a/n: This one winks at The Enchanted Forest Chronicles. A delightful series if you're ever interested!
"In Which There are Moments"
Wizard Trap
Post-movie, Humor/Romance, K+
"Are you certain this will work?" Sophie asked, bending precariously over the railing to reach the bucket rigged over the front door.
"Yeah, now pour the lemon juice in slowly," Calcifer replied. The fire demon snickered, watching the young woman follow his instructions. Innocent Sophie. This was going to be good.
She recorked the bottle and settled back on her heels. "And this will really stop any wicked sorts, like genies and such?"
"This spell would stop even Suliman!" Calcifer crowed. And also a certain wizard who - despite regaining his heart - can be pretty insensitive.
"I hope so," Sophie sighed. She adjusted the headscarf over her short, silver hair and trudged back to the worktable, where a lump of dough had been left to rise. For the last four days she had been moping around the new flying castle, waiting for Howl to return from the capital where he was inspecting post-war restorations. Maybe she'd be less miserable if she knew that Howl was already headed their way.
Calcifer would be less miserable, too. Her missing him wasn't the problem; it was the way she expressed it. Young Sophie was still the same old Sophie. That meant shouting, hitting things with her broom, and crying, always the crying. Since Markl was now attending public school during the day, Calcifer had thought he'd be a nice star and keep Sophie company until the wizard got back.
Big mistake.
"Calcifer?" She had that sappy, far-away look in her eyes again.
Oh boy.
"Do you think Howl misses me?"
Here we go.
"I mean," she sniffed, big globes of tears hovering at the corners of her eyes, "does he even like me? He volunteered an entire week!"
"I dunno, maybe he got cold feet." Calcifer dodged a flying clump of dough. "Sheesh, whaddaya want me to say?"
"If he sees no problem with wandering off, then maybe I don't need to be here," Sophie declared, wiping her eyes and smearing flour across her cheek in the process. "As soon as Markl gets home, we're going straight to my mother's."
"Won't that surprise him," Calcifer snickered. He perked up when he detected a noise outside. Was that…?
"Let him feel what it's like!"
The front door was suddenly thrown open.
Sophie whirled in time to witness her "long lost" love disappear under a downpour of soapy, lemony water. The bucket emptied in seconds, dribbling its last sudsy contents onto the shocked wizard.
"What in the blazes!" Howl spluttered.
Calcifer roared with laughter.
Sophie was stunned, but after a moment her own giggles poured out. Soon she and the fire demon were clutching their stomachs at the sight of Howl dripping in the entryway, his bewildered eyes staring at them through plastered hair. Great globs of foam slid off his shoulders.
Howl waved his hand. The watery mess instantly disappeared.
Sophie gasped. "That's not fair!"
"Not fair? Not fair?" Howl stalked up the stairs, immaculate as ever. "How fair is being accosted in my own home?"
"It wasn't me…" Sophie glanced meaningfully towards Calcifer before snapping her attention back to the rapidly approaching wizard. She ducked behind the worktable and squeaked when Howl followed.
"I thought you'd miss me!" Howl complained.
"Well, you should've made sure of that before you left!"
Howl tackled her onto the sette. "Shall I make sure now?"
Calcifer snorted as the two made lovey-dovey eyes at each other. "Yeah, missed ya, too, Howl. Where's my kiss?"
"I'm sorry, Cal, did you want one?" Sophie asked innocently.
"That's right, you're the one I should be thanking for that homecoming present," Howl said, a glint in his eye. "As I recall, you promised to keep my early return a secret."
"Calcifer, you knew?"
"You deserved that sousin', ya goof," the fire demon replied. "Should've seen her, Howl. Cryin' herself to sleep, starin' miserably at the moon..."
The wizard immediately returned his attention to the woman in his arms. "My dear Sophie!"
She turned pink.
When the humans' faces drew close, Calcifer decided it was time to get scarce. After all, Howl's secret wasn't the only one he had kept...
A few minutes later, the front door flew open again.
A tiny figure skipped inside.
"Sophie, I'm home early!" Markl cried.
-fin-