Half Beauty (Howl Pendragon)

Chapter Seven

Josie's Pov
"I've never known a man to take so many baths as Howl, how many baths can one man take? He takes one after training Josie, when he comes back from town." A small soft snicker left my lips deciding for the night I would help Sophie out since she did most of the cleaning and cooking.

I would help her out tonight. All those reading books and practicing all day I was bond to learn a thing or two with new recipes. I held the flame in my open palm with ease looking at the fish frying up on the pan with the cut up potatoes. Fish and chips was quite easy to make.

"Howl just likes his baths but, I think it's causes he is flamboyant." I answered finishing up. I let the flame from my palm die down, before I plated everything up carrying all the dishes over to the table sliding them around.

"Oh you have never been more right Josie." Calcifer commented over at me. I ended up snickering harder then I should have.

"Flamboyant?" Markl questioned already digging into his plate fast eating it like his whole like depended on it.

"Remember when Howl yelled when his hair turned blue? And talked about how hideous he was?" Sophie gestured with her free hand sipping from her tea cup giggling.

"Who doesn't remember that meltdown." Markl started laughing quietly.

"Why can imagine that." I laughed shaking my head slowly.

"Sophie you didn't have to bring that up." We all turned out attention to see Howl had finished up his usual bath time and had come down from dinner.

"Oh yes I did, you've always been such a drama queen." She laughs out shaking her head even more.

"You are a drama queen Howl, you freaked out when you got grass stains on your white shirt." I giggled feeling him shooting me quite the playful look in return when he sat down next to me.

"Don't forget his bath water has to be just hot or it isn't right." Markl started mimicking Howl's voice I almost died from laughter.

"Let's not forget oh my hair!" The two of them exclaimed laughing with one another loudly. Howl just had a look of amused placing his hand under his chin.

"You all done? Is it beat up on Howl day." He grabbed his own cup filled with water drinking from it.

"Nah we just like making fun of you and your girlfriend." Luna chimed in I cleared my throat lightly licking my lower lips.

"Luna you won't be saying anything when I splash cold water on your face." I threatened to her slowly getting more laughter around the dinning table. I saw Howl glance at me quite gently while I grew astray in thought.

There's no dying that with my new life here I've been developing something for Howl... Yet I was totally afraid to act on it I could tell Sophie and Howl had some deep feelings for one another. And at the moment in a confusion time in my growing life a love triangle.

I was so pulled into my thoughts that I needed a way to hide my emotions from Howl. I didn't need him finding out about my feelings for him. That wouldn't do any of us any good.

"Josie are you alright little flame? Your emotions are a lot of anxiety and nervousness?" I jolted a little glancing at Howl watching him tuck his dark locks behind his ears. I forced a soft smile tucking my own curls away. Inhaling a very sharp but quick breath.

"Yeah.. Yeah I'm just don't feel very well actually I'm gonna go to bed early yeah." I gave him a reassuring smile standing up I kissed his cheeks, telling Sophie and Markl goodnight.

I gave Calcifer and Luna the rest of my food I didn't eat heading upstairs to my room.

"Howl what did you do." Markl whined out loudly.

"Josie is woman of not many words... She hides a lot of things." Howl answers back in a small tone. I made it all the way upstairs slipping inside my room I shut the door behind me letting a small sigh of relief out.

I slipped my shoes off and took off my pants leaving me in my usual night shirt I climbed into bed grabbing one of my new large spell books tracing at the cover leather feeling the pattern on my fingertips.

I puffed my cheeks out the emotions in me feeling almost like back when I was a teenager I wanted these silly emotions and feelings to go away. I shut my eyes holding the large book close to my chest muttering in low whispers.

"There's gotta be a spell in here that can you know erase emotions and feelings, maybe make you not fall in love, I'm falling for you Howl."