He sat on a table. Alone. Again. Why did it always end up like this? He always, always lost the people who were close to him.

He knew that he wasn't all she had. But he thought he was the one that mattered most. She told him. She said "I love you." Didn't that mean putting him first? Didn't it mean that what he needed was most important?

Calcifer told him he was being childish. He didn't believe it even for a second. And even if he was, he didn't care.

"Sir, we're about to close." A woman came up to him.

"Alright." He got up and walked out. As he made his way through the streets, he wondered if they were even meant to be. Maybe Sophie was only there to show him that he could never attain a real relationship with a woman.

"Howl Jenkins!" he felt a hard slap across his face. It was like a splash of cold water. Only it burned.

"I leave for a little while, and you go into a bar and get drunk?! What is wrong with you?!" she glared up at him. He looked down at her with an unchanged expression.

"You're wrong with me." He said. Her expression changed to confusion.

"Wha-?" she was cut off when he pulled her into a kiss.

"Mmph!" she was about to slap him once more, but he grabbed her wrist and tightly gripped it. His other arm snaked across her waist.

When the two finally broke apart and he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"You need someone who's gentle with you." he traced gentle kisses down her neck.

"But you got me instead." His arms hung loosely around her.

"What terrible fate you have." He teased. Sophie then put her hands on both sides of his head.

"Why do you always say things like that?" she looked into his eyes.

"Do you really think I don't love you? Are you really that insecure about it?" she leaned in and kissed him. A few tears slipped from both their eyes.

Smiling, Howl draped his coat over her shoulders as they walked back home, hand in hand.