I have noticed the decline in reviews recently so I take it that people are loosing interest in the story, which I wouldn't blame them for since my story has slowly desintegrated since the first chapter. I'm very sorry...

Anyway, the ratng is going up becauseI think the bathroom scene is a little awkward and unfit for ages under thirteen.

In Which Howl Cooks

"Jeez…hasn't he asked her yet?"

Calcifer's eyes went to the door as Markl dropped another log onto his fire for him, his visit was keeping the boy company while Howl and Sophie meandered around the flowers. The little apprentice climbed into the chair, sitting face to face with the fire demon as his eyes wavered a moment then turned to him.

"Master Howl says that he wants to ask but he's afraid of what Sophie will say." Markl said, turning his head to make sure the couple hadn't returned without his knowing. The door was still shut and the color was still marked. "And now he's putting it off some more because Sophie's sick."

"Now he's just procrastinating." Calcifer said; his flames making the wood crack briefly before he nudged one of the logs more beneath him with one of his thin yellow arms. "Anything to keep himself from doing something he might be denied."

"Are you sure it's just him holding off?" Markl leaned forward in his chair a little, "Master Howl might be courting women again since Sophie's sick."

"I've taken that into consideration…but I don't think that's the case." Calcifer muttered, scanning the hearth for a moment, "He may be a womanizer but I have never seen him more serious about a woman as he is about Sophie. This is the first I've heard of him wanting to get engaged…"

Markl nodded. It was his first time as well and to be frank with the fire demon…he was just as perplexed as he was. Sure Calcifer had been the one most closely linked with Howl for years before he had come across the moving castle but he still knew enough about Howl to prove useful for living with him. Sophie, of course, bent the rules into a good U shape by now and it was obvious the wizard wasn't bothered by it as much as he was in the past.

The hair potions had been abandoned, unable to gain spider webs since Sophie was still an excellent cleaning lady but no longer used and any other bits and bobs Howl once used to make himself appear more attractive and it was untouched. This was proof many things about Howl were changing but several things were staying the same with him.

"Sophie really had an influence on Master Howl…" Markl said, smiling a little thoughtful for a boy his age.

"Yeah, it was a good thing she stuck around…otherwise that Prince Justin would have whisked her away and we would be up to our necks in green slime…well…you would be anyway, I would be out of here the minute I saw that goop."

"Gee…thanks, Calcifer." Markl said frowning a little at the fire as it flickered, consuming some more logs that were supposed to be for real fires.

The two jumped as the door swung open and Howl entered slowly, turning in the doorway to face Sophie as she stepped up to enter. One of his hands were clasping hers and she glanced up at him for a moment then lowered her eyes, cheeks a little red either from her fever or just the fact that she was shown so much concern.

"I can get into the door, Howl…" she murmured.

"I'm not taking any chances." He said and she was helped inside before Howl finally allowed her to move up the steps on her own as he shut the door.

"Welcome back." Markl said, perking up on the stool a little.

Sophie smiled a little at Markl then to Calcifer.

"How are you feeling?" Calcifer asked.

"I'm not at my best but I think with a little more rest I should be fine by tomorrow at the earliest." She said though she was never certain of her predictions. It wasn't Sophie's area to predict her own wellness when it came to illness after all and if Howl wasn't careful, he would be the one sick tomorrow and she would have to take care of him more then he had taken care of her.

Howl approached the fireplace, looking down at Calcifer for a moment then to Markl. "I think a little soup will be in order tonight." He said, eying the pot hanging on the wall thanks to Sophie's organization.

Sophie stared at Howl and not just her…Calcifer and Markl joined in as well.

"What? Do you think I can not handle a little cooking on my own?"

Calcifer looked at Markl, "You're helping him, right?"

"I don't know how to cook." Markl said, paling a little.

Howl frowned. "My own friends against me." He said pitifully and Markl leapt out of the chair as Howl threatened to sit on top of him if the boy didn't move out of the way quickly enough. That's when he sat down upon the chair and hung his head…another moment for the attention-seeker.

The reason the present and former residents of the castle were so shocked had to do with the fact that even though Howl could cook bacon and eggs, the man hardly knew how to cook much else without making it taste awkward somehow. Be it not enough spices or held it on the fire too long…the man needed work in the culinary arts anyway.

Sophie went to her bed, pushing the curtains open wide but paused to cover her mouth, stifling another coughing fit, which drew all eyes to her immediately. She avoided them, climbing onto the little bed and pulling the covers up over her lap and peering up at the three males standing near the fireplace, all eyes were on her and the only sound was the occasional crackle of Calcifer's flames as his body steadily danced over the logs.

"I-I'm alright." She said quickly, struggling to hold in another cough and to her relief, a minor one escaped. "And as for your soup idea Howl…"

He lifted his head even though his eyes had been on her since she broke into her coughing fit.

