A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've had this written for a while, but I was too lazy to type it. I personally don't like this chapter, but, it's what I had written. The next one will be better. I promise.
Disclaimer: sigh I don't own the movie, nor do I own the books. (Books. Castle In The Air was a disappointment. Big time. I wanted something that revolved around Howl and Sophie, not some carpet seller.)
"…An Omelet?"
How slumped against the closed door, the color receding from his bony face. His mouth open, he replayed the scene in his head. "She hates me? Is it even possible for her to hate me?" He shook his head, amazed by the whole aspect of being hated. He cursed loudly, in Welsh, pushing himself up from the dusty floor. He pondered what to do in a moment like this, concluding that trying to reason with her was the best way to go. This in mind, he cleared his throat, placing his cheek against the door. "Sophie?"
- - -
The sounds of her muffled sobs couldn't drown out the voice at the door, no matter how hard she cried. She pushed herself up, waiting for the butterflies to come as they had before. She quickly found that the soft voice that had once made her insides turn now revolted her. She wiped away her tears, feeling a deal more confident now that she knew he couldn't charm her right now. She quickly made a list of Howl's faults, planning to use them to her advantage. "Howl. Do us both a favor and go away. I don't care about your apologies. I sure as hell don't care about you right now, and I'm sick of being a quiet little mouse who never complains," she raised her hand to her mouth in surprise. Surprised at how easily the words had come. Her first instinct was to apologize, but quickly stopped herself. She was still getting used to the idea of hurting Howl.
A groan of despair brought her out of her shock. She jumped as she heard the slam of Howl's hand hitting the door.
"It's my room! I have every right to be in there, Sophie!" Howl was furious. He had tried being nice, but she had crushed his nice-spirit. He raised his hand to hit the door again, but stopped himself in mid-swing. He couldn't do this to her. His mood, as well as his expression, softened. He did, after all, loved her. He truly, dearly loved Sophie. Of course, hitting the door wasn't going to change how she felt about him, but something would. His thoughts were soon interrupted Sophie's infuriated shout.
"I don't CARE! I'm not coming out. You did this to yourself, Jenkins," she waited for a response from Howl, but only heard his footsteps leaving the door. Relieved, she looked around the room for a decent place to sleep. She sighed, finding that the only place was Howl's bed.
Reluctantly, she slipped under the heave blankets, placing her head down on the pillow. She inhaled deeply, letting the scents of Howl's hair products lull her to sleep, as a lullaby did when she was so much younger.
- - -
Howl slowly climbed down the stairs, his shoulders slumped in depression. He placed himself on the chair in front of the fire, a large sigh protruding from his open mouth. A slap of realization had hit him. Sophie meant it when she had told him that 'a heart's a heave burden'. He was feeling the whole impact of a broken heart now, and he couldn't say he enjoyed the feeling. His brooding was interrupted by a voice. Calcifer's voice to be exact.
"Trouble in paradise?" The fire demon held a sliver of concern in his voice as he spoke.
Howl nodded his head, still in disbelief. "Sophie said she hated me, Calcifer. I think she meant it, too. She's refusing to leave my room," his head snapped up, realizing how odd the whole situation sounded.
"I knew it! I knew your selfish actions would come back to haunt you! You should have treated her better, Howl. It's your fault."
"I wasn't selfish!" Howl hastily stood up, offended by the demon's words. "If you must know, I was scared. She's incredible. Perfect, even. Even I can't compare to her. I hate this God forsaken heart," he began to pace, feeling more and more anxious by the minute. He was afraid of losing her. When he didn't have his heart, he never would have worried about losing a girl, let alone Sophie. But, with his new heart had come new feelings, one of them being insecurity.
The fire demon looked amazed by this, but lumbered talking anyway. "If you love her so much-"
"I do!"
"Don't interrupt! If you love her so much. Then prove it. Make her something, without magic. Girls go for that handmade quality." Howl was intrigued by this prospect. He had never made anything without magic except food.
Food! He'd make her breakfast! What, though?" He turned to Calcifer, a large grin on his face. "Calcifer, tell me the first food that comes into your small mind."
"An omelet," the demon looked confused by this, and a little angry at the small mind comment, but, waved it off impatiently.
"Perfect! An omelet! I shall make Sophie an omelet!" Howl looked down at Calcifer, choking back a laugh, hurriedly nodded his approval.
This should be amusing. "Sure, Howl! An omelet is perfect! Sophie'll love it!" He waited until the wizard had turned his back to let out his laughter.
- - -
"It doesn't look like an omelet, does it?" Calcifer has resisted another wave of laughter as Howl proudly held up the pile of eggs. The wizard looked quite taken back by this comment as it had taken him until mid-morning to construct his forgiveness omelet.
"I've even written her note to give to her as well."
"Read it, then," Calcifer challenged, folding his yellow arms indignantly. Howl cleared his throat as he unfolded the piece of paper.
"Sophie, I'm sorry. Love, Howl." The wizard beamed at Calcifer as he refolded his note. The demon simply nodded his mock-approval again, holding back more laughter.
"Perfect. Now, how do you plan on getting it to her? It sounds as if she won't open the door to you." Howl was about to answer when they heard the familiar footsteps of Markl padding down the stairs. The wizard smiled as a head poked around the corner, followed by the rest of the eight year old's body.
"Markl. Take these to Sophie in my room at once," Howl thrust the plate and note into the boy's hands, who early nodded, heading back upstairs. The wizard shot a confident smirk in Calcifer's direction as he sat down, proud of his work.
- - -
Markl raced down the long hallway, stopping at Howl's door. He knocked, waiting for a response. It came in the form of a muffled. "Who is it?" He smiled at Sophie's sleepy state.
"It's Markl. I have your…breakfast," he watched as the door opened, revealing a rather dishelmed Sophie. She quickly relived Markl of the plate and not, thanking him quietly.
He shouted a happy "You're welcome!" as he raced down the stairs, prodding Howl for his breakfast now.
- - -
Sophie shut the door, keeping her eyes on the yellow mass on her plate. She recognized it at once as Howl's omelet. She hastily tore open the note that accompanied it, enraged and disappointed by its contents. Her lips parted in an infuriated yell. "Howl, you insensitive clod! You break my heart and the best you can do is an ugly, horribly made OMELET?"
- - -
Howl's mouth dropped upon hearing Sophie's words. "But…I-I…But Calcifer…GAH!" He threw his arms in the air, ignoring Calcifer's gasps of laughter. He shook his head, amazed. "I thought it was perfect!"
The demon laughed harder, finding Howl's suffering quite amusing. Howl, apparently, did not. He gave the demon such a look of disgust, it would have given Suliman a run for her money. He hung his head, confused and disappointed.
- - -
Being hungry, Sophie reluctantly ate the horrid omelet, tasting nothing but her rage in every bite. She chuckled softly. How could she have expected more from Howl? How could she thought he' provide a better apology? Was she that stupid? One thing's for sure, she was going to have a hard time taking Howl back after this? Her chest suddenly felt that weight of Howl's pendant pulling at her neck. Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to take it off, and she hated herself (not to mention Howl) for it.
A/N: I know, I know. Horrid. Don't hurt me. Please.