Author's notes: YAY we have reached over 130 readers! To those of here for the first time WELCOME and to those of you returning for another chapter, WELCOME BACK! Hugs to everyone! ^.^ It's just that reviews are more than thin on the ground and that is a little worrying! So I have one or two chapters floating in my head that I want to get written and uploaded, but it doesn't look like it's going to be a finished story unless you guys want me to continue. If people don't want to read it, then I should turn my attentions to a new story and scratch this one off! Or just work at getting me a nice fella! So if you want me to continue, just alert or even better review and just let me know if you want more, that way I will keep writing more! As we know I don't own Howl's moving castle or its characters. As promised this chapter contains slash of an almost heavenly male nature, initiate by Michael no less!
Michael was a fine cook, good enough to rival any who had ever lived under the magical roof of the castle, or graced its halls. All sat around the table had enjoyed all three courses of the meal set down in front of them, cleaning each and every one of their plates. Calcifer had more than enjoyed Sophie's meal offered to him by a moping Howl, and all had also enjoyed the fancy bottle of wizard wine lovingly supplied by Sophie, all feeling its expensive and powerful effects, wizard wine being not only stronger but each bottle held the amount of five average bottles.
The last scrapings of plates played out in the room and the small hums and crackles of appreciation from the small group died down as Max stood. Wine glass raised in one hand, the other planted firmly on the small of Michael's neck. Howl twisted and shifted uncomfortably in his seat as a result of the contact, not yet drunk enough to forget he was a gentleman and open his big mouth and live to regret it later.
"To Michelle, the best cook this side of ungry…" Max toasted, his words beginning to slur, thrusting his glass in the air, sloping its contents over the floor with the movement. "Um, I meant Ingary… I think… IN-GA-RY… INGARY! The prettiest cook in Ingary!" He boomed and was met with a load cheer from Howl and Calcifer that filled the room, a deep pink blush in Michael's rounded cheeks sent a cheerful laughter around the room. Michael quickly picked up the empty dishes and retreated to the kitchen out of the way of further embarrassment.
"Isn't she something? Great cook, amazing to look at, cute, funny, great ass… and everyone will want her on their arm when they see her on mine. She would, and will, make a great wife!" Max stated all this at Howl in a matter of fact way, feeling so powerless to say a word Howl kept the silence left in the room. Just as the courage began to fill him, he was cut short by a still pink Michelle re-entering the room sheepishly.
Howl downed the full glass he was holding, "My turn!" Howl boomed and took to his feet quickly, grabbing at the table quickly for support before waving his arms at Max and Michelle as a sign to sit.
"What can I say buddy, pall of mine, companion of years, rather attractive female- you are everything Michael," Howl now not caring how things came across to Michael, nor did he care his speech, just like Max's, was beginning to slur. "You have helped me through all crap and drama and stuff, and I am happy you are here! I can't cook for one…." Howl trailed off slowly before the floor came slamming into his side as the death grip on the table failed him during the attack of laughter from his own line.
Rising as gracefully as was possible for a giggling drunk in heels, Michael tottered over to Howl and with a laughing Max's help, scooped him up and eased the hysterical Howl into his chair, their laughter only spurred on by the sound of each other's laughter echoing around the room.
"You are all so stupid," Michael began standing at full her height, balancing on his chair, almost successfully and pushing hair safely away from her mouth. "So stupid, and funny, I love you guys!" Max stood quickly, only stumbling slightly, as a tired and sleepy Calcifer began to belt out the beginning lines of the saucepan song, earning a musical giggle from Michael and Max closed the small gap between himself and the young woman.
The returned heart in Howl's chest began to slow and almost grind to a painful halt as Max tilted his head down gingerly and placed it on Michael's chest, nestling slightly between the soft rounded flesh of Michael's breasts and wrapping his arms around her waist and saying in a low growl against the sliver of exposed skin, "Love you to beautiful." And then proceed to lifting a playful and giggling Michelle off the chair and setting him safely on the floor and thrusting the small birthday gift from Sophie into the only small free hand, the other clinging to Max's other arm that was still attached to Michael. "Come on Michelle, honey, open it! I'm desperate to know what's in it, and it's not even mine."
Freeing the other hand, Michael began to slowly un-wrap the small box as Max began to wrap his arms lightly around her. It was almost as Howl had seen it, a living nightmare was standing mere feet from him, and he was in no position to put an end to it. Since his illness his magic had been on the brink, it would be too dangerous to aim it wildly at a living human, even if it was Max.
Taking the lid from the box, Michael let out a small involuntary noise, not far from a gasp, and began to read aloud the note accompanying the gift. "Happy Birthday my dear one, I'm sorry not to be here with you, but I am always with you and on your side if you like it or not!" Michael let out a small giggle as he read the words. "This is a small little gift from me and Neil, which we picked up on our travels in the west, and we hope it will help you make your fortune. To use it is to just simply want, and if you do, you will never want again! Now, show Howl what you can do, what is it you want?"
