Woo! X3 I meant to update sooner, but I got a little stuck on this chapter for a bit. Let me know if there are any problems with it! Also, I've been working on some of my gay literature, since I finally found a place (Verb Noir) that's focused on publishing such works. So, YAY!

By the way, this is primarily a Howl x Sophie story, but are there any other couples anyone would like to see in it (it doesn't matter if they're random XD)?


Chapter Seven:
In Which Two Confrontations Take Place

Sophie had begun her new tactic on Tuesday, and by Wednesday, neither she nor Howl had relented. Sophie kept up her charade of not even noticing him, and Howl, though he would look at her helplessly now and then, was doing a brilliant job of pretending she didn't exist. Though he had to admit it was far more pleasant than Howl glowering at Sophie constantly, Calcifer's patience was beginning to wear thin. The sense of tension in the castle was suffocating. Sometime in the morning, during the endless expanse of silence that was breakfast, he had had just about enough.

"Howl, apologize to Sophie already," he said finally, lifting himself from the grate and hovering somewhere over the wizard's left ear. Howl took a bite of his eggs and pretended not to hear him. "Howl! Hey, you! The one who obviously has cotton in his ears!"

"Calcifer, how in the world do you expect me to apologize to her when she won't even acknowledge me?" Howl moaned, looking a bit wounded. Calcifer groaned, and for a moment wished he had arms so he could pummel his infantile companion over the head.

"At least try, would you?" Calcifer grumbled. Michael took a large bite of his bacon and chewed, awkward and silent. It was obvious to Calcifer that he was only stuffing his mouth so he wouldn't be expected to contribute to the conversation. "This tension is driving me crazy!"

"Then maybe you should apologize for me, since I'm too rude and selfish and thick-skulled to do it myself, aren't I?" Howl asked. With a tiny poof of a sigh, Sophie abruptly stood up from her chair. There was a sense of fire about her, and for a moment even Calcifer worried about getting burned.

"I'm going to the shop, Calcifer," she told him, and then glanced at Michael. "Will you help me open up?"

"Of course!" the relief on Michael's face was evident, and he stood so quickly that he jostled the table up a few inches and sent his remaining bacon and eggs flying into the air straight for Calcifer and Howl. The fire demon avoided the edible projectile with a sideways jerk, and the food miraculously dropped straight to the tabletop just as it was about hit Howl in the face.

"Have fun, Michael," Howl said, refusing to look Sophie in the face. Calcifer could have sworn she acknowledged Howl long enough to glare at him before she stepped swiftly into the broom cupboard and disappeared, Michael at her heels.

"Very mature," Calcifer snapped as soon as they were gone, and Howl pretended to be very interested in his perfect fingernails. "What was that?"

"Well, if she's going to ignore me, then I'm going to ignore her, too," was the blonde's simple answer. For a moment, Calcifer had sit very still to resist the impulse to reach out a tendril of fire and do his best to strangle him. "So, how have things been, old friend?" Howl was a master of changing the subject, and Calcifer frequently hated it. It did, however, make it easier to exploit his powers at times.

"Well, you're free to do what you want… I just wish you'd end it already!" the fire demon flared electric blue for a moment and the calmed himself. "Speaking of freedom… I have been enjoying the freedom that I have, but I've been feeling a bit… restrained."

Howl, now that the conversation had turned away from the subject he disliked, was more than happy to participate. "Restrained? And what would you have me do about that, Calcifer?" a glimmer of amusement crossed his lips at this.

"Well, the Witch gave her fire demon a human form," Calcifer put it as bluntly as he could, and Howl chuckled. He was in much better spirits now that he was away from his fight with Sophie for the moment, and Calcifer was glad he had waited until she was out of the room.

"And you think I could do the same?"

"Well, naturally," when dealing with Howl, flattery was the best policy, though he refused to pile it on as much as needed. "You have the necessary power, after all."

