Flowers in bloom. (Andy)

[Deleted]

April 20,2025

Phil’s family was beginning to think of him as a shut in. Really he was just doing more of what he loved, tending to and experimenting with new plants. It was hard to make sense of all the drama going on outside of his greenhouses but here things always seemed to make sense. Plants and fresh dirt always brought Phil a sense of calm he rarely found else where. Still he had to finally admit his family might have had a point, especially his mother, as he wasn’t even aware a flower festival was happening. Something he obviously should have known about. It was time for him to stop shutting himself in his greenhouse for hours. He finished up some last few projects just to make sure the plants stayed healthy and he left the greenhouse to get ready. He was excited to see just what had been put together, really anything plant related excited him.

He didn’t imagine he had spent much of the day in the greenhouse but he had been out there since the morning and now it was just after lunch. Time flew when he was in his own little world. Taking a shower he changed into clean clothes, something simple. Just jeans and a dark shirt, something that would be okay if it got dirty, he was ready to go.

Phil apparated to the location of the festival arrive near enough to the entrance. There were also a number of students it looked like running around. He wasn’t aware that this was open to Hogwarts till just this moment. He really had been out of the loop for too long. Either way it was nice to be in the fresh air with plants and even people all around him. Walking in he noticed a number of signs pointing to a number of attractions. Each looked interesting, all but the temporary tattoo booth. Phil decided on the rose maze as his first stop, better to get lost early than near the end of the festival. He could always magically get out he supposed but where was the fun in that.

Arriving at the rose maze he entered with a few other people but quickly lost them as everyone went in different directions. Which was fine with him, he could just enjoy the maze and flowers at his own pace. Making a sharp turn Phil almost walked right into someone, he did his best to move out of the way only to lean up against the wall of the maze. The thorns prodded him but it wasn’t anything serious just a few small cuts. “I’m so sorry about that, I wasn’t really looking where I was going.” Phil apologized still not looking toward who he had almost ran into till a moment later and going red from a moment of embarrassment and awkwardness and he realized who it was.

@lestrange

[Deleted]

Yesterday was an incredibly strange day. Andy and Vik had just realized that they had completely ghosted each other. They both has ditched the apartment the last three weeks in hopes of avoiding each other. But, after seeing one another at the flower festival they spent the day together. They didn't really discuss what that meant for their relationship, but considering the night ended with them back home goofing off with flowers everywhere... well their physical relationship wasn't over, that much was clear. But they didn't really discuss anything.

She decided to come back to the festival, because she realized she hadn't brought Richard yesterday and he would have wanted to come. The bowtruckle was in the pocket of her jacket, half out so he could hold the edge of the pocket and look around. His eyes were wide and he kept nudging against her as if he wanted to get out. "Richard, I don't want you getting lost in here. Just wait until we get closer to the flower maze and we'll do something there," she rolled her eyes affectionately.

When they made it to the maze, she entered and started to explore. She wasn't really into mazes, but it was the place she felt the most comfortable letting Richard jump out and climb along the hedges beside her, "don't get out of my sight," she told him. She was turning a corner, seemingly harmless, when someone almost slammed into her. She gasped at the vision of the person suddenly turning the corner, and while he spoke Richard jumped off the hedge and onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry he's really frien-" wait a second. "Oh my gods," she said, shaking it off by literally shaking her head. "Phil, hey," why was her throat so tight? Was it because of what happened with Vik yesterday and now...

@phil

[Deleted]

April 20,2025

Phil had mental prepared himself before leaving the house on things that could have happened. An embarrassing situation or running into someone he might have known, those would be easy. Making a fool of himself in front of Andy of all people wasn’t anything he was ready for, yet here he was. He looked toward her with a look of shock and embarrassment, thankfully he was snapped out of it by the bowtruckle that was now on his shoulder. Andy hadn’t really put together it was him as she attempted to apologize for Richard jumping on his shoulder. Half way through she stopped and figured it out before greeting him. “Don’t worry, I’m well aware of just how friendly he is. Isn’t that right Richard?” Phil smiled as he always enjoyed his time with Richard around. He a creature but also might as well be a living plant. He used a finger to pat Richard in the head, finally turning back to Andy.

