#evening tickles

Her husband just yawned, turning on his side, away from his spouse, trying to get some more sleep. Sophie on the other hand was fully awake now, inspired by the joy downstairs to spark a little mischief fun here too. She turned herself around, facing Howl’s back now. She moved closer, one arm around his slender torso, her face buried into his neck and midnight-black hair. She caressed his chest and bare tummy, graced over his skin with her fingertips, oh so softly. Howl was only wearing pajama pants, because, well, Sophie’d put on the matching top of his pj’s - as always. She nuzzled into the crook of his neck, enjoying his scent, his soft skin underneath her lips and fingertips, while his muscles tightened under her gentle yet teasing touch.

„Mhhhmsohophie“, a sleepy complaint was mumbled into his pillow, aside with a huffed laugh. He moved his right arm to cover his ribs and sides, but Sophie was quick enough to still get to his sensitive spots on his upper body. Her fingertips crept over the back of his ribs, up and down, which aroused goosebumps all over his body, an unexpected shake rushed through the wizard: „Sohophie, lehet me sleep“, he chuckled: „at least for a bit longer“

„No, my love“, she whispered, smirking: „Remember our talk last night?“

„N…noho?“

„I bet you do“, she giggled, her husband was adorable but stubborn as always.

„I dohon’t“ (He did.) He laughed into his pillow: „Behe a good wife and let your husband alone.“

„I beg you pardon?!“, she was lowering her voice, dangerously. Her fingertips had stopped their teasingly-soft movements.

„Be a dear, and make breakfast, if you can’t sleep any longer.“

„Excuse me?!“

„That’s what you do beHEST!“, the last word burst as shriek out of his mouth.

„Oh! You’ve got some nerve!“, she hissed, smirking, while her fingertips had found their way under his arm. She was hovering her love, her upper body covering his torso, her face super-close to his now.

„Sohophehehie“, Howl tried to vanish, laughter was drawn out of his lungs while his wife attacked one of her wizard’s most vulnerable spots (the only one she knew of!). She wormed her fingers further into the soft skin of his, shaken by his wiggles and movements beneath her own body.

„Aha-aholright, I give. I gihive“, he was out of breath, still giggling, when her fingertips left that one weak-spot. He turned on his back, Sophie still all over him, snuggling her face into the crook of his neck. Howl put his arms around her, embracing his darling tightly, still shaken by his giggles, both had wide smiles on their lips.

„What was it again, what you decided last night?“, he mumbled, kissing her forehead.

„Oh-ho, what I decided?“

„Yes?“

„Noho, Howl. You offered me to fulfill a wish - any kind - today. That’s not my own decision, Wizard. That’s a gift.“

„Ah, seems kinda right, yes. What was your wish again?“

„A switch of our schedules for one day.“

„Huh…“

Sophie kissed his neck: „Like a role-play. You promised it.“

„I did, actually.“, he whispered, teasing her again: „But what if I don’t want to?“

Her grin grew wider: „No backtalk, or else…“, her fingertips ghosted over his bare ribs again - equally teasing on both sides this time.

„Alright, ahalright, love.“

„So…“, Sophie started with a serious tone in her voice: „…my role for today is to stay in bed“

„Aha?“

„Complain how exhausted I am from life“

„Hey!“, he chuckled.

„It’s true. You always whine and complain“, she giggled.

„Huh…“

„It’s true. Don’t talk your way out of this.“

„…“

„So, I’ll relax while you, dear husband“, a kiss on his chest: „take care of everything and everyone - to begin with, you could make breakfast. And“

„And?“

„Don’t burn the food to proof a point. I know you can cook.“, she smiled, looking up into his blue eyes: „You’re actually quite good at cooking.“

„So, Sophie Jenkins Pendragon“

„Yes, Howl Jenkins Pendragon?“

„Do you want to eat in bed or do you want to join the rest of us later?“, a nudge of his nose against hers followed.

„I would like to join you.“ (The thought alone of all the crumbles in bed? NO!)

He nodded, humming, turning them both around while Sophie giggled, now underneath his body. He lowered his face, lips hovering over hers: „I’ll take care of everything, my love. Relax.“

Sophie, still in bed, was reading a novel while she listened to the different voices. The open french doors of their master bedroom, as well as the summerly breeze, made it a little easier to sneak on talk snippets. Granny, the former witch of the wastes, was in her rocking chair. Sophie could hear the squeaks and creaks of it. She giggled, when Howl ordered Markl and Calcifer around - yet with a please at the end of his sentences. A significant side-effect of playing her role for the day.

