Out of every woman Howl had ever pursued, Sophie was quite possibly the most peculiar. It did not seem to him that she had an ounce of romanticism in her entire body. He could woo her with flowers and pastries, fine dresses and wine, lavish compliments and extravagant gifts.
She would criticize him, chastise him for wasting money and point out how ridiculous it would be to clean the castle with a dress with so much lace.
It drove him a little mad and frustrated him endlessly.
"You are a strange woman," he whined at her, lips in a pout. It was a look that made him seem very boyish and charming and caused many women before her to melt at his feet.
Sophie laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Should I be offended or take that as a compliment?"
He wasn't entirely sure himself and genuinely considered it.
Days past as they did with them. Michael courted Martha and learned new spells and chatted with Calcifer who came and went as he pleased but always returned at dusk. Howl handed out spells and charms and tutored Michael and helped Sophie in the flower shop and charmed customers to buy an outrageous amount of flowers and kissed her throughout the day. Sophie tended to her flowers and cooked and cleaned and visited Martha and wrote to Lettie and sewed and kissed Howl. Sometimes, there were small explosions in the backyard and sometimes they went out to Cesari's, and no day was complete without at least one row between Sophie and Howl that was forgiven and forgotten by evening tea time.
It was during one such time that Howl said, "It's a compliment."
Sophie blinked at him in confusion as he hadn't said anything to her for nearly half an hour, only watching her carefully.
"Thank you?" she said, cautious and polite and slightly worried.
"When I said you were a strange woman? That is indeed a compliment, my dear heart."
Her face brightened, remembering that day. She realized ever since then he had been regarding her with a peculiar look but only smiled and changed the subject or started an argument whenever she caught him.
"Howl."
"Yes, love?"
"You're quite strange too."