He was thankful Richard had jumped on his shoulder, he got his mind of being embarrassed. Still he hadn’t seen Andy for sometime so it was bound to be a little awkward for him. Yet he needed to brave through it. He still cared very much for her after all. “Hey, letting Richard have some fun I see?” He asked attempting to speak to Andy, just grasping at a conversation. “How.. how have you been?” He finally asked a little awkwardly. Phil was genuinely curious as he had for sometime now. Even when distracted with his greenhouse he had wondered just what other people and Andy had been up to most of all.

@lestrange

[Deleted]

Phil said he was well aware of how friendly the bowtruckle was. Of course he knew. Richard was just happy to be with him, Andy could tell, and he definitely would have preferred if they would all spend more time together. If was like being a child of divorce for the poor little plant guy. Andy felt bad that he got passed around, but he didn't seem to mind it. He had fun exploring new places.

Phil asked how she'd been, stammering a little. "Good, good," she sucked in deeply, catching her breath a little bit. "Yeah, Richard was excited to come when he saw it in the newspaper," she explained, clearing her throat. "And I got a cat. A kneazle, actually," wow, did Phil really want this kind of small talk? Talking to him in this way so... Unnatural and impersonal. It didn't feel right. "The Therapists at Mungo's suggested it," she added, maybe speaking a little too quickly. Her eyes widened a tiny bit and she tried to find a more casual posture, slightly leaning against the green hedge beside her. "Nothing new, really. Um..." she glanced at Richard on Phil's shoulder, who was literally shaking his head at her.

@phil

[Deleted]

April 20,2025

Andy explained she had been good, which was good to hear. It was good that she was good and he was good too, he soon realized he was thinking the word good too much and it was all he could think about for a moment. This was an awkwardness he hadn’t been ready for yet Richard did help. “Th- that’s goo..” He cut himself off, he needed another word than good to be in his head. “Great to hear and yeah I imagine he’s just excited to be around all kinds of plants and people.” Phil finally got out a complete sentence once more. Andy explained she also got a Kneazle which was a moment of concern for Phil. Not for Andy, as she could handle a cat, but for Richard. “It isn’t giving Richard a hard time or anything?” Phil got out and listening back to what he said realized how that might have been taken. “Not that I don’t think you would let that happen. Just cats can be.. jerks at times.” Phil added with a small laugh trying to not suddenly be so serious. Richard just felt like how a child might to a parent to him.

Phil listened on as Andy claimed that her therapist’s at St.Mungos had even suggested the added pet. “It’s solid advise I suppose. Could have even got a second Bowtruckle if I didn’t imagine this guy would get jealous he wasn’t an only child anymore.” Phil joked looking over to Richard as the Bowtruckle just kept looking back to both of them for a moment. Aside from that Andy claimed nothing was really new in her life. Richard thought other wise from the head shaking but he decided to trust what Andy said. If there was something, Andy didn’t have to tell him anyway. “Still a kneazle can be pretty exciting. Especially for all the curtains they will be ripping up.”

@lestrange

[Deleted]

He stammered again, saying it was good that she was good. Which was all well and... good? She shook her head a little, trying to think of a word other than 'good' to dwell on. He said it was great to hear that Richard was excited to be there and she smiled softly, nodding little excessively for a moment before willing her head to stop bobbing up and down. As for the kneazle, Phils concern about Richard and the cat made Andy's smile grow a little, but she tried to hide it by turning her head and bringing her hand up to her mouth, pretending to wipe something off of her cheek. She turned back to him when he said cats could be jerks, and she laughed a little too. "They get along, actually. It's kind of shocking. I basically told Artemis - that's her name - to be nice and Richard stared her down until she bowed her head," Andy's smile grew a little more. "You should come see it sometime, they're really quite funny," wait, woah. Did she just invite Phil over? She was currently crashing with Susan but all her stuff was at the apartment she shared with Vik... oh, gods.

He suggested that the Healers gave solid advice, even saying that she could have gotten a second bowtruckle even if it'd make Richard jealous. "Well, it might. A kneazle is different and he still gets to be the only one in my pocket. And yours, I'm guessing?" she had no idea if Phil had any other friends running around his greenhouse. She also couldn't deny that that statement in her head kind of sounded like a double entendre. When Richard shook his head, Phil didn't seem to want to press it. He just talked about ripping up curtains, and she nodded. "She does do a bit of that... thankfully it's just the curtains around her box. I'm staying at the Windsors right now and I'm not sure I'd be welcomed back for royal curtains being ripped up."

