Porcelain Doll (Howl X Reader)

Chapter 15

It was quiet. Like the calm before a storm. No one dared to move from their place as a standoff ensued between the three humans.

The wind blew a small patch of grass, almost as if mocking the silence. The beautiful day held nothing compared to the dread, (Y/N) was feeling as preparing herself for the argument.

Howl was the first to make a move. Uncrossing his arms he rushes forward, grabbing a tight hold on her wrist and dragging her inside.

"I told you to stay inside!" He growls, startling the boy who watched the two pass in silence.

Wincing at his grip, (Y/N) struggles to remove his hand from around her wrist. Slamming the door open he drags her inside ignoring her struggles as Markl quietly shuts the door behind them.

Rushing over to her side Markl gently grabs her other hand, looking at her with large round eyes, reflecting worry into her own eyes.

"We were worried" He pipes up.

Howl reached a sudden stop, causing her sewing supplies to fall out of the basket and onto the floor. Releasing his grip from her he crosses his arms once more, his expression returning to a scowl.

"Calcifer, move the castle farther out into the Waste" He demands, his eyes never leaving the shorter girl's face.

"Yes sir" Calcifer replies sarcastically, trying to break the tension in the room muttering under his breath as he went to work "I swear you guys should just kiss or something"

"Not the time Calcifer" Howl scolds the fire. (Y/N) rolls her eyes in response, mirroring Howl's body language. She remained quiet, waiting for him to start yelling once more.

"I had told you again and again you were not to go outside!" He starts after a few moments of tense silence. "I placed these rules to protect you from whatever magic that cat could potentially have! There was a reason I told you I would be with you whenever you were to go out"

"It wasn't nothing more than a short errand! I can still do things myself!" She huffs, keeping her eyes locked on him as if testing her dominance.

"And I prefer you to not go out alone!"

"I wasn't alone!" She snapped. Her eyes widen once she realizes what she had said, her hands covering her mouth.

She swore if he was facing away from her when she spoke those words his neck would've snapped from the force of turning around. The look Howl was giving her told her to continue speaking.

"I wasn't alone" She stutters over her words, her voice growing quieter the more she spoke. "There was a man who tagged along with me…"

"But! He showed no harm," She says, gaining confidence in her words once more.

"Who was the man?" Howl growls, his eyes narrowing at her.

"He was…." She stops herself, her eyebrows furrowing as she tries to recall. It was odd, she knew she was bad at names but to forget his name so fast was not something she was used to.

"Well he looked…" She scratches the side of her head in confusion, whispering to herself "Why can't I remember?"

"Oh, so you're a liar too" Howl huffs.

"A liar?!" She places her hand on his chest, poking at it with her finger. "Now listen here old man, I may have snuck out behind your back, but I am not a liar. Even despite sneaking out I have not lied to you once during my stay here!"

"Old man?!"

If (Y/N) could take a picture whenever she felt, she knew this moment would be one to capture. The pure anger on Howl's face making his turn a tomato red was priceless. Yet even with everything she had said his mind only seemed to hear her calling him old, even though he was a few years older than her at most.