"Once I Was A Bird And I Would Fly Nowhere But To You"
o o o O O o o o
A/N I once heard a song that really didn't mean much to me at first, but then a long period of darkness came, a time where my world crumbled around me, loosing people, developing spiritually, physically and mentally, but it all came at a price. A long period of melancholy was upon me, and in one of those useless days I turned on my radio, and this song came on.
It was like every other song, it sounded pretty good but nothing spectacular, until the words "So kiss me" where uttered and it felt like a wall inside crumbled, and I opened eyes that suddenly wasn't hazy anymore. I've never experienced anything like it before or ever since. I felt so warm inside, that for a moment I was just mentally reciting to myself "I must be in love"
Cause if that's what love feels like, being twitchy and warm all over, feeling so light as everything soft becomes even softer, feeling content for real… If that's what love feels like… Then hell! Get out of the way girls! Those boys are mine!
And when I saw Howl's Moving Castle, I knew in an instant that a bigass bunny had caught me, and that's why I'm sitting in front of my computer, at 3 in the morning, to give you a taste of how I felt at that moment when I heard that song, and therefore, it is obviously a songfic, and a oneshot (Have actually never written one of those…)
o o o O O o o o
"Kiss me out of the bearded barley Nightly, beside the green, green grass"
It was a starry night indeed, a starry summer night that beseeched one to take as much advantage of as possible. It wasn't to be seen by the naked eye, but there was one who took just that pleasure.
One would have to fly high to see, because up in the heavens, among the stars and the la Luna, there was a flying castle, softly gliding past cotton-like clouds, making little sound in the tranquil night time. And on this castle, there was a garden, you could call it a balcony if you prefer but a balcony with grass none the less, and when going out into this garden you would come to see a most spectacular thing, and she really was.
She was spinning, skirts folding and unfolding as she went a little faster with unearthly elegance, hands up in the air like a ballet dancer, humming softly as the world around her blurred into shades of moonlight and stardrops of distant lights, but what did she care? She was as she had always wanted to be, free!
"Swing, swing, swing the spinning step
You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress"
The beating of her heart added rythm to the steps, the shallow pants of her breath added libretto from within and the image of the one she loved, fluttered like butterflies in her stomach and as it didn't even seem possible, she felt even lighter and incandescently euphoric, caught up in the bliss of the moment while standing on tiptoes as she twirled around the lengths of the garden.
No, she hadn't the need to ask questions, for it meant little to her at the moment, as a new rebellious and liberating feeling coursed through her being like warm water. What had just begun as a little play on steps, had turned into something more, a halo that left the air to tingle her skin in a most teasing manner, and still she spun.
The music inside her found way through the graceful movements of dainty arms, while fingers played with the air, doing a unique dance of their own. It seemed centuries ago when she had discarded those shoes and further let her naked feet dance across the grass, letting her feel the soft texture of it again, tickling her as she couldn't help grinning through her happiness.
"Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor"
Hair the same colour of starlight danced in the air, sometimes brushing past her heated cheeks as the tips nipped at her bare shoulders. She couldn't help it, her song stopped for a second as she breathed in, just to be caught in a fit of giggles.
She looked up to the starry sky, standing one toe as she breathed in again, remembering and relishing in the beauty of it all. For a moment her body felt weightless, for a moment she felt like she could join the other stars on that midnight sky, and for a moment she felt like she could have flown like a bird.
"Lift up your open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies fly
Silver moon's sparkling"
But alas, one wants to fly high, but only ends up tripping and falling, and fall she did, just not to the ground.
"So kiss me"
"That's my girl. Always as happy as a newborn flower" a charismatic voice said, and arms wrapped around her back as she was half-lying down, the only scenery in front of her left her absolutely speechless. It was like the entire world was only made up by the night sky and stars, and suddenly they didn't feel so far away anymore. Black came into view as his hair tickled her forehead. He chuckled gently, deep blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "Your mother would never recognise you with this newfound joy, or is it just my doing?" he mused out loud, as he ran a finger down her cheek.
"You tease me when I'm happy? Oh, you're such a child Howl…" she replied with laughter in her eyes while leaning into his hand. "..Even though I must thank you for catching me…"
He smiled down at her, gently tugging on her arm, to get her standing again. "Sophie, you're becoming even sillier than me" he stated with mock hurt in his voice. She grinned as he pulled her up, slightly dazed and disappointed for losing the great view of the starry sky.
"I'm sensing you don't want to leave" she could hear him say as she gazed at the star stricken firmament. She smiled. "My mother is always in the state of remarrying. If we wait a week or two, she'll send another invitation, I promise"
Howl went silent, but then cried out: "You amazing little thing, you made me worry so much about dressing properly! I had to use my best potions and make Calcif-", and then he didn't get any further with the cause being her reprimanding finger, effectively shushing him. "While that's true enough my dear, you must also take into account how I love to see you dress up for an evening" she said slyly, all the shyness that had once described her so well had vanished for good.