@phil

[Deleted]

April 20,2025

To Phil’s relief Andy explained that the Kneazle, who she had named Artemis, and Richard had actually got along pretty well. Even going into detail about how their first interaction had been. She smiled a bit and he thought for a moment how he had missed that. “That’s good to hear, sounds like Richard got himself a new friend.” Phil smiled back, talking about Richard was something safe and easy for the both of them and Phil was thankful for that. Andy talked about him coming over to see the two of them, which didn’t sound like a bad idea till he realized coming over meant wherever she had been staying. “I- y-yeah that might be fun sometime.” Phil replied partially agreeing but not really saying when, he wasn’t sure if he was ready after this much time a part just yet.

All he could do was laugh as Andy explained about keeping Richard in his pocket and him possibly being in Phil’s. The Bowtruckle did enjoy being close to people, especially the both of them. “Yeah, I actually wear a shirt with a pocket in the front on days with Richard. Yet more often than not I’m in the greenhouse so he’s just climbing on the plants.” He explained with a laugh as just thinking about it was a pleasant memory to him. After talking about how a cat could be trouble at times Andy agreed and explained how she was staying with the Windsor’s, which was reassuring to hear. He hadn't been sure where she was staying and had no plans to stalk or go by just to run into her. It was just nice to know it sounded like someplace safe and with her friends. “I don’t even want to imagine what the cost to replace some hundreds of years old royal curtains would be.” Phil joked laughing he said it. “Still I’m sure they would welcome you back, just as long as the cat stays away from the windows or antiques.”

@lestrange

[Deleted]

Phil said it was good to hear, and that it was nice that Richard was making a new friend. Andy was happy about it too, and it made her room feel a lot more lively with three living beings and it at a time. And when she was at Viks, four. When he spoke about coming over, stammering himself, saying that would be nice sometime, she was glad that he didn't try to name a date. She had not actually meant to invite him over so soon. It was just something in seeing him, and looking in those eyes and blonde hair.. she remembered a moment last summer when her and Will had been slightly tipsy and she kissed him because his blond hair caught in the sunlight and she thought that it was Phil in some part of her imagination. She blushed at the thought of that moment, forgetting for a second who she was with in real life. She turned her face away again, and pulled her hair down in front of her so she could play with the ends.

Thankfully, the conversation shifted back to Richard, and Phil spoke about how Richard enjoyed the greenhouse in the Longbottom Manor. "How is the greenhouse?" Andy asked. "I miss it there," she added. She had never lived at the house, but just at the Longbottom apartment at the Leaky cauldron. Still, she had been to the house plenty of times, and it was technically another home for her since she was technically his sister. Ugh, she hated thinking about that.

At least he laughed about the cat, and Andy's comment about the curtains. She shook her head, "oh no, I don't even want to think about how much that would cost me. I'd have to break into the family funds or something," she joked. Though she was talking about her birth family. Even though she had sort of accidentally helped in killing her parents, her and her siblings still got a fair amount of money from them. After a moment she cleared her throat, shrugging her shoulders. "Do you want to continue in the maze with me? I still haven't gotten to the center yet. Plus I've only seen four types of roses so far..." Back when they were dating, roses were kind of their thing. Phil had told her about how there were actually hundreds of different kinds, due to hybrids and experimentation.

@phil

[Deleted]

April 20,2025

Andy looked away for a moment and Phil wasn’t sure if he had said something wrong or not. She had offered for him to come over but was he not suppose to accept like he had. Maybe he should have said no, or seemed more excited about it. Phil wasn’t sure but felt he had messed up somewhere along the lines as Andy wasn’t looking at him anymore. Instead away and playing with her hair as to block her face. He suddenly regretted whatever he had said that was wrong... which ever that thing was. Thankfully Andy spoke again speaking about the greenhouse, another topic he could spend far too much time talking about. “It’s getting crazier the more plants I find and toy with.” Phil joked as it wasn’t totally a joke. His experiments tended to take over not just his time but all his space.

