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“Howl, this is incredible!” Sophie said as she held her hat to make sure it didn’t fly off as the wind picked up, causing her now short silver hair to flap around.
The view was incredible in Sophie’s words which she wasn’t wrong about, down the mountain you could see miles and miles of what looked like an endless forest but a small road that led to the mountain.
There was also if you were to look to your right a grove of flowers, just different types of flowers when you named possibly a type of flower it had it to the point you probably couldn’t even count how many flowers there were.
Howl chuckled at Sophie’s reaction, he had expected a reaction similar to that. He moves his arm to wrap around her waist as he laughs.
After everything that happened, they decided to go on a short vacation just them and the open winds, trusting to leave Calcifer, Markl, and the witch of the Waste alone at home and if something were to happen they would be able to call Howl but after everything, they don’t think it will happen.
“I knew you would like it, sweetheart. I planned this just for you.” This caused Sophie to let out a soft giggle.
“Or, you used magic to make it incredible,” Sophie said, causing Howl to let out a laugh and lean back causing his hair to fall back. Sophie couldn’t help but stare at his beauty before flushing, she still didn’t know how someone like Howl would like a girl like her. Just as she thought that she felt a pair of lips touch her temple.
“What's got you in such deep thoughts?” Howl asked teasingly as he chuckled before the wind picked up once again.
Sophie let down her guard with her hat, it almost blew away, if it wasn’t for Howl’s quick movement. He grabbed her hat before giving it back to her.
“You must be careful Sophie. I just got you this hat, don’t want to lose it already,” Howl said, half teasingly as Sophie laughed and grabbed her hat back. She put it on her head once again.
Sophie decided to continue walking up, Howl rolling behind her. She looked around, the view in front of her was incredible. Sophie was in total shock from just the view alone, there was no way Howl didn’t use magic even just a little, this is just too amazing.
“Oh, Sophie, to answer your question earlier, I didn't use magic to make this place. I found it and I knew you would love it.” Sophie then turned back to Howl before jumping on him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her feet not touching the ground. Howl was quick to wrap his arms around her waist and twirl her around. Her dress flapped around in the process, but neither of them cared as they laughed and twirled. The only thing that mattered was each other.
They eventually slowed down before they leaned close and connected their lips. Sophie didn’t think she would ever get used to Howl’s lips on hers. Howl’s are soft,he definitely takes good care of them, or he just uses magic, who knows? She doesn’t know much about magic. Eventually, they pull away from the kiss before they both start smiling. When Howl puts her down, Sophie fixes her dress.
They both continue to walk up the mountain. Sophie looks over at Howl as his black hair sways in the wind. She definitely likes his dark hair better than the blonde before. People would say the opposite, but Sophie doesn’t care.
Sophie turned towards Howl before gently connecting their hands. Howl was caught a bit off guard since they’d never done stuff like this before. Howl had a bunch of times with other lovers, but Sophie had never really been in a relationship before. Howl is her first and she hopes, only one. No guy has ever liked her like this, treated her this kind. No guy would ever even risk their life like Howl did for her.
Sophie’s quite glad she’s with Howl.
Howl stared at her before his face bloomed red. Sophie let out a laugh as she swung their hands. Howl started to chuckle with her before Sophie spoke up. “Shouldn’t you be used to this? You’ve done it a bunch of times.”
Howl chuckled at Sophie’s words. “I have, but it’s different when I’m doing it with someone I actually love.” Howl responded with a twinkle in his blue eyes.
Now it was Sophie’s turn to bloom red, she did not expect Howl to say that.
After they settled down, they continued to walk, still holding hands. Sophie started to get tired, so she decided to rest against the fence that was blocking people from falling off to their deaths. How long until they finally get to their hotel? It feels like they’ve been walking forever. Howl looks like he isn’t affected at all. Is he using magic? Sophie always thinks Howl is using magic even when he's not.
“How long do we have to walk until we finally make it to the hotel?” Sophie asked after a little while.
“We should make it there soon, maybe about five to ten more minutes,” Howl said, more like a question than a statement. Sophie sighed before pushing herself off the fence and continued walking.
Sophie felt like she could stay like this forever with Howl, hand in hand just walking in nature, even if it was a long walk. Eventually, Sophie snapped out of her thoughts and saw that they had finally made it. It looked like a pretty nice hotel, it had an outside pool and almost every room had a balcony, from what she could see down below.