"I'll help you with the soup and don't look at me like that. I'll stay in my bed and tell you what to do so that Markl will be able to eat it with confidence."

Markl sighed in relief and Howl shot him a small glare before heaving a sigh of his own, this one was in defeat more then relief of anything though. "I originally planned to make it on my own but since you all have such little faith in my cooking…I'll do it under Sophie's instructions."

She smiled at him and lowered her eyes to her lap to relax her neck a little from its turned position. She felt tired from sitting among the lazy scents of the flowers for so long and with her sense of smell partially regained she was drowsy from the intoxicating smells but not so much as to make her sleep at that very moment. She looked down at her dress and lightly rested her hand over it with a small frown.

"I must smell terrible…" she mumbled, How long has it been since I bathed?

Howl seemed to have listened better then she expected since by the time he had finished the soup Markl was taking deep breaths to inhale the smell trailing through the air. Sophie was pleased with the wizard's work on the soup and she ate it slowly to let him believe she was savoring the taste. It wasn't back but in a way she felt a bit awkward eating it with the knowledge that it had been made by Howl's hand. What made her feel even more awkward however was what he said when he handed her a bowl earlier.

"When you finish, you should use the restroom and squeeze in some bathing time…those flowers can subdue the smell only for so long."

Even he noticed that she smelled a bit rank from the lack of a shower for around three days. Now she felt dirty and embarrassed that Howl had caught her smelling as such and she could hardly look up at him as he and Markl ate at the table, Calcifer munching on bits chopped off of carrots and celery sticks since he had been pushed further back once again to make room for a real fire.

Lowering her empty bowl, Sophie climbed back out of her bed and wondered towards the sink, resting the bowl on the bottom before touching her fingers to her throat. It felt strangely soothed and warm…probably from the soup since it was pleasantly warm on her aching esophagus but did soup always have a lasting effect like this?

"I'll be in the bathroom then…" she said and wondered towards the stairs. Crossing her arms over her chest as she started up them to get the Howl's bathroom. She didn't know why…but she wanted to be in the one room where she could smell all of the chemical and intoxicating scents of Howl without dirtying his sheets with her rank body. Her afternoon among the flowers with him was so peaceful…she liked spending time with him. Their conversation was sparse after he told her to make the flowers bud and bloom but that didn't seem to bother either of them. They were happy to have one another's company at least.

As she closed the door however, something stopped it and she jumped when Howl pushed it back open a little and stepped inside partially.

"D-Do you not want me to use this bathroom?" she asked, stepping away from him.

"I don't mind what bathroom you use." He said, "I was just wondering if you wanted help with anything because I don't recall you ever needing my bathroom before. Therefore I had to see if you knew how to draw this bath."

"I-It can't be too hard. I mean…" she twisted her hands together, "I can do it."

She went to the tub and turned one of the knobs to prove her point but the pipes groaned and nothing came out. Howl chuckled softly and approached her until he was beside her. There he bent over and twisted both of the knobs at the same time, the water gushing out into the tub immediately.

Reaching up, he took her hand and guided it to the stopper resting on the side of the tub, perfectly balanced. His hand over hers, he helped her pick it up and guided her hand to the drain and pushed it in firmly, their fingers abruptly becoming submerged in the warm water filling the tub.

"I must have forgotten…" Sophie mumbled as they she started to straighten but Howl's arm draped around her shoulders and his fingers turned her face towards his.

"See what being sick does to you?" he asked, Sohpie closed her eyes at the tingle of his breath against her face. She thought she would be used to his kisses by now but even with his face being close to hers…it felt awkward. Like a kiss would be unavoidable.

"Y-You're trying to get a cold. I know it." She said, opening her eyes again and turning her face so that she was staring down into the water of the filling tub.

"Too late." He said, "I've already gotten one this season if you recall correctly."

Sophie's eyes widened a little and she braced her hands on the side of the tub as she just remembered that Howl had indeed been sick a few weeks ago. His cold was minor and he wouldn't listen to her protests in his activities…how could she have forgotten that along with how to turn on the faucets? Was Howl tainting her memories with his magic? Were those fingers that were touching her neck just above the high collar of her dress Howl's?

"What are you doing?" she gasped when she noticed that the collar of her dress had suddenly loosened and she felt the steam of the tub touch her already warmed skin.

"You weren't doing it so I decided to start it for you." He said.

Sophie stared at his face and noticed that there wasn't the slightest gleam of a fire in his eyes, they were as warm and casual as ever, no desires…nothing suggesting something behind his sudden assistance in unfastening the first few buttons of her dress. She ducked out from under his arm and her fingers fled to the buttons. The collar had been finished and the top button was stuck in the little slit where he had started to unfasten it.