She claimed she missed it there and he assumed she meant the manor and not just the greenhouses. “You can stop by anytime, you’re more than welcome too.” Phil explained, feeling less awkward about telling her to come over than going to her place. She had already partially lived there for a time and she was technically part of his family already even if that made their lives even more awkward. Still she and her sister had spent most of their time with the Longbottoms at the Leaky Cauldron. “C-come by for dinner some time, my mother is always trying to get us back there for a family dinner. We can just never find a day everyone is free.” It wasn’t a date, of just the two of them eating but would be the whole family, he didn’t need to worry about feeling awkward inviting her to that. “We’ll need to invite Ariadne too if we can get everyone together.”

Phil just laughed even more as Andy shook her head, explaining she also didn’t want to imagine how much royal antique curtains would cost a normal person. “I don’t know, these are royal curtains with history. You might even have to take out a loan. That or find some hidden time turner and undoing the damage might be easier and cheaper.” He joked but also hoped none of that came to pass due to her new pet. Yet, it sounded like Andy had a good handle on the situation so nothing like that should happen. Andy began to ask him if he wanted to continue the maze with her. She explained she hadn’t found the center yet and he hadn’t either. He felt a little awkward about it but did want to, the feeling eased up as she explained just how many roses she had picked out so far. Phil laughed for a moment, “sounds to me like you’ve started slacking. Only four?” Phil teased jokingly, there were moments talking to Andy that felt like everything was so different and times when it was being back at school before all their drama started. “I haven’t seen the center either so that sounds like fun. That and Richard seems to be set on staying on my shoulder for the moment.”

@lestrange

[Deleted]

He said the greenhouse was getting crazier with the more plants he collected. Which wasn't surprising. "I bet it's a madhouse," she suggested, with a small affectionate chuckle. He said she could stop by anytime, which was also not a surprise but still made her heart skip a little. He suggested family dinner, that Hannah wanted them all to get together. She did remember Hannah mentioning it a few times. "I... Really should be by to see Neville. I just was..." avoiding it. Avoiding you. She pursed her lips to the side. "I'm free next week... I can ask Ari too, if that works for you." she asked. Sure, maybe she was rushing seeing him but she wasn't rushing seeing Neville. She'd barely seen him at all. Even if Neville couldn't have dinner with them at least she could see him.

It was so, so incredibly nice to hear Phil's laugh that it was impossible not to laugh with him. He talked about the curtains having history, and how she would have to take out a loan or use a time Turner to undo the damage. "Yeah, I think inventing a whole new Time Turner would be easier," she joked. Then, another laugh, clear as a bell came from his lips when she suggested doing the rest of the maze together. He teased her about only finding four kinds of roses, and she felt her cheeks turning red. "What? I'm not an expert like you, okay? You didn't finish teaching me everything about them," she challenged. If she had thought a little too hard about it, that sentence would have made her sad, but it was just nice to say it honestly. He noted that Richard wanted to stay on his shoulder, saying he hadn't been to the center either. She started to walk again, the red in her cheeks not going down. Phil had that effect on her. He made her feel like she was someone completely different, but entirely herself. It was like the poison that ran through her veins and made her who she was clear, translucent water instead of black. It was like she was pure, and if she bled it wouldn't be as red as her sins.

She gave about a foot of space between them, holding her hands in front of her, and clasping them together. She kept having little visions of their hands bumping into each other, or their shoulders, and both of them losing their cool because of it. It was odd, to think that she couldn't even touch him. Even before they had started dating, when they were just two very good friends, they hugged, even though Andy didn't like to hug anyone. Phil was different though. He'd always been different. "So, which one of your new plants is your favorite?" if she had to pick one thing she love the most about Philip Longbottom it was the fact that he could talk about his passions for hours if you let him.