“See Sophie, Doesn’t it look amazing?” Howl had a big bright smile as he glanced in Sophie’s direction.
“You’re right Howl, it's incredible.” She looked over at Howl and returned his smile. “The walk…not so much. Do you think you can do some magic to teleport or even fly up here next time?”
Howl let out a quiet laugh before squeezing Sophie’s hand as they started walking into the hotel. “I will, I just knew you would enjoy the view, so I wanted you to experience it,” He said as Sophie smiled at how he always thinks about her, not just himself. She can’t fathom how someone could call him selfish. He is the most selfless person she's ever known, he deserves the world, but she knows that Howl would disagree, but she can’t bring herself to care.
They walked in with their bags and went up to the front desk for their room key. “We have a reservation for a week under the name Pendragon,” Howl said, still holding Sophie’s hand as the person working at the desk typed in something before handing Howl their cards with a little pamphlet.
They eventually made it to the door to their hotel room and unlocked it. Sophie was stunned by it, it was incredible! It had a king-size bed and a huge bathroom with its own bath. The room had a big couch as well. This place had everything you could imagine!
Sophie put down her bags and hurried to the bed and flopped down on her back. Howl soon followed putting down their bags on the floor. Howl laughed at Sophie’s reaction. “Have you really never been to a hotel before?” Howl asked before sitting on the bed next to where Sophie was lying down.
“Yeah, I never had any free time before I met you. I worked almost all the time and if I wasn't I was sleeping.” Howl sighed after hearing that, why wasn’t he surprised?
They were quiet for a little in a comfortable silence before Howl spoke up. “How about we go check out the pool? You can test out the new swimsuit I bought you.” Sophie chuckled before getting up and rummaging through her bag for her new swimsuit.
Sometime later Sophie walks out of the bathroom in her new swimsuit. “I don’t think this swimsuit matches me.” Howl turns to Sophie and he just stops, he is just frozen from how that swimsuit is just perfect for her. She didn’t feel comfortable wearing a bikini so they decided on a one piece and Sophie definitely fits it. She just looks so cute.
Howl's eyes wondered before snapping back to reality, his face bright red.“You- uh- you look incredible Sophie…it really suits you well.” Now it was Sophie’s turn to flush red. She never really felt secure with her body or her looks and nobody ever complimented her, but Howl on the other hand loved complimenting her.
They soon went down to the pool outside and luckily there weren't a lot of people there, except for an elderly couple. Howl then just jumped into the deep end causing some water to splash on Sophie.
Sophie placed down both of their towels on a seat before sitting at the edge of the pool dipping her feet in. She closed her eyes and looked up feeling the sun beat down on her face before she heard something in front of her. As soon as she looked down into the water, Howl scooped her up.
“Howl! You scared me, at least warn me!” Sophie said as Howl laughed before almost dunking her, causing Sophie to unintentionally grab onto Howl’s hair causing Howl to rub his head while still laughing.
“Oh my! Are you okay Howl? I didn’t mean to grab your hair I was just caught off guard-” Sophie quickly checked if she pulled out any hair, but luckily she didn’t. She would’ve felt so bad if she did. She moved to gently peck where she grabbed Howl’s hair causing him to flush.
They heard the elderly couple chuckle behind them and when they looked over at them they were staring at them. “You remember when we were that young and brightful,” The woman said to the man as he chuckled and nodded.
Later that night, when they were back at their hotel room. They both were tired from the swimming and walking they did that day, Sophie changed into sleepwear and got into bed waiting for Howl to finish his shower. When Howl was one he walked out of the bathroom and he dried his hair and put on some pajamas.
Howl soon moved into his side of the hotel bed and just like clockwork he opened his arms as Sophie moved closer to him and buried her face into his neck, getting comfortable, which wouldn’t take long because of how comfortable she was in Howl’s arms.
“Howl?” Sophie asked, causing Howl to hum, half asleep. “Do you love me?” She asked which caught him off guard.
Howl went silent before responding a little more awake this time. “Yeah, I love you so much Sophie…” That caused Sophie to smile; they sat in comfortable silence before Sophie could hear Howl’s soft breathing level out, meaning that he just fell asleep. She smiled, she didn’t know how exhausted he was but it wasn’t that long before she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her before closing her eyes and trying to fall asleep which didn’t take long been of the exhausting day they had.
~~~
Fin<3