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

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."

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

Like Nekozawa would ever cry in front of anyone. No, he wasn't really burying his face into Howl's chest. He wasn't sobbing while his hands gripped onto the back of Howl's shirt. It was all just Umehito's imagination.

As much as he wished it wasn't true, he softly cried into Howl's chest, hugging him tightly while he pet his wig.

I'm glad you're still up :)

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Deciding the room was dark enough, Howl's long fingers, only slightly callused from all of his spell work, eased Nekozawa's wig off of his head, and he continued to stroke, feeling the boy's silky blond hair.

"Umehito..." Howl sighed, wondering how anyone in his right mind couldn't help but want him.

I don't normally get tired until five am for the last week

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

When his tears finally started to slow, he found himself staying in Howl's arms.

"Howl... Why are you so kind to me? Is it because I look like you?"

Have you gotten any sleep at all? @_@

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Howl stroked Nekozawa's forehead. "I... I've never felt this way about anyone before. Not just because of our similar looks, because you're just as attractive with the wig as without... It hurts me to see you suffer."

Slept till two pm! 8D

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

His heart pounded in his chest. In his dreams he heard Tamaki say that same cute phrase, but... Umehito was hurt. To know that the person he loved for years was able to throw him aside was unbearably painful. But... He didn't have to change fate to get Howl to like him...

Before his brain could possibly kick in, Nekozawa's hands wrapped around behind Howl's neck and pulled him down into a kiss.

1/2

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

Howl felt Nekozawa's hands pull him close and his eyes went wide in surprise. His lips were touching Nekozawa's before he realized what was going on, but once his body realized it, it wasted no time in reacting to the boy's touch and Howl moaned into the kiss making it much deeper than Nekozawa probably intended.

2/2

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

...Then Howl's brain caught up with his body, and he pulled his face away, though his arms stayed around Nekozawa.

"Umehito...?" He asked hesitantly, his cowardice showing. "Is...Is this really what you want?"

aw... ♥

[black-magicman.livejournal.com]

Nekozawa definately wasn't expecting him to react so strongly. A delight filled him and he began to return the kiss. He almost felt disappointed when he pulled away.

"Howl... I wouldn't let you call me 'Umehito' if I didn't like you." His blush darkened. "And... I definately wouldn't kiss you. I... I want this... so..." Wrapping his arms around Howl, he leaned up and kissed him again.

Warm fuzzies for everyone! ♥♥♥

[mycastlemoves.livejournal.com]

"You...you really want me?" Howl asked, and was then captured in Nekozawa's kiss. His knees went weak and he toppled over onto the floor, inadvertently dragging Nekozawa with him, but he didn't let that interrupt what he was doing with his tongue.