"Neil? Is that the man she left with? Well the more fun for them, I'm sure. Hope the poor man knows what he's got himself in for with that woman." Howl's words were more to himself as Michael produced a small silver ring from the box, her and Max engrossed. Max held her closer, as if for safety as she slid the ring onto her right hand. The room went still, waiting, waiting for something to happen.
"Well, is it working? What's happening? Are you okay, my sweet?" Max said softly against her cheek.
Michael answered quickly and simply, an answer that Howl had expected above the any other. "Well… nothing! Do you think it's broken? Am I broken?" She thought for a moment, "'To use it is to just simply want, and if you do, you will never want again!' well, what I think we all want is MORE WINE!" Michael shouted the last part as a fact, raising both arms dramatically and as the last syllable rang out into the room, loud cracks of thunder and the blinding light of lightning filled the space.
Howl reacted quickly and bolted to Michael's side as a short scream of pain erupted from the pink rounded lips of his love. Clutching at the middle finger of his right hand Michael grew quite.
"It won't come off. The ring, it's not coming off!" Michael voice sounded pleading and desperate as she spoke after a moment and Max began to rock the small from in his arms, a little as a way to calm her before opening his perfectly formed lips.
"Well, if it helps, we have wine! An entire barrel of the stuff." All faces turned to face the large barrel sitting not far from them. "Try something else maybe." Max suggested weakly but before he could speak another word she was gone from his arms.
Rage filled Howl. What had Sophie done to his love, why? What had Michael ever done to Sophie! Howl slumped down into the nearest chair but before he had himself settled, a weight began to form rapidly in his lap and within seconds Michael had materialised on his lap.
A giggle erupted from the girl in Howl's lap, "It worked, can you believe it! It worked, I did it!" Howl wrapped his around Michael's waist as the excited form began to slip off Howl's lap, the friction of the contact in his lap made his length begin to swell. It was a few moments before Michael spoke again, Howl could feel heat bore into his scull as Max's grey eyes glared at him. "You see Max, Master Howl," She turned and faced each of them as she spoke their names, "All I had to do was want and will it to happen. I just wanted to be in bed and before I knew it I was under the covers! It took me a minute to get what had happened and why, but I understand now. And then I wanted to be back with you two, so here I am!" He shrugged her arms, as a sign that she knew no more than that.
Max and Howl were just as confused as each other, everyone in the room appeared to have sobered up except Michael and a muttering Calcifer, who's rendition of 'Sosban Fach' was no longer a song but simply a few grumbles and the word saucepan, as if he had given up on the rest entirely.
Anger and annoyance began to creep into Max's words, "You know it's late, we should get to bed, now." A tipsy Michael reached up a hand and looked up at him through thick dark eyelashes. Max took the small hand offered and eventually helping Michelle as she tried to climb onto his back, she wrapping arms and legs around him, dress trailing over the floor and she giggled against Max's now smiling face, no longer mad at him.
Shaking himself out of shock, Howl stood quickly snapping round to face them both as they began to climb the stairs, "Wait just one second, I hope this is not what I'm thinking this is! Where is Max sleeping? "The look in their eyes said it all and it killed Howl inside what did this boy think he was doing? How old was he for a start! "For a start boy, how old are you!" Howl was prepared to fight for his love. He was the great wizard Howl Jenkins; he got any and every girl he wanted. And the girl he wanted was Michael.
Max cleared his throat quickly, a deer in the headlights. "No master Howl, it's not what it looks like! He's just turned eighteen, can we talk... in private… in your room?" Michael interjected quickly, deflecting any further arguments.
...
Howl felt nervous as he followed Michael into his own dusty room, jumping slightly as with a flick of a painted nail, the door slammed shut behind him at Michael's will. A small giggle rippled through the room as Michael fell backward onto the bed with a light thud, her dress still catching up mid-air as she patting the space next to her. Hesitant, Howl crossed the gap and dropped himself onto the bed. They were both quite for a moment, an agonisingly long moment, Michael was in on his bed and all he wanted to do was to hold her tight.
"You wanted to talk, so let's talk. What's going on between you and that boy Michael, you know I have a right to know what's happening under my own roof,-"
"Well," Michael began, interrupting Howl as he rolling onto his side to face Howl. "For a start Max is not a boy, he's eighteen, he had his birthday a week or so back and so he's a man in his own right-" But before she could say another word, Howl began to rant and drowning out Michael's speech.
"And that's meant to make me feel better is it? He's eighteen, a 'man', and you, a sixteen year old playing with the big kids. What's happening with you two, and under my own roof! If you too are-" Before it was too late and Howl became louder or more unreasonable , Michael rolled on top of him, a slim thigh on each side of Howls lean toned trunk and firmly placing her hands over Howls mouth, muffling any more condemning words or protests.
"I'm sure It's not making you feel any better Master Howl, but I am seventeen soon! And I'm not sure what's happening with Max, really I'm not, but It's not like that at all, innocent on my part,- he sleeps on the floor." Michael's words did little to help ease Howls mind, swimming with images of Max's hands running over soft virgin flesh. Weight on his body shifted as he felt Michael slowly shuffling back and over his body, the firm rounded cheeks of Michael's behind made contact with Howls hip bones, her dress lifted to reveal milky thigh.
