I’ve been wondering all along if you would turn out to be that lovely girl I met on May Day. Why were you scared then?
Sophie laughed lightly. “Well,” she said, getting the sauce ready to warm up. “It started out as a deal. I would break a curse on him if he broke one on me. We became friends before either was broken,” she informed her.
“What curses did you both have?” Yuuki asked, curiosity hinted in her tone. She was fortunate enough to have only had very few curses placed on herself, yet she still barely knew anything about them.
Howl thought of keeping her out here until she told him what she was, however, the look of fear in his eyes made him decide against it. He sighed, shot Calcifer a look, and pushed the door open wider. “Enter, if you wish,” he invited. He would discover this secret of hers later.
When he pushed the door open and invited her in, Yuuki’s lips quirked up into a small, genuine smile. Taking a cautious step forward, she decided to tell him. “I-I’m a demon..” She managed to choke out, not daring to cast him another glance as she quickened her pace to walk inside.
Howl’s expression remained the same. Demons in the castle didn’t really surprise him anymore. He closed the door behind her and went to sit down on the stool by the hearth. “A demon, eh? Calcifer’s a fire demon, but he doesn’t really speak to others of the like ever since a little incident we had a while back,” he said, and gestured to a chair nearby, “Would you like to come sit down and dry off?”
Yuuki kept glancing at him, but his expression stayed the same, confusing her. Every other wizard she had encountered had immediately tried to attack her, placed some kind of spell on her, or something of the sort. “You.. You live with a demon?” She asked, looking right at him, her expression blank; hiding everything she was feeling. Hesitantly taking the offer, she walked over to the chair and sat down, her gaze now on her lap.
He had been about to jump back and away when his cello hit against her so that she couldn’t grab him again - but then he heard her whimper it made him stop short. She moved back away just a little from him herself. Hagi watched this girl with a quiet interest as she still stood strong before him. After a few silent moments she moved to the side. A signal for him to go, he supposed. Moving his cello case back over his shoulder he walked quietly passed her. “Let’s go.” He called out to her once he was a few steps ahead in the direction he had been trying to go.
As he started to walk away, Yuuki was about to turn and go the opposite direction, when she heard him call out to her. Unsure if he was actually talking to her or not, she glanced around, only to find there was no one around. Hesitantly, she started to take a few steps in his direction.. but she eventually picked up her pace to catch up to him. Falling into step beside him, she said nothing. Turning her head slightly, she glanced up at him, just now realizing the drastic height difference between them; she didn’t mind. As her eyes wandered over his features, she waited for him to explain as to why he had invited her to come with him.
Howl thought of keeping her out here until she told him what she was, however, the look of fear in his eyes made him decide against it. He sighed, shot Calcifer a look, and pushed the door open wider. “Enter, if you wish,” he invited. He would discover this secret of hers later.
When he pushed the door open and invited her in, Yuuki’s lips quirked up into a small, genuine smile. Taking a cautious step forward, she decided to tell him. “I-I’m a demon..” She managed to choke out, not daring to cast him another glance as she quickened her pace to walk inside.
Sophie nodded. “Yup. He used to have a contract with a friend of mine, but that was broken and he stuck around. I was a little surprised, but not too much,” she said, mixing the pasta. She was happy she got Yuuki to smile. It looked like the girl needed it.
“Demons tend to stay where they feel the most at home.” Yuuki said, her body relaxing somewhat as she spoke. “You must be quite brave if you’re willing to become friends with a demon.” She added, the smile not once leaving her face.
