phillipa flint (pippips) wrote in reduxpitch, @ 2016-05-01 19:03:00 |
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Entry tags: | !bingo, !thread, character: lucas flint, character: phillipa flint, location: st. mungo's |
who: lucas & phillipa flint
where: pippa’s room, st. mungo’s
when: 1 may, evening
what: waking & making up
status: complete
bingo: st. mungo’s, a family member
Phillipa felt like her head was swimming, unable to latch onto any single thought but aware of so many floating around. Her body was heavy, stiff, and she didn’t think she could even make her toes or fingers wiggle if she wanted - that would have meant being able to hold onto a thought long enough to cause that to happen. It was easier not to try, to stay completely still and try to get her head to focus first. The rest could follow after. It came slowly, in pieces. In how the bed didn’t feel like hers - neither hers at her flat or the house, the mattress far from what she was used to sleeping on. The pillow under her head didn’t feel right, either. Whatever she was wearing was far from soft, silky, nothing she would purposefully put on her body and especially not to sleep. Everything was wrong and her head was pounding as it tried to work through it all, an involuntary and unwelcome groan resonating in her throat. From the moment that he had heard about Pippa being in hospital Lucas had made it a point to be by her bedside as often as his schedule allowed. And then some. He couldn’t really remember the last time he’d spent a night in his vardo. Oh, the nurses had tried to chase him out, but he’d shown a bit of the Flint resolve (otherwise known as stubbornness) and remained exactly where he had planted himself. Lucas was determined that his sister not wake up alone. He’d done plenty of thinking over the last two weeks and while he did not like the result had come to, it didn’t change the fact that he knew he needed to make up with his sister. His head jerked up at the soft groan that came from Pippa’s bed. He hadn’t been sleeping, one really couldn’t do that in the uncomfortable chairs the hospital provided, but had managed a light doze. Lucas paused, listening and hoping that he hadn’t just imagined that his sister was finally on the verge of waking up. “Pippa,” he breathed, unwilling to break the silent spell that had fallen over the room. Unlike the fairy tales breaking the spell might now allow the princess to finally wake. “Pippa, please wake up.” Lucas’ voice was the first thing that was familiar, and Phillipa felt her throat tighten as tears sprung to her eyes, even though they were closed. Her mouth was dry, tongue heavy and unwilling to move, but all she wanted to do was speak. She could deal with the scratchy clothes and uncomfortable bed if she could just talk, say anything to her brother. There was something about the way he’d said please that was pinging around her head - slow but still popping up, not fading into the background like so much else was. She swallowed thickly, trying to get some kind of moisture in her mouth to make it easier to do anything, and her lips parted slightly in a compromise with her mind, a dry, raspy whisper managing to make its way out. “Lu…” Lucas’ sigh of relief was audible. “I’m here, Pippa. Don’t talk just yet, okay? Let met get a healer, a mediwitch, a nurse. Something. Someone.” He popped up and gave his sister’s hand a squeeze before scampering out of the room in search of someone who knew much better than he about what to do. That didn’t stop him from hovering, waiting until it was okay for him to talk to his sister again. Once they were alone again, Lucas took a seat before popping up again. “Can I get you anything?” His face was earnest, a week’s worth of guilt eating away at him. “Water? Another pillow? Possibly one of those nurse’s heads on a platter?” No. The word got stuck on her tongue and didn't get out before he was gone. At least what he'd said had given her context - healers, mediwitches, nurses. It was no wonder the bed was so bad, the clothes scratchy. All she wanted was to be at home, or at the very least for Lucas to come back. She would have much preferred him than someone who was bound to poke and prod her. And that was exactly what they did. Phillipa came to much more while the mediwitch was there, eyes finally opening. It still took more effort than she could muster to move much of anything else, but being able to see and speak seemed the most important. She was glad when they were left alone, her gaze flickering over to watch her brother. "Water?" she said quietly, absently wetting her lips. "I don't... know what happened..." Lucas was quick to meet his sister’s request, filling a cup part way with cool water from a nearby pitcher. He hovered by her side a moment too long as she took it, in case she spilled or wanted more, before snagging his previously occupied chair. He flopped down into it. “I’m not really sure?” He gave a shrug. “I don’t have the details,” not because his brother wouldn’t give them to him, but because Lucas hadn’t been able to ask for them, “but someone slipped you something. Two weeks ago.” He looked at her, visibly nervous. Two weeks ago they had been as far apart as they had ever been before in their lives. While had the time to mull things over, to let things heal a bit, the wounds for his sister were still quite fresh. “Someone’s been here ‘round the clock. We didn’t want you to be alone when you woke up.” Two weeks ago. Phillipa drew in a sharp breath, her eyes closing for a moment. She remembered bits and pieces - going out for drinks, then everything seeming wobbly, and a strong sense of panic. Of course it was because someone had slipped something in her drink, that was the only real explanation. But what? And why? She slowly opened her eyes to look over at him, tears starting to prick at them again. "Thank you," she murmured, not knowing who all was part of the someones who had been there, but grateful he was one of them. "I'm glad you're here." Lucas’ mouth twisted into a lopsided smile, relieved that she had admitted that she wanted him here. Part of him had been worried that Pippa wouldn’t want to see him when she woke up. He would have left if she wished it, but would not have been an easy choice. “I wasn’t sure if you would want me here.” Shifting in his seat, Lucas watched his sister for a long moment. The back of his neck heated at the admission. Perhaps he shouldn’t have admitted that. Especially when his sister just woke up. She might think he was trying to guilt her