A small moan slipped from Howl's lips as the friction between his waking member and Michael's perky ass built up, compressing him slightly. Things got worse as Michael began to tickle at Howls sides, nestling in slightly at the crook of Howls neck, running her hands over Howl, forcing the laughter out of him. Howl wriggled and twitching involuntarily, the smell of Michael's hair filled his nostrils, a fire ignited in Howl, his engorged length painful with the pressure, begging for release as it brushed against Michelle's form.
Howl let out a low growl and a moan as Michael shifted as she giggled and sat back against his swollen cock. Hiding it was impossible, Howl was aroused and hungry. Shock filled Howl as Michael pulled back, looking deeply into Howl with heavy lidded, lust filled, eyes before descending on Howl and planting small kisses at the corner of his lips, it was then that Howl could no longer contain himself.
Moans escaped Michelle's lips as Howl ran his hands over her; she twitted her fingers into his dark raven hair as he pulled her closer against him. Howl placed his lips firmly on Michelle's, as he did so she let out a small moan against Howls argent lips. Michelle closed the gap between them, a hiss escaped Howl as he thrust lightly into her, his hard throbbing cock met hard length, he thrust his hips and met the warm hard length again, accompanied with a moan from Michael.
Keeping Michael close he flipped them. Howl began nibbling at the red swollen bottom lip of Michael, both moaning, keeping their cries low as not to draw attention and be interrupted. Lowering his head, Howl kissed at the soft neck of his love, caressing him, savouring the sweet smell and heavenly taste of his skin. The exposed flesh of Michael's lean and slightly muscular flat chest sent shockwaves through Howl as he look it all in, with or without breasts Howl knew he we wanted the form beneath him, like his dream he had, he wanted both and every side of Michael and Michelle.
Michael brought his hands up theatrically, moving the air and teasing it as if it were smoke, as he did so, Howl felt the cold air on his bare flesh, his shirt slid up exposing the lean slim abs of his stomach. A shiver ran down both of their backs as Michael ran a hand down Howl, coming to rest on the small dark hairs that trailed and lined the path down past Howls belted trousers to the large ominous bulge there. Michael's hand broke the air once more and with one sweeping movement across the space between them, drawing the belt from under its buckle by will, partly freeing Howl's painful manhood, a deep moan left Howl's lips causing Michael's breath to hitch in his throat followed by a loud moan as the belt trailed against his own hard erection, the noise's when straight to Howl's already engorged shaft.
The flexing movement of the material covering Michael's bulge caught Howl's eye, the heat coiled as he began to push grey silk and chiffon up over milky thigh getting ever closer to uncovering Michael, he wanted to touch Michael, to feel him squirm under him as his hands worked.
Time seemed to stop dead, "Are you okay? Michelle honey, are you alright?" the door handle began to twist, in panic both Michael and Howl thrust a hand toward the door and a small almost undetectable noise sounded around the room, the sound of magic against magic. The door handle rattled violently for a moment and then grew still.
Michael began quickly "I'm okay Max, really, I just…" A panicked Howl tuned to face a panicked Michael. Howl watched the rise and fall of Michelle's heaving breasts, and looked down to the tantalising bulge that had lain under the dress, now gone, "…I've just had a little too much to drink! I will be right with you."
With a swooping pushing movement forward, with the air around the small hand of Michelle swirling and a light sound resembling a finger running around the rim of a glass, Howl felt a pressure building rapidly against his chest before he hit the ground hard. Nimble and graceful, Michelle leapt from the bed and over Howl, heading for the door, and Max, smoothing her dress and hair as she went.
Notes: Well that was a long chapter, sorry to those of you who hate long chapters, but I didn't want to break the feeling in the fictional air! Over 3,000 words, that is longer than most people's one-shots! But I think it got good in the end and was worth it, don't you? :3 If not tell me! . So one or more two more chapters yet to come and then I will put this story to bed early, that is If I don't find people interested, if there are people wanting more I have more, a bit of a grand story plot for this story with a big party, confrontation, angst, jealousy, abandonment and SLASH! If you want me to keep writing, remember to review and alert I update regularly (almost every day or two because I have no life…) and I thank each and every person personally! :D I love to know what you think! Oh, and apparently I am big with this story in America and Australia, so if you're from either of them give me a wave, even better say hello, I do like Aussie guys… enough of that! :s
Next time: What happens when Max gets protective, sexual and little nuts on 'love'? "If you lay a hand on my woman, or even look at her with your love sick eyes again! She doesn't want you Howl…"
Howl tries to win his prize, but will he-she want to come home from the carnival with him (if you get what I mean), or will it do more harm than good?
So remember to alert and review, much more to come, it may just get a little dark! So remember to bring your flash lights!
Love you guys,
The 'whichwitchiswhichwriter' xoxoxo