@phil

[Deleted]

April 20,2025

Phil just laughed as Andy claimed the greenhouse was a mad house that this point. “You wouldn’t totally be wrong,” he got out mid laugh still. “At least I know where everything is... most times. Though I try not to grow anything dangerous just encase someone enters.” With that he burst out laughing again. “I did almost end up growing a devils snare. I bought some seeds and they promised they would be something else, a few days later I knew what it actually was and had it sent somewhere where it would be safe to grow in peace.” Phil knew it wasn’t really a laughing matter but he couldn’t help with how funny he found the situation. “Needless to say I don’t get anything from that shop anymore, after I told him his mistake of course.” Mentioning family dinner Andy explained she really should stop by to see his father. “I know he’d like that. He’s.. still not doing well but the times he is awake, he asks about everyone.” Phil’s biggest hope was to one day cure his father of whatever mysterious illness he had picked up. “Next week should work just fine, I’ll tell my mom and tell brother and sister to try and be there.”

Andy agreed with him while laughing that just inventing a time turner to save the curtains would be easier than having to deal with replacing them. After their moment of awkwardness it was just good to be back to the two of them talking and having fun. It wasn’t till now that he realized just how much he had missed talking to other people and not just working with his plants. More than that he missed talking to Andy the most even with everything that had happened. There was just something to how free it was, at least after they go through awkward topics and hellos. As he teased her for slacking on looking for the different types of flowers Andy blamed it on him not finishing teaching her about them. “This is why I’m not a professor like my father was I suppose, that and I’m too young.” Phil partially joked, the idea had crossed his mind but either way he wasn’t old enough yet. That could wait and he was happy with what he was doing as it was. “Still I know I taught you more than four.”

He followed behind Andy allowing her to lead the way which he was perfectly fine with. He also didn’t want to be too close. There was a chance they would keep bumping into each. He didn’t need her to think he would use that as an excuse to keep almost touching her. She’d also probably like her space not totally sure how she felt about him after all this time and the break up. At least they were friends or friendly. Andy from in front asked back toward him which plant was currently his favorite and Phil’s face lit up with a smile. “Oh, it’s this lovely little flower. I actually started messing with It in Brazil. I brought some seeds back even though they told me it would never grow anywhere else. The first few died but I got it right eventually. There doesn’t seem to be many uses for it but the petals actually change color pretty quickly if it senses danger nearby.” Phil finally shut up as he realized he had been talking for sometime now about his plants, still she asked and Andy knew this would happen with him by now.

@lestrange

[Deleted]

Andy relished in the fact that he just kept laughing again and again. Was she really able to reach him like that still? That was kind of a big deal to her. The fact that he could laugh with her. She felt like she didn't have that affect on many people, so it made her smile when she could with those who were important. He said that he knew where everything was most times and that he tried not to grow anything dangerous, aside from a devil's snare incident. Her jaw dropped slightly at that and her eyes went a little wide, but they settled again when he said that he didn't shop at that place anymore. "Whatever, I'm sure Neville has a secret greenhouse somewhere with the dangerous stuff," she joked. But, in reality, she was sure that he did... or he just used the locked Greenhouses at school. Andy wondered how the new Herbology teacher was handling his legacy.

"We'll do the twenty sixth, I think that's my longest time off," she suggested. "And what... what do you tell him about me?" Andy asked. Seeing as Phil didn't know anything about her life, she wasn't sure what he could possibly tell Neville about her. Maybe just that they weren't together? That they weren't happy? well, maybe Phil was happy. Andy was most of the time. Some of the time. She wasn't entirely thrilled about seeing Alice, but the two of them had tried to be more civil at the Leaky Cauldron these days.

As for the roses, he argued that he had taught her more than four, after saying that was why he wasn't a professor - due to not finishing lessons. She felt her cheeks redden again, "yeah... okay, a little more than four," she agreed. Her mind ran through all the times they had walked around the Greenhouses at school, at the leaky, at the manor; the flowers he'd sent her from Brazil. Whenever she saw a flower, or any plant really, Phil was there in her mind.

Her asking about his favorite plant worked, and he started talking about a flower from Brazil. She faced forward for a moment, grinning at the sound of his voice talking about it. Then he stopped, and she turned back to raise an eyebrow, "so did you have to give it it's own greenhouse environment? I feel like a pocket version would be useful."