"So kiss me"
It didn't put a smile on his face though, but his eyes showed mild surprise as he removed her finger and laced hers with his own. "I don't know if I should resent you or just simply adore you for that…" he said contemplatively, and then added in an almost whisper, "…I kind of like to dress up all the same…" He noticed her rising brow. "And you my dear look like the face of magic"
"It's just another one of your spells, you know" she said, the blush finally evident on her cheeks. She changed the subject at hand. "We should definitely wait for an invitation, yes?" she asked, looking up at Howl with hopeful eyes.
"I would wish for nothing more, but it is the King, and I really don't think Madame Suliman will look gently on us not being there at their wedding. She'll probably want to speak to you and find out if you are a descendant of a famous family of sorceresses. She'll be relentless in pursuing you for possessing such magical tale-" she shushed him again, but not with her fingers.
"Kiss me down by the broken tree house
Swing me, up on its hanging tire"
He must say that he liked this shushing-business very much, and was very disappointed when her lips vacated his. "What do you say that we use all this magic to keep everyone away" she whispered, feeling exuberant by her husband's closeness.
He would have to say that he liked this shushing-business very much, and was therefore very disappointed when her lips vacated his. "Why don't we use all this magic to keep everyone away?" he could hear Sophie whisper from the crook of his neck. It brought back the old days when he had used his aliases to just that, and he felt happy now that he could share it with her.
"I will grant your wish, on one condition"
He couldn't help but smile when her eyes lit up. "You have to help" Her eyebrows rose as she looked sceptically on her husband. "Is that all? Well I can do that, only for you of course"
She felt his hands on each side of her face, compelling her to close her eyes, but then he was suddenly gone. The radiance of his warmth disappeared and she opened them again. "Howl?"
"Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat
We'll take the trail marked on your father's map"
He was standing some feet away, looking over the side of the garden's low hedge, into the clouds and beyond. "Howl?" she asked again.
"There's no use in coming now" He turned around and lifted a hand into the air, making an elegant gesture as magic made the voices of violins, clarinets, soft drums and trumpets apparent all around the garden. "The music's already begun"
He moved over to Sophie, who stood with a faltering smirk as she shook her head helplessly at the suave character that was Howl, her Howl.
"Howl, really..." she said and moved towards him. "You forgot the piano" she made a snip with her finger and a new voice entered the choir. "Sorry dear, but it really is hard to remember" Howl retorted and moved to take her hand as they met in the middle of the moonlit garden.
"Dance with me?"
"Love to"
"Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor"
"No, Howl!" Sophie shouted, almost drowning out the orchestra when Howl tried to dip her. "Just relax Sophie" was the only reply from him as he twirled her around, as she reminisced her earlier experience with the same activity. "This is supposed to be romantic, Howl!" she tried to say, between pants of what she would rather call a running exercise than dancing. "It would be romantic if you weren't so tense" Howl shouted to her through fits of laughing, only adding to the oddity of the so-called "dancing" that had nothing to do with the slow romantic music.
"Every time you do this is another time I think you'll learn how it's done!" Sophie shouted and tried to slow Howl down, but there really only was one way of doing that. "Howl! Would you just-" and once again they kissed under the starlit firmament, successfully bringing Howl to a banging stop, too distracted with Sophie's charms.
"Lift up your open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies fly
Silver moon's sparkling"
His arms crept up behind her, keeping her in place and she smiled into the kiss, delighted that she was the only one who could keep him this way. "I know what you're thinking..." he mumbled against her lips. She leaned a little away to have a look at his face.
Kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor"
"Oh?.." she asked imploringly, lost in the blue of his eyes.
"You were going to show me how it's done" he said, fingering a lock of starlight hair. "Just follow my lead" she said and placed his hands on her back.
"Lift up your open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies fly
Silver moon's sparkling"
"Is this really the way you do it?" Howl whined like a child while Sophie nodded, marvelling at his young memory that made it possible for him to always be fascinated by the littlest of things. It was one of his most beloved antics she thought to herself as she placed her arms around his neck, feeling slightly meek by his tall frame opposite her small one. Her posture faltered slightly and she stopped moving to the music.
"So kiss me…"
Somehow, he felt her sudden shyness before it dawned upon herself what it was that she felt, and he took one of her arms and laced his fingers with hers, ignoring her surprise when he kissed the palm of her hand.
"So kiss me…"
"I'm supposed to lead, right?" he said, reassured.
"So kiss me…"
"Yes", she replied breathlessly, thinking herself the luckiest girl in the world, to have found him. Unbeknownst to her, he was thinking the exact same thing..
"So kiss me"
A/N R&R and see you later and hope you all enjoy seeing your edition of Howl's Moving Castle!
Lets hope Hayao Miyazaki steps out of his retirement to make a new film once more, eh?! ;)