Disclaimer: All recognizible character belong to Diana Wynne Jones. No benefits are being reaped through using her characters, and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/n: Just felt like typing something fluffy and plotless for a HMC fanfic. Written hastily within a space of half and hour, so please be forgiving to glaring spelling/grammar mistakes, sentimental senselessness and the lack of any plot whatsoever. I think I owe this to Raiya, as I had promised her a HMC fanfic ages and ages before our exams for something Howl/Sophie.
Edit I posted this up on LJ a couple of months back. Here it sits. Still unbeta-ed and mistake filled. I apologize.
Bottled Sunshine
By Artemis Obscure
It was just one of those days when it seemed that the rain wouldn't let up. Sophie scowled moodily at the pattering rain out of little castle window. Somehow, she still disliked rainy days. Rainy days reminded her of the unpleasant aches and creaks in her joints, when she was old. A rain had enveloped the whole of Ingary for the past three days, and there was no sign that it would let up anytime soon.
Despite the fact that after everything had passed, Sophie still felt as if she was a 90 year crone each time it rained. She almost expected at any moment, someone from Porthaven would knock on the castle door (though, that person must be insane to venture out in this kind of weather, and especially so in Porthaven, where the weather there was the gloomiest!) and ask Mrs. Witch for a spell to stop the rain.
"What a dull day!" Howl's voice proclaimed flamboyantly in the little room. Sophie jumped at the sound of her husband's voice. She could see that Howl had been standing at the door for quite sometime now, and she had not even noticed him. He seemed to be holding something behind his back.
"Speak for yourself," Calcifer grumbled from the fireplace. The fire demon probably hated the rain more than Sophie. For obvious reasons. "It doesn't help that Mrs. Jenkins," that was accompanied by a quick glare at Sophie. "Hasn't said a word to me for hours. She used to talk too much, and now she spends all her time brooding. Marriage has dulled her Howl!"
Howl ignored Calcifer, and turned to Sophie. "Feels like this room needs something, doesn't it?" he asked. He produced the thing he was hiding behind his back with a flourish and handed it to Sophie.
Sophie turned the object around in her hands, a bit surprised. Despite its tinted glass, the bottle glowed brightly. It felt pleasantly warm, and pulsed brightly. "What is it Howl?" she asked. "Is it some kind of spell?"
"Somewhat," Howl said, as he took the bottle from her. Opening it, he carefully tipped some of its contents into Sophie's hands. The immediate chill that Sophie hadn't felt earlier vanished, and the castle was suddenly bathed in a warm golden glow. The air smelt of spring, and freshly made hay and flowers. The liquid Howl had poured into her hands felt warm and soft, and yet, it pulsed in her hands with a gentle, warm energy.
"Its liquid sunlight," Howl told her, as her delighted eyes met his. "Specially brewed for those cold rainy days..." his voice had dropped a few notches, as he bent down and tucked a few loose strands of her hair behind her ear. "...which you hate so much."
"Howl," Sophie began.
"You know," Howl mused interruptingly. "I think this is the first time I've seen you smile in three days. The least you can do for me, is to not spoil this wonderfully romantic moment that I've created by smiling again.
There was nothing much that Sophie could do, but to listen to what Howl said.
From his corner in the grate, Calcifer grunted as he watched Howl lean over to kiss Sophie. "Sentimental old sod," he muttered unfeelingly under his breath.
Critisim? Comments? A beta? Please?