May 4: Howl‘s Moving Castle. “A Few Heartbeats”
Title: A Few Heartbeats
Day/Theme: May 4: a heavenly stench
Series: Howl’s Moving Castle
Character/Pairing: Howl/Sophie
Rating: PG
She buried her face in the inky blue feathers. He smelled wonderfully alive and magical, even with the stink of smoke and war on him. It didn’t even occur to her how very un-prim she was being. She just needed a moment to soak him up, to savor the feel of his bird-warm, feather-sleek body and breath in his infuriatingly beautiful presence.
The fire and destruction around them went unnoticed for a few heartbeats, but then he was pulling away, hurrying her to safety when it was him she was afraid for. She knew what war did. She had been old enough for long enough to have gained an understanding of death.
He held her close for a moment, enveloping her in the faintly spicy musk of magic and starshine and distant flowers. He spoke to her too, softly, sincerely, lips close enough to kiss. Then, the wings spread and he was lifted out of her reach, into howling winds and falling fire. The scent still clung to her hands, and she covered her face with them, partly in worry, and mostly to breathe it in again.
Day/Theme: May 4: a heavenly stench
Series: Howl’s Moving Castle
Character/Pairing: Howl/Sophie
Rating: PG
She buried her face in the inky blue feathers. He smelled wonderfully alive and magical, even with the stink of smoke and war on him. It didn’t even occur to her how very un-prim she was being. She just needed a moment to soak him up, to savor the feel of his bird-warm, feather-sleek body and breath in his infuriatingly beautiful presence.
The fire and destruction around them went unnoticed for a few heartbeats, but then he was pulling away, hurrying her to safety when it was him she was afraid for. She knew what war did. She had been old enough for long enough to have gained an understanding of death.
He held her close for a moment, enveloping her in the faintly spicy musk of magic and starshine and distant flowers. He spoke to her too, softly, sincerely, lips close enough to kiss. Then, the wings spread and he was lifted out of her reach, into howling winds and falling fire. The scent still clung to her hands, and she covered her face with them, partly in worry, and mostly to breathe it in again.