InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "break your own glass ceiling."

phillipa flint (pippips) wrote in reduxpitch,
@ 2016-09-26 08:05:00

Entry tags:

!thread, character: marcus flint, character: phillipa flint

who: marcus & phillipa flint
where: flint-higgs house
when: 26 september, morning
what: an owed explanation
status: complete

It had been the best sleep she'd gotten in weeks. Lots of different reasons for why, but Phillipa knew the majority had to do with the man she woke up next to. He was still completely out, but she knew she could manage to get a bit done before he woke if she got out of bed. So she extracted herself carefully, took a very quick shower to get the scents of sex and fire out of her hair and off her skin, got dressed in something simple but nice, and left a note on her pillow letting Viktor know she'd gone to get them breakfast but would be back shortly.

It wasn't a lie - she very much planned to get them breakfast. First, she owed her brother an explanation. So she took the floo to his house, brushing a bit of soot from her skirt as she stepped out on the other side. It wasn't so early he'd still be asleep, so she went to check the kitchen first - the same place she'd left him last.

Marcus was NOT a happy man. And thanks to his sister’s disappearing act - Ginny had born the brunt of the unhappiness. To the point where she had kicked him out of his own room to go for a run this morning. Coming back he went straight to the kitchen to get some water and froze in his tracks.

“Where the fucking hell have you been? Do you know how worried I have been? A pissy Bulgarian storms into my house and you just POOF away with him….” He went over to Pippa and pulled her into a sweaty hug, “I should paddle you for scaring me like that….”

He started talking before Phillipa had a chance to try and explain, so she let him get it out with no kind of fuss until he was hugging her and he was so sweaty and gross. “Ew, Marcus! So sweaty!”

She gave him a brief hug before pulling away to keep him from completely sweating all over her. “I can explain, I promise. I'm very sorry for scaring you, I didn't mean to. I thought I'd be right back last night, honestly.”

Marcus ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, “Alright - so what in the hell Pips? I don’t get ANY of this. You are here and mopey and sad. He shows up - POOF. And now you are looking more content and happy than I have seen you in ages.”

He froze bringing his water bottle up to his lips and looked at Pippa, “NO, no, no, no…..not you and Krum. TELL me it’s not you and Krum. Pippi Longstocking…..”

That was just it, though, because yes - her and Krum. Phillipa bit the inside of her lip as she tried to think of a way to put it that wouldn't send him flying off the handle - because of how they'd come together in the first place.

“First of all, shut up so I can explain,” she said, giving him a look before sighing as she mulled over her words. “We’re quite alike, you and I, whether we like it or not. It's just you're all in the public eye and I'm… not as much, though still a bit I guess. At least, on my own just a bit, and I always worked hard to keep private things private.”

She raked her hand back through her hair to push it away from her face. “But we’re the same. Looking for fun and then accidentally winding up with more. You with Ginny, and me… yes, with Viktor - hush,” she added, before he interrupted. “We were just having fun, but it got… real. For me. Which was scary. I didn't realize how real until… I thought it was going to end? So I hid here and didn't reply to any owls and then… last night happened.”

Marcus clenched his water bottle, “A bit of….” He took a series of deep breaths, “Pippa….I ….” He didn’t know what to say. It was what had happened with him and Ginny. All casual until someone went and fell in love. And he could understand the running part.

But the Krum part. Viktor Krum had made his sister doubt herself….

“So are we getting to the part where I get to kill him yet?”

“You don't get to kill him,” Phillipa said quickly, shaking her head. “I mean, I told him you would probably try but I'd prefer if you didn't.”

She drew in a breath, taking a moment to think. “We both had this block in our heads, but we both felt the same. Once we actually… talked, we could see that. He makes me happy, Marcus.” A smile broke across her features as she spoke, like she couldn't help it. “I never thought anyone would, or even could, but he does. He makes me laugh, and takes care of me when I'm not well. I feel safe, with him.”

Marcus took a seat at the counter and looked at her, “If you are happy, I am happy. It’s all I want for you and Lucas the WonderPup. I just want you to do as makes you happy. So I will strive to be happy for you - and to accept that you fell in love with one of the few people I will admit might be able to kick my ass on the Pitch.”

He looked around and then at Pippa, “So when do I get to meet him? As your lover? And not the pain in my ass on the Pitch?”