"Your confidence in me is heartwarming," Howl gave a swift, almost professional nod. "But you see, the problem is, I don't have the necessary spell…" he paused for a moment, staring off into space for such a long time that his green eyes began to glass over. Calcifer was beginning to wonder if he had died of a sudden heart attack when suddenly his eyes snapped back up to fix themselves on the fire demon. "I'll tell you what, Calcifer… the Witch obviously had the spell. If you were to go to her old lair and find that spell, I'd be more than happy to try my hand at it. Bring the others if you want. They'll help you."

"And you won't?" Calcifer had to hold back an irritated chuckle. Typical.

"Well, naturally I have very important matters to attend to," Howl responded, and Calcifer coughed loudly.

"Fine, it's a deal…"

XXX

"Sophie, are you alright?" there was a look of war on her face, and Michael, though he knew it was not directed toward him, was afraid to venture to near to her.

"I'm fine…" the redhead brushed a lock of hair from her face in a stressed, compulsive gesture, and slumped against the shop's counter. "I just… I wish he wasn't so… ugh!"

"I know," Michael nodded sympathetically. Howl had always been difficult to deal with, and he felt untold compassion for Sophie in this situation. He himself had been dealing with the wizard for years and had become extremely experienced with tolerating him when he was behaving badly, but Sophie had not known him for nearly as long and had not built up the immunity to his sometimes irrational behavior. It was a rather unfortunate situation. "He can be a bit much sometimes."

"A bit much? That's an understatement!" Sophie was seething, and it seemed she had worked herself into a rage again, just as she had the day before. Michael was beginning to think that perhaps if this fight didn't end soon, Howl was going to end up with broken bones. "He's just so… I didn't mean a word of what I said to him to start this, but now I'm starting to think maybe it's all true! He's just so impossible!"

"Maybe you should apologize?" Michael asked timidly, shrinking back. He was grateful that the counter stood between he and Sophie.

"I already tried that! I just cuts me off or ignores me. It's as if he has absolutely no desire to end the fight at all!" with a heavy sigh, Sophie rested her head in her hands. "I just wish he would stop acting like this! I know I'm being stubborn as well, but… he's just so infuriating that it's easier just to ignore him."

"Well, it's better than beating him within an inch of his life, at least."

"What?"

"Nothing," Michael made himself as small as possible for a moment, and Sophie seemed to drop the matter. With a sigh of relief, Michael grabbed the broom and began sweeping the already clean floor. He was about halfway finished sweeping half the length of the shop when the door tinkled cheerily, and a floral-scented figure burst in.

"Sophie!" Lettie Hatter stood with her hands on her hips in the center of the shop. Though she was wearing a soft pink dress and her dark hair was worked into delicate curls, she was wearing a rather formidable expression, and it was enough for her to look impressive. Michael wished for a moment that it was Martha instead, but such idle thoughts were shaken from his mind when he recalled the accusing way Sophie's name had just been spoken.

"Lettie!" Sophie was obviously surprised, and her anger seemed to drain away at the mere sight of her sister, but her face instantly became worried at the girl's tone. "What's wrong?" she slipped out from behind the counter and came to stand before her sister.

"I heard all about it, Sophie, and I must say… what in the world were you thinking when you agreed?"

"Agreed to what?" Sophie was looking more confused by the second, and Michael found himself feeling sorry for her again. Lettie had a rather dangerous and concerned sisterly look on her face.

"To marrying that Howl! Sophie, you know he tried to court me, so I know him quite well… and you should definitely stay away from him! Angela Lennox told me all about it, and honestly, I don't approve! Martha is horrified as well, but the Cesari's wouldn't let her out today. Wednesdays are busy, apparently. But, back to more important matters… have you gone mad?"

"No, of course not!" Sophie gave a small laugh and shook her head, her hair nearly whipping Michael in the face. "Angela Lennox was mistaken… I'm not marrying Howl! Why in the world would I do that?"

Lettie let out a loud puff of air as relief overcame her features. "Thank goodness!" the girl embraced her sister. "I was worried it was true! Because romantically, Howl is definitely one to stay away from…"

"Of course," Sophie replied, embracing her sister back. Sophie's tone sounded so certain, but Michael was sure he caught a glimmer of something quite different in her eyes.