Howl & Sophie (Howl's Moving Castle)

21

It was a somewhat magical feeling, indescribable and surreal.
Her surroundings had faded gently to a completely different realm - ominous ocean water transforming into a warmer, softer environment.
Changes began slowly, gradually.
The feeling of a desk materialising beneath her palms. The water thickening, then withdrawing all at once - leaving not even her shoes wet. Even the sunlight filtering through the windows began to break through her clouded vision, illuminating the room that was forming before her eyes.
She was returning.

Finally.

Then the darkness opened up completely, golden light pouring into the library like liquid into a cup. She could see herself from afar, soundlessly asleep on the desk she had been seated at. Perhaps it was not her body that had travelled through dimensions, but her soul.
Beside her sleeping body, a daisy covered package placed in perfect condition by her side...

Get that wretched thing away from me.

Sophie inhaled a steady breath, slowly regaining possession of her body. It's weight feeling almost irregular as she attempted to lift her head, she struggled to push herself up from the table.
A stifled groan escaped her throat, and Sophie involuntarily yawned.

Had she really been asleep all this time? Soundlessly asleep, unaware of the horrors her subconsciousness had endured?
No matter. She had far more important things to settle. 

A sudden burst of energy overcoming her, Sophie snatched the wretched journal into her hands. Gripping onto its smooth surface, she attempted to conceal her rage and utter exasperation.

First stop, Howl.

___________

[howl : continuation of ch 16]

She had found him somewhat agitated, striding through the corridors hastily. After his brief conversation with Calcifer, he seemed to be in a bitter mood.
Howl slid open the door to the study, wearily trudging into the room - lifelessly navigating his body to his chair. She hadn't seen him in so, so long- but surely it had only been seconds to him.
Slamming his head onto his desk, he let his eyes droop, and slowly shut.

"Howl," Sophie exclaimed, eagerly throwing her hands down onto the table. He jolted in surprise, rising immediately despite his previous lethargy.
She wondered what she would have done if he hadn't responded, or had fallen asleep.

"Sophie!" He cried, leaping towards her affectionately like some sort of animal. "Where- where were you?!"

She paused for a moment, cherishing the warmth that came with his sudden embrace. She felt his firm hands against her back, holding her so tightly she thought she would break. Small, meaningless things such as this had never before felt so important to her.
His head resting gently against her shoulders, his legs shuddering with overwhelming relief and exhaustion...

"Sophie... even these few moments away from you feel like an eternity. I can hardly stand it."

Oh.

The memory came crashing down on her, its burning image etched so clearly in her mind.
This warmth... his loving gaze.
They once belonged to someone else.

Sophie stiffened at the thought.

"Howl," she began frigidly, shifting away from his grip. She reached down, before abruptly slamming the journal directly onto his desk. Her glare was void of sympathy, filled only with the urge to discover and withdraw her own pain.

"Tell me everything."