@phil

[Deleted]

April 20,2025

Phil laughed a little more as Andy spoke about his father and the chances that he had some secret greenhouse where he had kept his more dangerous of plants. “Yeah I don’t even want to imagine what that place would look like now. He hasn’t left the house in so time so if they are still alive it’s probably one scary jungle.” He joked, he didn’t enjoy the fact that his father was still ill yet the thought of the hidden greenhouse and talking to Andy kept him from getting sad. At least long enough to joke and have a couple of laughs. He missed his father just as much as he missed Andy, sure he could see his father anytime he wanted but it just wasn’t the same with him being sick.

“Twenty sixth, got it. My mother could make any day work as for the rest of my family I’ll probably be in charge of dragging them back home.” Phil smirked slightly as dragged wouldn’t be the right work, more like guilty trip into being sure to come home. Andy asked just what had he told Neville about her and he smiled softly, “He knows we’re not together anymore aside from that I just tell him you’ve been good and busy with things.” It wasn’t a lie, as if Phil was could lie to his father. He could attempt it but he was already a terrible liar and the guilt of lying to his bed ridden father would be too much.

He nodded as Andy admitted he had indeed taught her more than four types of roses. Thinking back to the many times they just spent talking about plants. Andy wasn’t always that interested in them and especially not as much as Phil had been. Still she always let him go on and on about something new he learned or goofy little fact about the plants he was dealing with at the time. “It’s okay, I’ll try not to show off with my amazing plant knowledge, because we both know knowing weird things about plants makes me sound sooo cool.” He joked, it in no way did. He couldn’t count how many times he tried to bring up something plant related with people besides Andy or a close friend and just get weird looks. Hell, he still got weird looks at times from even close friends.

As Phil finally took a break from speaking as to not rule of whole conversation with his experiments Andy asked about how he was able to get it get the flower to grow. “That was part of the problem but even then the soil was just wrong, had to make a soil as close as possibly to that found in Brazil. I’m still messing with it to see if the petals can retain the danger detection part. Once away from the flower they just go crazy and quickly wilt. One step at a time. A miniature version might be possible.” Andy did always carry on with him and his crazy plant talk, even before they were dating and just friends. He appreciated that as he rarely got to talk to people in that much detail before they got bored. “What have you been up too? Mom says you’re still working at the Inn off an on.” Phil was curious but didn’t want Andy to feel like he was trying to be nosy or keep tabs on her.

@lestrange

[Deleted]

Phil said he didn't want to imagine what the Greenhouses would look like that Neville had abandoned, if there were any that Phil didn't know about. ”A jungle of murderous plants... sounds like a great place to hook up,” she joked, but then her laugh was cut short. She wasn't really making those kinds of jokes a lot when her and Phil were dating. Partly because she was a different person then, and partly because she didn't know if the words 'hook up' were something that she and Phil wanted to bring up while in school. She cleared her throat, chuckling again, ”let's just hope it's not at the school,” she added, introducing a lighthearted air again.

He agreed to the date to have family dinner, at least that it was tentative. He'd speak to his family and said he'd probably have to drag them. Andy nodded, ”Alice, at least,” she agreed. As they spoke about his conversations with Neville, he told her that Neville knew they weren't together anymore and that she'd been 'good' and 'busy'. Andy frowned a little, nodding. ”Okay,” she said softly. When Neville had first fallen ill they were still together, and when they broke up she kind of expected them to get together again before Neville was better. It was a sobering thing to come to terms with, that this didn't happen.

As for the roses, he said that he would try not to show off his knowledge and joked that this made him sound 'sooo cool'. She laughed softly, shaking her head. ”It does make you sound cool, don't sell yourself short,” she argued. She wasn't joking in the slightest, but she kept her tone light. ”And anyone who doesn't think so can answer to me, and I know that won't end well for them,” now that was a joke, mostly.

She was glad that he took the bait about continuing to speak of plants, mentioning that soil was part of the problem for his new plant too. He talked about if the petals could retain their danger sensing ability when away, but they wilted when pulled away. She pursed her lips to the side in thought, ”you should ask Jamie for an idea about it. Jamie there is a potion you could invent that should make the person who drinks it... or applies it, makes their hand change color when there is danger? Or their vision turns red? Though, seeing red is hard in a fight, you can't actually tell how much blood you've lost,” she explained, not realizing she was getting a little into her area of expertise too.

