A/N: Howdy folks! I just wanted to make a quick note so that everyone's on board: just so you all know, this is not a continuous story. It's a series of one shots, and as such I'll be jumping around a lot between time frames depending on what story I can draw out of the theme. That being said, drumroll please…

Theme: Blood

It had only been one month since Sophie had turned back to her normal self. One month since her bones went from tired and crooked back to their healthy and young selves; one month since her hair had been grayed and scratchy and turned back to red gold and flowing. One thing that did not go back to how it was was the notion that as the eldest daughter she'd live a boring, un-extraordinary life. Sophie was grateful to not have that belief back.

But now that she was a young woman once more she certainly became more aware of her living conditions. That's not to say she didn't love the moving castle—on the contrary, the castle and its inhabitants were very dear to her—but Sophie had to admit that she missed the camaraderie of her sisters. There were just some things that were easier to discuss with women…

"Sophie, I insist!" declared Howl one Sunday afternoon. "Really, you do so much for us, and it's Sunday for goodness sake! A day of rest! Please, Sophie, allow me."

Howl clearly wanted something. And it was clearly something he wanted to be on Sophie's good side for. Why else would he ever consider doing the laundry?

"Nope!" Sophie quickly retorted, hugging the huge laundry bin closer to her. "I don't know what you're scheming, Howl, but I absolutely insist upon doing the laundry today. If you'd like to routinely lend a hand with all the other chores I can certainly draw up a list for you—the bathroom, the tub, and sink, the toilets, the floor…," she listed as Howl's face paled a bit, "But I am unwilling to hand the laundry over to you today!"

Howl looked beyond bothered.

"Why? Why on earth not?" he demanded. Calcifer had, at that unfortunate moment, slipped down the chimney, but thought the better of it when he heard Howl's raised voice.

"There are just certain things that should be left to me!" Sophie yelled back.

"That's ridiculous! I am the master of this house! Why are you being so sneaky about the laundry, hmm? What are you up to, Mrs. Nose?"

"Oh! You aught to just leave me be, coward! You're clearly trying to use laundry as an excuse to slither out of something! Now spill! What are you hiding from?" Sophie had hitched the large bin of laundry onto her hip and was resting a fist on the other. With her scowl and beaming hair, Howl thought she looked quite fierce, and he didn't quite understand why his heart jumped just a little bit.

"Can't a man simply do an act of kindness for his lady?" Howl sighed, a purr in his voice. He had to try a different approach. Howl could have sworn he saw a faint color rise to Sophie's cheeks, but she willed herself to not be wooed by his words.

"Ha! Now you wish to do something for me? Here's a thought: you could have left me as an old woman! I almost preferred being old! At least I got my way when I was a hag!" Sophie spat back.

"But my dearest, that curse was never meant to last. And besides, it was always meant to be lifted by you. You are, after all, a very talented woman, Sophie," Howl cooed as he took a sauntering step closer to Sophie.

A devilish smile toyed at Sophie's lips.

"Why, thank you for reminding me, Howl," she said.

Howl's eyebrows furrowed together—what did she have up her sleeve?

Sophie hoisted the hefty laundry bin up to eyelevel.

"Laundry, you shall only be washed by me today!" she exclaimed.

Howl hung his head in defeat.

"Sophie, please…" he began. But Sophie promptly interrupted him.

"If you need me, I'll be doing laundry," she said firmly as she marched upstairs to the bathroom were she'd already set up her soaps, buckets, and washboard.

Howl snuck up into the bathroom two hours later. Sophie had allowed herself a small break for tea and biscuits, and while her back was turned Howl decided to take his chance. He had no malicious intents (though he understood why Sophie had thought he did). But Howl had genuinely wanted to relieve Sophie of one of her many burdens.

Howl came sprinting downstairs only moments later.

"Sophie! Sophieeee!" he hollered. Sophie nearly shattered her teacup as it bounced on its saucer. She looked at the wizard like he had gone mad.

"What happened? Where are you hurt? Who did this to you?!" Howl demanded, rushing over to her, gripping his hands on her shoulders. Sophie was quite at a loss of words. What on earth was he going on about?

Sophie's silence only tormented Howl further.

"Tell me what happened darling and I swear I will make them pay!" he vowed.

"Wh—What?" was all Sophie could muster.

"I saw it! In the bathroom! The bucket of bloody water! Sophie, I'm hurt that you didn't come to me and seek my aid!"

'Oh dear', Sophie thought. This would be interesting to explain.

"I'm quite alright, Howl," she said, desperately hoping that would suffice. She tried to shrug off his grip, but he hadn't yet calmed down.

"How can you say that at a time like this?" cried the wizard.

"Howl, please," Sophie sighed. "Nothing has happened. I'm perfectly safe, perfectly unharmed. There's absolutely no need to worry."

Howl looked at her with desperate eyes.

"Then why the bloody water, Sophie?" He sounded like a wounded puppy.

"I told you I was to do the laundry today, Howl. There was a reason I insisted!" was all she replied.

"Then you are hiding something from me!" Howl exclaimed.

'And he accuses me of being nosy…' Sophie mused. But she made no verbal answer. She simply didn't know how to explain to a man that this was something she had to deal with each month.

"You can tell me, Sophie," Howl whispered urgently. He wanted to badly to be there for Sophie, to support her and make her feel important. But at times like these he really couldn't understand her.

Sophie let out a long exhale and gently placed her tea on the counter.

"Each month," she began, "there's a particular week where I need to take special care of my laundry." She looked hawkishly at Howl, praying he picked up on the meaning behind her words.

"Why each month?" he asked. Sophie wanted to melt. He clearly was clueless.

"Howl, you have a mother and a sister, yes?" she asked. Perhaps she needed a new approach.

"Yes, of course. In Wales. Why is that relevant?" he replied.

"So…you're," Sophie really hated this. "…you're familiar with what happens? To women?" Sophie really, really hated this.

"What happens to women?" he muttered to himself, playing the phrase over and over in his mind. But after a few moments Howl looked back at Sophie and shook his head in confusion.

"Oh, botheration! Why? Why? Why me?" Sophie cried out. Howl continued to look at her with inquisitive eyes.

"I'm menstruating, Howl!" she shouted at the wizard.

All the color flushed from Howl's face. His hands released Sophie's shoulders, and he limply stepped back a few paces.

"Now. Will you please let me carry on with my chores?" Sophie asked in a tone like she had just scolded a naughty child.

Howl didn't meet her eyes, simply nodded and let her pass. He concluded that it was perhaps best to let Sophie get her way every now and again.