Special (Howl x Reader)

• Characters: Howl Pendragon, Marco / Markl, Calcifer
• Fandom: Howl’s Moving Castle
• Tags: Fluff, confessions
• Warnings: None
• Word Count: 1k words
• Requested by anon: Hello! Could you write fluffy headcanons about Howl falling for and confessing to his apprentice (with the same role as Marco, but around Howl’s age instead)? Thank you!
• A/N: I was more inspired to write it as a ficlet, so here it is. I wrote this sort of as a mix of book and movie Howl, I hope you like it! :D

Originally posted by yuuki-ko

Howl Pendragon x Gender Neutral Reader

_

You were so focused on the spell you were reading that you didn’t hear him arrive. Marco and Calcifer spoke to Howl, but you were still reading with such concentration that you jolted up when you felt a hand squeezing your hip.

“Is anything the matter?” Howl’s melodious voice received you when you turned around, dazzling you with a charming smile. 

“I’m almost finished with it” You absently said, gazing back at the book while ignoring the butterflies in your stomach. His hand had lingered on your side, but it finally moved away to hide under his long sleeve.

“So studious” He replied admiringly. “Don’t overwork yourself, my dear apprentice” 

Still going over the written words you had almost memorized by now, you nodded your head at him. He laughed a little, equally amused and endeared by your focus.

“I will be back soon” Howl said, returning to the door once more. “Marco, look after Y/N in my absence” 

“Of course!” The boy cheerfully replied, moving to join you at the workbench.

With that, the door closed again. You suddenly found that it was hard to retain the words on the spell as a bashful smile formed on your lips. The feeling of Howl’s warm fingers on your hip still tingled through your skin. You hoped he wasn’t busy when he returned, and so you hurried to finish the spell to avoid being busy yourself when he came back.

-

A few hours went by. Marco had helped you with the spell and you had saved the shining powder that you enchanted in a small jar above the workbench. Calcifer snickered as you cooked over him, which made you realize you kept sneaking glances towards the door. 

“You still haven’t told us how you got Calcifer to let you do that” Marco pointed out, watching the bacon frying in the pan with hungry eyes.

“It’s natural talent” You grinned, briefly glancing at the boy before returning to the cooking so the bacon didn’t burn. “Calcifer just liked me”

“No, I don’t like you” He grumpily retorted, even if you knew he was just diverging. “You are wicked”

“I am not!” You chuckled in outrage. “Everybody likes me”

“Not everybody” The fire said in return, much to Marco’s amusement.

“Who doesn’t like Y/N?” Howl’s startled you once again as he suddenly came in.

“Calcifer” Marco giggled, to which the wizard smirked as well. 

Flustered by his mere presence, you forced your gaze down on the pan as you finished cooking and began serving the food on the plates. 

Howl had been so kind to you, taking you in and letting you not only stay in the castle with them, but also learn magic from him. Surely, it had helped that you were becoming like an older sibling for Marco and that Calcifer did like you from the beginning, but Howl himself had gotten a liking to you as soon as he saw you with your kind eyes and your friendly smile. His gaze was set on you as you moved, watching you with that fondness he so often showcased.

It was the same way he looked at you as he asked if you needed anything, or when he asked if you had eaten anything all day. That look was the one he gave you when he smiled at you and when he congratulated you for a successful spell.

“Y/N” He kindly called you. “May I talk to you for a moment, please?” 

You stuttered for a bit, frantically moving as you doubted between your shyness to approach him and your eagerness to do so.

“Just one moment, Master Howl” You absently replied, immersed in your task. “I’m almost done with-”

“How many times have I told you not to call me that?” Sweetly smiling at you as he did, he tenderly took your hand and dragged you away from the table. “Howl is fine”

“It’ll get cold!” Marco warned him, but Howl never lost his smile.

“It will be just a moment” He dragged you with him, away from Marco’s and Calcifer’s curious ears.

“What is it, Ho-?” Before you could finish your sentence, you yelped. Howl suddenly wrapped an arm around your frame and spun in circles with you in a cheery and spontaneous dance.

“My dear, lovely Y/N” Howl almost sung, gently pressing you against him as you continued to spin.

“You’re in a good mood” You replied, holding on to his shoulder for fear of stumbling.

“I am euphoric” He finally stopped spinning, making you feel dizzy. It was either that or the fact that you were incredibly close, gazing into each other’s eyes. “All thanks to you”

“Me?” You frowned in confusion, yet the spark in his eyes didn’t lie. “What happened?”

“Remember during breakfast? You laughed at my joke”

“I did, but… what does it matter?”

“Your smile, it brightened my entire day”

“You say that to everyone”

“Not everyone”

“What makes me special, if I may ask?” 

Howl showed you an enigmatic grin. None of you had moved, pressed against one another in an unexpected embrace as your eyes locked still. 

“You don’t know?” Tenderly, as he always treated you, Howl took your free hand and pressed it against his chest. “Are you sure?” 

Your heart skipped a beat at what you thought he was saying. Instincively, your eyes fell over Calcifer. There seem to be no changes, but Howl’s chest was warm under your hand.

“I had my suspicions when you arrived here” He continued to say, keeping your hand in place under his own. “The first days I felt… something, and I thought you did too”

Too moved to utter any words, you only nodded your head. His smile widened.

“And then, today you smiled at me like that and something stirred within me” Howl chuckled, momentarily averting his gaze. “All because of you” 

Both of you moved at the same time, inching even closer until your lips nearly grazed. Your eyes were already closed, but a loud voice made you back away.

“The food!” Marco complained, joined by Calcifer’s cackling. “It’s getting cold!”

You chuckled in spite of yourself, glancing back at Howl. He lingered on that position for a bit longer, shaking his head, until he finally let go of you. Your skin felt cold as it broke the contact with Howl’s warmth, but it soon returned. Just when he kissed you in the cheek before reuniting with Marco at the table.

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