As he asked what she'd been up to, mentioning the Leaky, Andy nodded. ”Yeah, yeah. I work the bar a lot actually when I'm not on shift as a hit-witch in training,” she paused, ”it's just nice to be around family while off work. Plus, it's fun to see people who come into the Leaky,” she explained. Then she cleared her throat, looking down even though he was a little bit behind her, ”I uh... had a boyfriend, too. Since October,” she added. She used the word had because her and Vik were... confusing.

@phil

[Deleted]

April 20,2025

Phil laughed and went red as Andy mentioned the possible neglected greenhouses of his fathers becoming a murderous jungle. Yet he mostly went red as she said it sounded like a great place to hook up. “Oh, then you would have really liked Brazil.” Phil got out with an awkward laugh, it was partially true. Brazil had its beauty and a lot of danger the deeper one went into the jungle. Phil tried to keep his mind off the hooking up part of what she had said. If he thought about it anymore he’d end up redder than a tomato and they weren’t even together anymore. The conversation got a little lighter as Andy laughed once more talking about his fathers greenhouses. Phil laughed also, “I imagine someone would have found them already, that or we’ll hear twenty years from now how the school was overtaken by plants from some hidden dungeon.”

Andy saided he’d probably have to drag Alice back for dinner and he laughed for a slight moment. “Sounds about right, I think the last time I saw her was a few weeks ago. Even then she was just running out the front door.” Phil explained with a weak laugh as it was a little funny but did make him miss the times everyone was together all the time and a family. Now he had a sick father, busy mother with out her husband around and both brother and sister doing their own thing. Not to mention the adopted family of Andy and Ari, who also had their own lives to live. Andy gave him a quick okay when she asked what he had told his father. “Hopefully he’ll be up when you come to visit, he’d love to see you as well as everyone.”

All he could do was laugh some more as Andy attempted to defend him and his obsession with plants, saying it did make him sound cool. If anyone did disagree Andy, herself, would teach them a lesson. “I know what I am Andy. Aside from you, not many could put up with how much I talk about anything plant related. Even then I wouldn’t blame you from trying to hide a yawn.” Phil explained okay with that fact, it was what made talking to Andy so freeing. She accepted him the crazy plant nut that he was. “I’d probably look cool to other plant nerds such as myself.”

Listening on, Andy was trying to help him with uses for the flower from Brazil. Suggesting he take it to Jamie as she was a potioneer. Phil dabbled in potions that were typically plant based but was by no means a potioneer. Andy also suggested a couple ways it might be used but Phil didn’t really like the last one. He knew Andy had chosen a rather dangerous career choice. Still she enjoyed it and he could only imagine she was good at it. He just didn’t like the idea that she could be hurt or worse out there. “Yeah I don’t imagine seeing red is good at anytime but especially when you have to see if your.. your bleeding or not. Possibly the hand thing or if I can keep them still alive in a vial one wears around their neck.” Phil went on to think before shrugging. “I’ll think of something and if not it’s still a learning experience.”

Andy confirmed she was still working at the Inn, only between her training as a hit witch. “H-how’s that going? Bust any bad guys yet?” Phil asked, even if he didn't enjoy the idea of her working in such a dangerous field he could try to be interested and supportive. Certainly more than he had when she first told him of her career choice. “And I’m sure by working at the bar the tips aren’t too bad either if you get the right person liquored up.” He laughed for a moment, he never worked the bar back when he used to help out at the Inn. He was still young then and it required a person to be more open and less awkward around strangers.

There was a silence from Andy as they walked, it wasn’t a long one but he noticed it was there as she finally cleared her throat and looked down. It took him a moment or two to process the words as she spoke, she had a boyfriend, since October. He didn’t want to say he felt hurt, he had no right to feel that way. Possibly he was just sad to hear that Andy had found someone while he.. he had done nothing. Still she did say had so he wasn’t sure if that meant they were no longer together or not. “That...” He got out his tone still not in a happy place more flat than anything else. He realized that and attempted to smile. “That’s great! I mean not great that you might not be together with them now but great that your going out there and meeting people.” If there was one thing Phil was good at besides plants it was hiding his own feelings for the sake of others around him. In this case he needed to just be happy for Andy. “It’s better than me, I think at this rate my family just assumes I’ll grow a wife one day.”

@lestrange