After Calcifer settled at his usual spot in the hearth, it was like the bubble around Sophie and Howl had popped. While their hands were still clasped between them, their smiles dimmed as they were bombarded with a flood of questions and comments.

Sophie was impatient to get Howl alone (in this moment of rare honesty from him, she wanted to pin him down and talk), and it seemed Howl was eager for the same (although, judging by the lilt to his smile, Sophie had an inkling the cad wanted to pin her down in a totally different manner).

"This is all very nice, but I am exhausted and still recovering from a deadly illness," Howl told the group over the din, letting go of Sophie's hands to sneeze pitifully into a conjured handkerchief. "Having a heart is quite an ordeal, you know."

Martha and Lettie gave her knowing looks, Wizard Suliman and Prince Justin respectfully went to take their leave, and Fanny and Mrs. Fairfax fussed about them for a moment longer.

"Are you sure you don't need anything, Sophie dear?"

"My honey works wonders for the common cold, Wizard Howl!"

"I'll have the servants prepare a room for you at the estate! Mr. Smith will be delighted to meet you-"

"And Sophie, I was so pleased to see that you're a magic user, too. I suppose that makes sense, what with Lettie's gift for it and all-"

Sophie nodded along, a little overwhelmed (but not as she once might have been last May Day, which was a relief). There was an exhausted ache behind her eyes, and although Sophie felt more energetic than she had in months, she desperately wanted a lie-down.

"So kind of you," Howl interrupted, giving one of his most charming smiles. While dampened by his bed-head and red-rimmed eyes, the effect was still enough.

Fanny and Mrs. Fairfax, flustered, decided it would be lovely to catch up over tea and collect Sophie's things later. They tried to get Sophie to join, but she bowed out, vaguely claiming she had some business to attend to (that business being a deep nap in her cot under the stairs). Accepting her answer with a shared look of amusement, they corralled Sophie's sisters and rushed them out to the carriage outside the mansion. Martha tugged a hesitant Michael along by his sleeve, although he hardly looked put-out by it.

Pausing in the doorway with a familiar hand flap at Martha to walk ahead, Michael turned to Sophie and Howl, who were still in the middle of the room. He started to speak, stopped, and then cleared his throat. "Glad you're alright, Sophie," he said a little gruffly, looking at the floor in front of her instead of her face.

"…I'm sorry if I worried you," Sophie said, feeling awkward from his sudden shyness.

To Sophie's further confusion, he flushed and fled the room.

"Is he alr-" Just then, Sophie realized they were quite alone. It seemed even Calcifer had decided to give them a little privacy - maybe some remnants of Howl's heart remained with the fire demon, after all.

Sophie met Howl's gaze. His eyes much less resembled glass marbles now. They looked so much nicer, but they were also more intense this way. It made her heart feel queer, but in a strange, good way.

She found she wasn't very tired anymore.

They gravitated towards each other, their hands meeting again. His were chilly. She mindlessly brought them to her lips to blow on them, as she used to do for her sisters when they forgot their gloves in the winter as children. Howl shivered.

"Are you cold? I can make a fire, if you'd like, or a hot drink. I hope the bottle of milk isn't broken-" Sophie started, moving to leave. Howl gripped her hand, pulling her closer.

"Again with the servitude, Sophie!" Howl laughed. "I'm fine. More than fine, really." With that, he reached up and gently cradled her face, his thumb brushing over her cheekbone.

"What happened to your cold?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I still feel dreadful, but I'd rather be down here with you than up in my room alone. Unless you would like to join me?" he leered.

Sophie felt hot all over. She wasn't sure if it was from his honesty, his teasing, or his touch, but she was suddenly very glad that his hand was so cold or else she might burst into flame.

"You blushed like that, too, when I first saw you," said Howl, his smile turning wistful.

"Well, you surprised me, is all. Coming out of nowhere with those huge sleeves and that-that leer!" Sophie argued, trying to hide how flustered she felt the only way she knew how.

"I was a perfect gentleman," Howl countered, his hand sliding past her jaw to curl around the nape of her neck. It was her turn to shudder.

"You, a gentleman? Tell that to the aunties with the hat pins." She tilted her face up to better meet his playful gaze.

"That's all behind me now," Howl said, dismissing the thought of vicious aunts with a shake of his head.

"Oh, is it?"

"You don't have any aunts I should worry about, right Sophie?" Howl's eyes flitted upwards thoughtfully.

"You cad," Sophie glared and moved to push away, and Howl dropped her hand to encircle his other arm around her. Her hands naturally rested on his chest as he pulled her closer. This was a new part to their game, and she was interested to see where it led.

"Sophie," he said, his voice quiet.

His fingers were against her back, a pleasing pressure at the small of it, and Sophie realized that she had never been so close to him before. The thought would have made the pre-curse Sophie anxious, but besides a growing excitement in her belly, she felt calm. It was a different feeling than the detachment after she was cursed by the Witch of the Waste, however. This was… peaceful.

Sophie wanted to laugh at the notion. As if things would ever be calm with Howl.

She studied his face, lifting a hand to hesitantly brush against the dark, prickly hair on his jaw. He leaned into her touch.

"So… about this happily ever after…" Sophie started, her palm more fully resting against his skin.

Howl looked at her a little dreamily as his thumb gently rubbed her neck. She tried not to blush more; it wouldn't do to feed his ego.