“You won the World Cup, remember,” she said teasingly, as though that would make things easier for him to accept. Not only because he'd won, but also that he'd done so specifically against Bulgaria. “And you know it has nothing to do with Quidditch. I mean, now I have to pay attention to more teams and you know how I feel about that…”

She brought her hand up to cover her face, letting out a soft laugh. “As my lover... oh, I don't know. Are you going to be all… growly and make veiled or not so veiled threats the whole time?”

“I am your older brother. I get to do that. I get to stand and be protective of you. It’s in the rule book of life. And no, you don’t get a copy - as the little sister - you get to take my word for it.” Marcus gave her a look, “I love you and I worry over you Pippi Longstocking - so yes, I get to be growly at the man that hurt you. Intentionally or not - I would expect no less of Ginny’s brothers if I did something to her.”

“So name the time and place. I will show up - with Ginny so she can smack me if you can’t reach - and we will do this properly.”

Phillipa rolled her eyes, nipping at the inside of her lip. She knew he worried, just like she did over him and Lucas, and she knew there was no way he wouldn't be growly at Viktor - he was that way toward him normally anyway thanks to Quidditch, so them being involved just amplified it. Not to mention she'd never been in a relationship before, so he hadn't been able to get all stupidly protective about that sort of thing.

“He didn't hurt me,” she said softly, giving a shake of her head. “But alright, growl away. You two can have a growl off and act all tough toward each other, and Ginny and I will just drink and laugh. I'll find a time and place, but it may take a week or two at the least…”

“He made you sad...and that counts. In my book anyway.” He nodded and kissed her forehead, pulling her into another hug, “And you are sure that you are okay now right? I have a bunch of Irish players that will be more than happy to back me up if I need to beat some common sense into him. He is lucky as hell you gave him the time of day. And he better treat you like a queen…”

He grinned, “Or I am sure I am talk Millicent into brewing something for me that will help him go very far away - or at least regret his actions.”

Phillipa returned his hug before resting her hands on his chest to be able to look up at him, narrowing her eyes despite the grin quirking at the corners of her mouth.

“I'm perfectly okay, Marcus. You keep your brutes away - and I'm offended you think I'd need help defending myself. I'm quite capable, you know.” She paused, poking him in the chest sharply with her index finger. “Stop it. You go anywhere near him with anything even resembling a potion and I'll make you very sorry. You're not making me want to arrange this dinner at all.”

Marcus held up his hands in defeat. “Whatever you say Pippi.” He shook his head, “I will trust your judgement - just leave me something to beat the crap out of if he hurts you again. Or makes you sad. Or you know - is overly Bulgarian for your tastes.”

He grinned, “I won’t even wear my World Cup Champion regalia. See how generous I can be.” He looked at the clock over her shoulder, “Does he know you are here? I don’t want to have to forcibly remove him from my home again….” He paused, “Wait….does that mean he is moving in here too? I don’t know how I feel about that….”

“You are ridiculous, Marcus.”

Phillipa sighed, taking a step back to be able to look at him without having to tilt her head back so much. “You'd best be on good behavior, he did say you were gracious after the final so it would be quite bad for you to seem otherwise now. Might I remind you that you've not forcibly removed him from your home at all? I removed him after your shoving match. And he's certainly not moving in here, you dolt. You are aware he's capable of having a place of his own, yes?”

“Yes, but it seems that when people I know get together - they end up moving in with me. You are in theory living here….and now there is him. It’s one thing to walk in on you in a bathrobe - walking in on him would be a bit much.”

“Also - his removal I prefer to think of a joint effort - even though I would have been able to get rid of him without you.”

“Well you wouldn't walk in on that if you'd learn to knock now would you?” she asked, arching an eyebrow at him. “No, he's not moving in here. Merlin’s sake, Marcus. And I preferred my method of removal rather than you two walloping at each other like gits.”

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her stomach. “Anyway, I just wanted to stop by to quell your need to send more howlers. I'm fine, I promise.”

He sighed softly and ran his fingers through his hair, “And just for the record. If you are happy - I am happy. I would rather you were happy with an Irish player that had proper fear of me. But if that git makes you happy. Go be happy. I promise - no more howlers on this topic. I make no future promises.”

“I am happy,” Phillipa replied, a smile spreading across her features. “That git, as you say, makes me quite happy. So be nice, or I'll hex you.” She stepped in to lean up and give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Go shower or something, you're gross.” With a smirk, she took a few steps back before apparating away to go get breakfast to hopefully return home before Viktor was awake.