❛ 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒆 ❜

19

as soon as howl and y/n returned to the castle, the door slammed behind them with a heavy, resounding thud. howl stood there for a moment, his back pressed against the wooden frame, chest rising and falling with the intensity of what they had just escaped. his eyes darted toward y/n, who was already making her way up the stairs, each step more unsteady than the last.

y/n could feel her breath growing shallow, her chest tightening as she reached the main room where calcifer lay crackling over the hearth. her mind swirled with the haunting images of the witch's henchmen and the fear that had gripped her so fiercely, that it felt like it would never release its hold. calcifer, oblivious, spoke up in a low, spiteful voice, not even bothering to turn around. "soooo...how did it go?" his tone carried the weight of bitterness, still upset about being left behind, his flames flickering irritably.

but before y/n could even begin to respond, her knees buckled beneath her, and she slumped to the floor, her hands coming up to her head as she wept softly. the sobs that escaped her were raw, broken, and filled the room with an unbearable heaviness. the sound alone snapped calcifer out of his sulking, his flames sputtering in surprise. "huh? what's going on?" his usually sharp voice softened with concern, and he turned to see y/n crumpled on the floor, trembling. "howl, what's wrong with her?" he demanded, his eyes flicking to the wizard, searching for an explanation.

but howl didn't respond right away. his face was drawn, his features tense as he stepped away from the door, his boots clicking softly against the floor as he slowly approached y/n. his eyes, normally calm and calculating, were clouded with a mixture of guilt and something far darker—a protective instinct that had only grown since they'd narrowly escaped danger.

y/n's soft sobs pierced through him, tearing at his carefully maintained composure. he hated seeing her like this—so vulnerable, so shaken. he crouched down in front of her, moving slowly, his hand reaching out to rest on her shoulder.

"i'm so, so sorry..." y/n whispered through her tears, her voice hoarse and barely audible.

the words shattered the already fragile silence in the room, and howl felt his heart twist painfully in his chest. "y/n..." he breathed, his voice low and strained. just as his hand grazed her shoulder, she flinched away, pulling herself further from him. the rejection hit him harder than he cared to admit, his eyes widening in surprise.

"i think i should go," y/n said, her voice trembling but resolute. the moment the words left her lips, howl's expression shifted, his usual calm demeanor fracturing.

his eyes flickered with disbelief. "go?" he repeated, the word heavy with disbelief and an undercurrent of something far more dangerous. he let out a short, sarcastic laugh. "and where, exactly, do you think you'll go?"

y/n's tear-filled eyes met his, a storm of emotions raging within them. "home," she replied, her voice firm despite the tremble in her body. it was a simple word, but it carried the weight of her desperation—her need to escape, to be somewhere far away from the danger and chaos that seemed to follow howl wherever he went.

howl's face twisted into a mocking smile, one that didn't reach his eyes.

he stood slowly, towering over her now as the room seemed to darken around them. "home?" he repeated, his voice dripping with incredulity. "do you even realize how far that is? on foot, it would take you a week at least. do you honestly think you'd survive the journey?" he asked, rhetorically.

y/n's breath hitched at his words, but she refused to back down. "i-i will figure something out. i can manage..." she snapped, though the uncertainty in her voice betrayed her.

howl's smile faded entirely, replaced by a look of cold intensity. he took a step closer, his towering presence suffocating, his eyes locked onto hers. "manage? you'll have to deal with wild animals, the freezing nights, dehydration...and let's not forget about starvation. you really think you'll 'manage'?" his words cut deep, laced with more than just concern. there was a sharp edge to them, a possessiveness that y/n couldn't ignore. she felt cornered, like prey in the jaws of a predator, and for the first time, she wasn't sure if howl was trying to protect her or control her.