I'm updating all my fics so late! Uber sorry!

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Sophie wiped away the last of her tears. It was really dark already and she'd decided she'd return to the castle – Howl was probably too selfish, wallowing in self-pity to make anything for Markl to eat. She stood up and made her way to the door. The bottom of it seemed to be oozing some sort of green slime and Sophie immediately knew what it meant.

She opened the door slowly – a male body slopped by her feet, surrounding her in the slime. She grunted at the figure. "You're so childish sometimes!!" she screamed but reluctantly bent down to pick him up.

Howl, even though he was not speaking, was mentally cursing him for making him unhappy again. How did he always manage to do this?

Markl had cleaned him up once again and helped him to his bed while Sophie poured him a glass of milk, which she knew he wouldn't drink but it was worth a try. Entering the room, Sophie saw Howl staring straight up in self-pity. She sighed. She knew it wasn't his fault but his arrogance got annoying sometimes – being so headstrong would just lead him to disaster one day. "How are you feeling?" she asked rather emotionlessly.

"Terrible…" he moaned. What a typical reply. He can't just say 'fine' like he didn't want anyone to worry. Sophie thought to herself. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm just not very good with words."

Sophie didn't say anything, just lay the glass of milk on the table and turned to leave.

"Sophie… Wait."

She stopped but didn't face him. "What do you want?" she asked, unintentionally coldly.

Howl flinched. "… I… I'll show you how to do magic, if you still want. I only want you to be happy…"

She grimaced. "You thought id be happy killing an unborn child? Are you really that heartless?"

He stared at her, hurt. How many times today has he upset her? He sat himself upright and sighed. "I'm sorry. I just want to forget all about this argument… don't you agree? I'll show you how to do whatever you want with magic."

Sophie regarded him before allowing her face to soften. She threw her arms around Howl tightly. "Thank you, Howl!" she screamed. Howl sighed and smiled with relief, returning the hug warmly. His arms locked tighter as he smiled smugly at himself. Heh… I knew she could never stay mad at me! He thought to himself.

Sophie suddenly pulled herself away. "Ah! I forgot all about Markl! He hasn't eaten a thing!!" she ran out of the room, just like her old self again. My Sophie! He relaxed into his pillow, yawning like he'd been working all day.

"Is Howl okay, Sophie?" Markl asked, happily digging away at his food.

Sophie smiled. "Of course. You know what he's like, making a big fuss over nothing!"

"I don't know, Sophie," Calcifer said, looking up at her innocently. "He's change a lot since you came along."

She inwardly sighed. "I know, I know, he's more caring and-"

"Caring? No, of course not!" Calcifer laughed. "I meant that he's even more mischievous than ever! You remember when he used you to try and get out of that war?"

Markl polished off his plate and took it to the sink, not intending to clean it up himself. He'd obviously been living with Howl far too long. He looked back at Sophie and had a puppy-dog expression. "But you still love him, don't you, Sophie?" he asked. "If you don't, we won't be like a proper family anymore coz you two wouldn't be like the mom and dad!"

Calficer grinned and mumbled. "More like divorced parents that somehow have kids and that were never married in the first place and have never even had…" Sophie shot him a death glare but he innocently stuck a chunk of wood in his mouth and laughed nervously. As soon as she stopped looking at him he muttered. "… Or at least, not that I know of…"

"SOPHIE!" Howl cried, making them all jump in shock.

"Coming, Howl!" she called.

"Ugh, Sophie, tell Howl that if he wants to do that sort of stuff, leave it until night when Markl's asleep!" the flame moaned while Sophie hurried up the stairs.

Markl looked at him naively. "What sort of stuff? Why can't I know?"

Calficer sighed. "Kid, I think you're finally ready to know about the 'facts of life'…"

-star- -star- -star-

Howl was still lying in his bed. Sophie slowly entered and sat beside him. "Yes, Howl?" she said, almost in a whisper.

Howl leapt out, grabbing her into his arms tightly. Sophie gasped and tried to push away at first but quickly grew to tolerate how close he was. Howl's arms locked her own so she couldn't even return the embrace. "Howl… w-what are you…?"

"Isn't this what you want…?" he answered before being given the question fully. "Just keep still," he ordered.

Sophie did as was told as waited. For a moment, all he seemed to be doing was hugging her – that is, until she suddenly felt very cold. A glow came from his hands as he tightened his grip. Sophie was getting scared now and began to tremble with fear and shiver with the temperature drop within her. Slowly, the glowing faded away. Howl pulled back, holding the girl at arm's length. "Are you alright?" he asked.

She said nothing for a moment, trying to piece together what he had just done to her. "Wh… what happened…?"

Howl side-smiled. "You just need to learn a few spells now, that's all."

Sophie looked down at her hands. They looked exactly the same, but they felt lighter like they were filled with helium. Yet, she wasn't sure if that was what she was because of the shock or it's the effects of transferring magic. "s-so… I – I can really… do magic?"

Howl nodded before finding himself thrown back onto the pillow with two skinny arms cutting off the circulation in his neck. "I love you, Howl!" she screamed. At first, he didn't reply. Sophie began to worry… until she remembered that it might be a lot easier for him t speak if he could breath. She quickly released him.

He took in a long gasp before struggling to maintain his usual breathing patterns. He rubbed his neck, turning to the girl with a seriously cold look on his face. "just don't take it for granted like I did, is that clear?"