Her face burned. "Thank you…but I can handle it." She said.

Howl tilted his head to the side slightly. He didn't seem to realize the seriousness that Sophie had seen in someone unfastening a woman's dress. He was still such a child…

"U-Um…I'd better watch the water's level. You can go back down with Markl and Calcifer…"

"No." he said, straightening up so that he once more stood taller then her and stepped up closer to her.

Instinct kicked in and she backed away quickly to put in dome distance. Unfortunately there was a wall in the wall…she felt her back press against the cold tile and her heart skipped a beat as Hoel stood in front of her and leaned down.

"I need to talk to you about something, Sophie…its important." He said softly, seriously.

She stared at him once again, never recalling seeing his face so serious for some time.

"What is it?"

"I can't talk about it now…when you're better would be a good time."

"S-Something to do with the flowers?" she said with a wry smile.

"No." he shook his head, "I'll tell you when you're better. So if you're as curious as you were as an old woman then you'll get better soon."

A childish smile split his lips and Sophie felt strangely relaxed by this. It meant he was back to himself.

"Can I bathe in privacy now?" she asked with a slight tremor to her voice.

The wizard nodded and returned to the door, pausing and looking back at her, that serious expression had returned for a moment before he closed his eyes with that childish smile and disappeared out the door, closing it behind him.

Sighing in relief, Sophie peered down at the partially unfastened button and rested her fingertips over it.

As soon as the door was shut, Howl leaned back against it, letting his head fall back and thud dully upon the wood, his face turned up to the ceiling and his eyes shut as his chest heaved in a soft sigh. His fingertips still remembered the texture of the fabric around the buttons…the cold feeling of the little pea-sized buttons…why did they implant themselves into his memory? It wasn't supposed to be any different then him unfastening the buttons of his own clothes…so why was it?

Howl peered down at his fingertips and rubbed them together to try and focus on the feeling of the pads of the digits but it didn't work. It felt as if his fingers had become enveloped in the same material that made Sophie's dress, his nails were the black buttons, neutral and dully reflective.

It's becoming difficult… he thought staring at one hand in silence, flexing his fingers a little to try and see if that would overcome the sensation of cotton-wove gray fabric. The more I try to act normally…the more I seem to want to touch and kiss her.

It's called desire…ever heard of it?

"Of course, I am not inexperienced in it after all."

But this time it is different because the one you want is the one that is out of your reach until you prove that she's the one you want. Come now, Howl, surely you've taken that into consideration.

Howl froned a little at his own voice speaking to him in his mind. Ever since he had napped beside Sophie the forgotten fragment of himself from the time before Sophie had been communicating with him. It wasn't always bad but he was definitely pushing the knife in deeper and deeper when it came to Sophie and his feelings for her.

"She embraced you…she held you like she didn't hold me like that." He thought a little bitterly to Piece of Howl, casting a glance towards his bedroom door.

Because she knows you're hers in her dreams. Howl, if you don't assure her that she's the one you want above all others…you're pretty much going to have a barrier between you.

"I know that." He wondered towards his room, "But I feel awkward wanting to marry someone…I still feel as if I'm too young for that."

But you weren't too young to be with those women?

Point taken…

Admitting defeat, Howl entered his room, sinking onto the edge of his bed and peering down at his hands again. His gaze didn't linger there though, he was soon looking back at the pillows and saw Sophie's sleeping face there, her lips slightly parted and face a little feverish as she slept.

"Sophie…" he sighed.

No more waiting, no more hesitation. The day she is well you tell her. Otherwise Prince Justin may appear and offer a much more loving life for her before you could get out "Will".

"Leave me alone." He said, lying down and pushing his face into the pillow but there was no smell of Sophie…it was only the familiar scent of his chemically burdened hair from the past. The smell never seemed to leave his sheets he had used the potions so much…

Frustrated in the lack of Sophie's smell, he rolled over onto his back and stared up at the mobile over his bed.

He wanted Sophie to be his but there was that cowardice keeping him from it. He was scared of a life where he would never know what step would be the wrong one and what would he have to do in his role as a husband anyway? What do husbands do? His knowledge went no further then the fact that married people could make love but was that the extent of a marriage? What were the rules? Would he know when the time was right?

A smile curved his lips as he chuckled at himself.

"Such a child…I am always…such a child." He laughed now, turning on his side and laughing into the folds of his quilt.

As childish as I am…I still want to have Sophie to myself. I don't want Prince Justin to have her…she may have saved him from his curse but that's not an excuse. He was there first and he was much better then that prissy prince-boy. She's mine…

This was one cherished possession he was not going to share.

I hope some have stayed true to the story. I'm sorry if things seem...silly now.

No, Howl is not skytso.