into doing something. “Of course, even if you didn’t, I would have been here anyway. Flint stubbornness and all.” Phillipa felt a lump in her throat when he said that, because getting past the shock of being in St. Mungo's and still not really knowing what happened, there was the memory of what had been going on before any of that. It still hurt a bit, but seemed unimportant comparatively. Besides, Lucas was there. That said a lot more than anything else. "We are a very stubborn people," she said softly, a hint of wryness in her tone. It disappeared when she spoke again, though, and when she blinked it caused a tear to escape from the corner of her eye, trailing down her cheek. "I love you, Lucas. So much. I'll always want you here." His heart ached at seeing the solitary tear. It was almost worse than seeing her sobbing on the beach in Portugal. Hesitantly, he reached out and brushed away the tear with a thumb, gently as he could. It was only with a small afterthought that he saw how ragged it was, dirt visible under the nail. “Good. I’m not going to leave.” Lucas could feel the blush spreading, making him feel overheated. Maybe he should get some water for himself. Later. When Pippa needed to sleep. Or something. Maybe when they kicked him out when visitor hours were ‘over’. “Just like you wouldn’t leave me. Because you’re not allowed to, you know. You aren’t allowed to leave me.” Moving any bit felt slow, labored, like trying to move through molasses, but she didn't want to just lie there anymore. It felt awkward, more vulnerable than she would have liked, and part of her simply wanted the reassurance she could move. So she reached, albeit slowly, for his hand that had come up to brush away the tear from her cheek. Taking his hand with hers was both the most reassuring feeling, and felt like a wound was being freshly ripped open inside her. "I'm not," she said, eyes squeezing shut in an attempt to keep any other tears from escaping, but it didn't work "I'm not leaving you. Flint stubbornness, remember?" She blinked a few times to look over at him, squeezing right into his hand. "It takes a lot more than that to get rid of me." Lucas’ eyes slid downwards, words suddenly caught in his throat, thick like porridge that had been sitting out for a bit too long. “Thank you,” he said with a long sigh. He didn’t want to admit that was his biggest fear, for his siblings to turn their backs on him. It was irrational, but wasn’t that the point of greatest fears? His smile turned slightly wobbly and it took several deep breaths through his nose until Lucas felt steadier, like he wasn’t about to break apart. Not when he needed to be strong for Pippa. “I’m going to hold you to that promise, you know. There’s no getting out of it now.” Had things been different, Phillipa might have pointed out that perhaps he shouldn't have pushed her away if he didn't want her gone - but they weren't. All that seemed far away and trivial, like something that couldn't matter less anymore and didn't need to be brought up. Ever, in her opinion. A little smile turned up the corners of her mouth, and she moved her thumb to rub gently against the back of his hand. "I think I can manage, but that goes both ways. You don't get to leave me, either." She paused, turning her head to wipe her tear streaked cheek against the pillow. "May I have a hug?" Lucas didn’t even have it in him to nod his head. “Of course.” The chair skittering back a few inches with the force of him standing. He hovered over his sister for a moment before swooping down to wrap his arms around her smaller form. At first the hug was loose, unsure how much she could tolerate, but slowly his arms began to tighten around her. Part of him wanted to slide in beside Pippa and pull her close. “Can I get you anything?” His voice was soft, cheek pressed against the top of his sister’s head. He was in an awkward position, and his back was starting to protest, but Lucas didn’t care. He wouldn’t move until Pippa said he could. If holding his hand had been reassuring, it was nothing compared to being hugged. Phillipa hadn't registered fear, more consumed by shock of being there then gratefulness that Lucas was, but she was also scared, she realized. Scared because she'd lost two weeks of her life and they didn't know why, or who had done it, or with what. Or if they knew, they hadn't told Lucas, which didn't help matters either. Her arms moved up around him, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt between his shoulder blades. "Don't go, okay?" she asked in a whisper, feeling like his arms around her were the only things keeping her from falling apart, and she needed them to stay. Lucas was who she went to for comfort, and there he was. Right where she needed him. "I can move over, or if you have to you can be a puppy, I don't care, I just need you here, okay?" He pulled away slightly, just to look at the situation. Even if his sister moved over he would still take up to much space. “They can’t kick me out if they can’t find me. And,” he pitched his voice lower trying for conspiratorial and ending up mostly squeaky, “I’ll be much easier to hide as a puppy.” Lucas didn’t necessarily want to step away, but he wasn’t going to do any further harm to his sister. Lucas sat on the bed and in a blink of an eye a dog had taken his place. Careful of his sister, Lucas picked his way across the small area. He curled up against Pippa’s side, nudging underneath her arm. Giving a soft wuff, Lucas settled down though his eyes remained alert. He would continue to be the sentry while offering comfort the best he could. Phillipa had figured that would be the case, knowing the uncomfortable bed was on the smaller side and only meant for one person. It just gave a reason to be glad there was a way to make it work, and she let her grip on him loosen as he moved to be able to change into his much smaller, furrier form. Once he got settled, her arm circled more around him, her other settling across her torso so her hand could rest on his back, fingers buried in his fur. "Thank you," she murmured, fingertips scritching against him automatically. She wanted to turn onto her side, curl around him properly, but that was a lot of moving and she wasn't sure she actually could. It was easier to stay the way she was, and he was still there - that was the important part. "For being here." Not just then, but whenever he had been, especially considering they hadn't been in a good place before - but she hoped he understood that without her having to say it. |