AAAAAANNNNGGGSSSSTTT.

[umehito_nekozawa]

Deep within the large castle, many noises can be heard--mostly from the creaks and groans from the castle's actual motion. However, if anyone were to pass by the door to Howl's bedroom the soft sound of sniffling could be heard. Within the dark tunnel, Umehito was able to hide himself well. His long black cloak blended perfectly with the dark surroundings... but even after crying for a good twenty minutes, the quiet sobs still echoed down the tunnel.

Nekozawa slid Beelzenef off his hand and threw him aside. "Stop it already! Once I st-stop crying I'm going to be f-fine!" He snarled at the puppet in the dark. "This didn't bother me at all!"

Comments

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Howl was just coming up from his bath, towel around his waist with another drying his hair, when he heard Nekozawa yelling.

"Umehito!" He slammed the door open. "What is it? What's wrong?"

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

Nekozawa let out a loud shriek. He covered his face with his hood and felt around on his hands and knees for his dropped puppet. "Howl, I'm fine. I was just having an argument with Beelzenef." He sniffled.

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Howl breathed a sigh of relief. "You had me worried."

The wizard walked over and picked up Beelzenef.

"What were you two arguing about, if you don't mind me asking?" He held out the puppet. "Must have been pretty serious."

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

"Oh he was under the impression that someone had hurt me. I'm FINE." His fists clenched at his sides as he got to his feet and started towards Howl. Being sure that his tear-stained face remained hidden, shaking hands reached for the puppet and gently tugged at him.

"Just... fine."

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Howl put his hands on his (barely covered) hips. "...You don't look "fine" to me."

He was upset by the idea of someone hurting Nekozawa and him not knowing about it, though he had a pretty good idea who was the root cause.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?"

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

A few seconds of silence passed. All at once he put on Beelzenef and started towards where the room's bed was.

"It was nothing! Really. Nothing. I... Am perfectly, alright." He rubbed his eyes, hoping that Howl would just get back to his bath.

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

"And that explains why you've been crying I suppose." Howl wasn't convinced.

"I'll have Calcifer heat some water for tea. Join me downstairs if you feel like getting it out."

Howl grabbed a clean set of clothes and was gone from the room before he said something nasty about Tamaki Suoh.

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

All at once, he slapped his hands over his mouth. A deep blush spread on his face as Howl left. Was he really being that loud?

"Ah! Howl! Wait!" But he was already gone. With a groan, he focused on trying to make his swollen eyes and stained face look normal again. He couldn't possibly ignore the wizard now.

After a short time, Nekozawa marched out of Howl's bedroom and rushed down the stairs. "Howl, listen, it's not what you believe! I wasn't crying at all, you must have been mistaken."

New icon! So happy! Tehe!!

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Howl was downstairs at the table, now completely dressed and sipping at a cup of green tea while having a pleasant conversation with Calcifer about the weather. The fact that Calcifer was being polite meant there was something strange going on. The fire-demon hid in the logs when Nekozawa came down.

"Oh, there you are. I was wondering when you'd get here." Howl motioned to the seat across from him and poured a steaming cup of tea. The curtains had been drawn in the room so the only light was coming from Calcifer's hearth.

Aw, it's so cuuute! :3

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

Nekozawa blinked a few times. He looked down at Beelzenef, who simply shrugged back up at him. Something was... off. The puppet waved at Calcifer, and getting the hint Umehito set the puppet down next to his hearth.

The young magic user's blue eyes fell upon Howl. He was so plesant...

"Is something going on, Howl?" He asked, settling down at the seat where Howl gestured towards. "There really is no reason for you to keep the room nice and dark."

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Calcifer flared up slightly in an odd sort of greeting, then buried himself back under the logs. He didn't want to see Howl lose it.

"Why would you think something's going on?" Howl asked with a smile. "This is just a nice tea between friends."

"There is a reason for keeping the room dark as long as the sun hurts you. I would never let you be hurt."

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

"You're acting rather... perky, is all." He lowered his hood, keeping his wig in place (just in case his magic didn't erase all signs of his crying). "I'm greatful for the gesture, but I would have been fine under my cloak. You don't need to fret over someone who just lives in your castle."

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

"Is it strange for me to be cheerful?" Howl smiled again. Calcifer shrunk even further into the hearth. This was going to be a doozy...

"Now, are you going to tell me what happened?"

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

"I suppose not." He poured himself a cup of tea, and began to gulp it down. Why was Calfifer so jumpy? "And Howl, nothing happened really." A soft sigh escaped him. "You must have misheard when you thought I had been crying."

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

"I didn't hear anything." Howl sipped his tea. "Your face said enough."

"Biscuits?"

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

Green tea spilled down the front of his cloak as Nekozawa stared wide-eyed at Howl. "Y... You saw m-my face?"

He instantly began to wipe down the front of his cloak with a napkin, avoiding eye contact. "It was dark Howl. You must have mis-seen."

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

"Umehito, it's my room. I'm a wizard. Did you think I wouldn't?" Howl set his cup down a bit roughly, but held his temper in check.

"Have I done something for you not to trust me?"

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

Oh no. He's offended him again. Nekozawa quickly shook his head 'no'. "No, no, it's not that..." His face went red again. "It's just..." The sound of his voice got quieter and quieter as he continued. "...I don't... want to amit that I ended it so quickly."

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Howl reached over the table and took Nekozawa's hand in both of his.

"Umehito..." The wizard tried to smile. "I know how you feel. I've been there."

In the hearth Calcifer peeked over a log. It looked like Howl's infamous Welsh temper had been adverted.

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

Nekozawa couldn't stop staring at their hands. "It's n-nothing... really... I don't mind wasting all that magic for those years." He brought his free hand to the side of his head. "If anything, this was a good experience. I-..." His voice started to crack. "...I know not to love someone so completely."

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Calcifer winced and ducked back down. Howl's hands tightened around Nekozawa's almost painfully.

"If you loved him then it wasn't a waste of time." Howl said slowly, his voice seeming to stick in his throat. "No time spent loving someone ever is."

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

The will of Nekozawa finally broke. "What is the point if you give all your heart to someone and they don't even want it?!" His usually blank face twisted into one of extreme sorrow.

"The pain is far worse than what one fleeting dream of romance can make up for."

Poor Neko-chan!

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Howl all but leaped over the table to gather Nekozawa in his arms. "It'll get better. It doesn't seem like it now, but it will."

The wizard stroked Nekozawa's hair. "I know how you feel Umehito. It is worth it to love someone so completely."

cute fluff always makes things better ya know. >3

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

The hug brought back the memories of the young man at the amusement park, and how he casually mentioned that Howl may have feelings for him. Whether he wanted to admit it, this whole thing was making him feel better. He set his forehead down on his shoulder.

He wasn't going to cry... no... not again... With a small whimper, he wrapped his arms around him and tightly hugged him back.

Of course it does! :)

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

"Let it out Umehito." Howl advised his long fingers rubbing the other's back. "If nothing else I'll always be here for you."