"You… I mean, will we… will I…" She bit her lip in a moment of self-doubt. They were in a lovers' sort of embrace, but did he really mean… that? Did he want what she wanted? She hated feeling foolish, but she hated even more the idea of a broken heart. Never mind that her heart was already with him from before the moment she held his in her hands…

When it was clear Sophie wasn't going to finish, he dipped down until he was a hair-breadth away. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Like I said, it is sure to be… hair-raising." With each word, his lips brushed hers. As if to emphasize just how hair-raising their future would be, Howl tangled his fingers in her reddish-gold locks. Her heart thundered, but she was reassured by the subtle shake in his voice.

"But… would you want to be… pinned down?" she asked.

"It's not pinning down if I want it, too," Howl reasoned. Sophie pulled back slightly, and Howl tried to follow but stopped at her frown.

"Don't slither out, Howl."

"I'm not trying to." Howl gave her a pitiful look. To her frustration, it tugged at her.

"I just want to make sure your happily ever after and mine are the same," she explained. Furious at how timid she felt, her voice held a little more bite than intended.

Howl blinked, and a silence settled between them.

"Forget it," Sophie mumbled, mortified and angry, as she tried to untangle herself from Howl.

Suddenly, Howl's mouth enthusiastically pressed against hers. It was a little more forceful than she thought their first kiss would be (not that she allowed herself to think of it much as an old woman), and Sophie was somewhat taken aback. His nose was squished against hers uncomfortably, and his stubble was abrasive against her skin. Despite this, she trusted he'd stop if she truly wanted, which is why she didn't want to stop. However, she could do without feeling like she was being sanded down.

Then, he angled his head and allowed her to shift in his embrace, and it felt much better. Without his nose blocking her breathing and his stubble exfoliating her face, she was able to focus on the softness of his lips and the warmth of his solid chest pressed against hers.

She liked this new development. She liked it a lot. Heart thundering, she lifted onto the tips of her toes to kiss him back, her fingers gripping his shirt.

His lips moved sweetly against hers, and she followed his lead happily. Who had known that the eldest of three could experience such fortune?

He murmured against her lips in-between kisses, "Do you understand now, Sophie dear?"

She forgot to respond for a moment, as Howl had followed the question with the slip of his tongue in her mouth. When she registered what he had said through the hazy film in her mind, she paused and leaned back, ignoring Howl's quiet whine as she opened her eyes to throw a half-hearted scowl at him.

"Actually, no. You can't just answer a question with another question."

Howl drew her back in, and she let him distract her again. She figured she should've been more upset with him than she actually was, but it was difficult to remember all her reasons with her pulse roaring in her ears.

As he started slowly trailing kisses from her jaw down her neck, he said, "I don't recall you asking a question."

At this, she huffed, but she didn't move away from his mouth, which was currently doing delicious things to her skin. Surely she could multi-task. Her hand slipped into his light hair to hold his head to her. "Fine, you frustrating man. As they say… if you want something done right, you must do it yourself…"

Howl ignored her grumbling and smirked into her neck before giving a light nip. She startled, accidentally tugged on his locks, and he let out a small groan. The sound and slight pain sent a zing of hot pleasure through her, but she bravely soldiered on.

"Will you marry me, Howl?"

Howl froze, his mouth going slack. She could feel his warm breath against the wet spot left from his diligent attentions.

She pushed him back by his shoulders to try to look at his face. He was completely still, and worry flooded through her. Had she messed this up somehow? What else could be expected of the eldest-

"Sophie," Howl choked out, finally meeting her gaze. His eyes were wet, but after a heart-stopping moment, she realized he had been holding back laughter, not tears.

Her anxiety instantly turned to fury, and she shoved him away from her.

"Are you laughing at me?!" Where was that weed killer when she needed it?

"Wait, don't go!" He was still chuckling, grabbing at her hand. "Sophie, love."

That one little word shouldn't have placated her so, but it did. She tried not to show it.

"I am just surprised you had to ask. I thought it was obvious."

She stubbornly stared at him. He gave her a sunny yet soft smile.

"Of course I want to marry you. You're… dear to me."

She could feel herself thawing at his sincerity and goodness, that smile… but she tried to stay strong. "…There was no need to laugh."

"Maybe not," Howl somewhat conceded, suddenly very interested in searching the pockets of his tattered black suit. "Aha! Here." He pulled out something small.

"This is…" He cleared his throat, trying again, "Where I'm from, people give rings to their betrothed."

Sophie was stunned into silence.

Had he been carrying that sort of gift around with him? With intentions of giving it to her? How long had he wanted this with her - and even while she was an old woman?

She felt a little breathless.

He picked up her left hand and gently slid the ring on her fourth finger. The fit was a little loose, but Sophie thought it looked quite nice. They were quiet as they stared at it, her hand still in his.

"Do you like it?" he asked, voice low.

"I do," she murmured seriously. "Very pretty. I'm worried this will get dirty when I clean or work in the garden, though."

Howl hummed in acknowledgment, before he conjured a dainty gold chain with a wave of his hand. "You can wear it as a necklace, if you'd like." He sounded like he didn't care, which meant he cared a lot. That contradictory man.

She slipped the ring on the chain and fixed it around her neck. The ring rested against her breastbone, around where her heart was pounding against her ribs.

"Thank you," Sophie said. "It's lovely." It was a little difficult being forthright and sincere with him, when so many of their words in the past were laden with repressed feelings, hidden meaning, or misplaced anger.

Howl shrugged casually, though it was clear he was pleased.

The two were drawn close to each other once more. He had a tender look on his face, one she had seen before but hadn't been able to put a name to. She thought she knew now. Their hands tangled between them.

Sophie leaned on her toes again and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, soft in hopes that it could communicate all she couldn't put into words yet.

Howl blushed, and Sophie thought that was very interesting…

Then he captured her lips again and there was very little thinking for a while after.