as she'd been hoping it was, for her sake. "Well, fuck Michael, that's awful for her." Lisa half-heartedly punched him on the shoulder. "Seems you can be a responsible adult after all. Who knew?"

She finished off her beer and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Romania, yeah? Not Rome-good, I hope."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bl_michael
2009-11-25 06:43 pm UTC (link)

Michael grinned. "Don't tell anyone. I wouldn't want them expecting too much from me," he said as he rubbed his shoulder.

He looked at Lisa and chuckled. "Honey, nothing will ever be as good as Rome," he said with a wink. He stretched out his legs and rubbed his belly. "Might turn in early. Long day of travel and all. We can talk about Romania tomorrow. Did I say there was an ox involved? Hilarious, but tomorrow."

He cut his eyes over to her. "I wouldn't argue if you wanted to see how this couch holds two people for an evening." Then he braced himself for another punch in the arm. Damn, it was bloody good to be back with Lisa.

(Reply to this) (Parent)