Breakfast made by Howl was delicious this morning. Sophie wouldn’t mind if Howl could take care of that specific task more often but being with no responsibilities at all? She was very bad at acting like Howl for a whole day. Every time, when she tried to be in charge for something, even something small like putting the cleaned and dried dishes away, Howl came to remind her of her certain wish.

„Ah-ah! Sophie, don’t get carried away again, huh?“, he smirked, grabbing her from behind, pulling her into a tight uplifting embrace to carry her to the lounge chairs outside: „Behave and relax, will you?“, one of his eyebrows went up, while his eyes sparkled amused, his smile widened when Sophie wiggled uncomfortably on the cozy furniture underneath her. His arms were on either side of her shoulders, holding her locked in place while his face was close enough, so the tip of his nose could touch hers.

„But… it’s…“

„Yes?“

„Doing nothing at all? I can’t stand it.“, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, pouting: „It’s exhausting.“

Howl stood up, hands on his hips, facing the sky with closed eyes, laughing his loudest laugh: „Seehee? It is exhausting!“ While the tall wizard laughed at her, she chuckled, shaking her head amused. What had she married into?!

Later, when Markl and Grandma were already in bed, Heen probably curled up next to Markl on his bed, Sophie told Calcifer: „Heat up the bath for me! Now!“

„Sophie?“, the fire-demon was staring at her, wide eyes and confused. It wasn’t her way of asking for something: „What is going on with the two of you today?“, he asked, lurking at her and his friend somewhere behind her.

„I am sorry, Calcifer.“, she whispered, putting up an extra log for him later. Howl’s low giggles were audible in the background, while he’d put the cleaned dishes and dinner left-overs away.

„Would you be so kind and heat up the bath for me, Calcifer? Please?“, Sophie asked again, whispering. She didn’t want to tell Calcifer about their secret.

„Ah-huuuh! I shall do.“, he mumbled, still unsure what was going on.

Sophie, all soaked and warmed up, returned to her bedroom. Steam crawled over the wooden floors, the tiny bathroom window could only suck a small amount of it out into the night. Time would take care of it. Her star-light hair was still a little damp, when she leaned against the door frame, smiling, looking down at her exhausted husband on their bed. He was on top of the duvet, already in his pajama-pants, covering his face with his forearms. A soft giggle escaped her lips, while she was putting on the matching top. The lower end of it touched her thighs, while she was shoving the sleeves up a little - her routine, night after night. She wasn’t as tiny as her sister yet way smaller than her husband - the slender, giant wizard.

„How are you?“, she whispered, when she crawled up next to him.

„Exhausted“, he sighed, Sophie laughed.

„Don’t laugh“, his eyes still closed, arms still crossed over his face: „I really am.“

„See? That’s how real exhaustion feels like.“

He growled something, incomprehensible, embracing his wife in a quick move, turning them both over. Now she was underneath him, already giggling, while he kissed the tip of her nose: „Did you enjoy your day today?“

„Honestly?“

„Mmmhmmm?“

„Half and half.“

„What’s that supposed to mean, huh?“

„Well, on the one hand, I enjoyed staying in bed a little longer. I enjoyed your cooked goods. Your meals were delicious, especially the breakfast. I could get accustomed to that.“

„And on the other?“, he pecked a kiss on her cheek.

„I felt awful, not having anything to do, just sitting around or, if I tried to help?“

„Yes?“, a smirk appeared on Howls lips.

„You just bossed me around, back on a lounge chair, to do nothing at all, again and again.“

„I bossed you around like you always do.“, he chuckled.

„Noho, that’s not how I do it.“, Sophie giggled, looking up at her wizard with midnight-sky hair, who lowered his head a little more.

His lips were very close now. She could feel his breath on her skin: „No?“

„Absolutely not. I wouldn’t boss you around to sit down and do nothing!“

Howl chuckled, his soft laughter vibrated through her own body.

„Unfohortunately not.“

„At least“, she giggled: „I am much more polite than you are.“

Her magically-gifted husband stiffened a laugh, caressing her lips with his own: „Maybe a little.“, he whispered.

„A little?!“, she hissed.

Howl chuckled, kissing her, close to her ear: „Don’t make me use your superpower against you, the day hasn’t ended yet.“

„What superpoweheher?“, she squeaked, while Howl had poked her own ribs a couple of times, as a warning.

„Hehey!“

„See?“, he chuckled: „That’s a superpower of yours and you are just as susceptible and vulnerable to this, as I am…“

„Oh-ho, no. Howl, pleahehease, don’t!“, Sophie shrieked and giggled while his fingertips ran over her sides, softly and knowing. If she would be able to open her eyes, even for a split second, she could see hearts in his eyes. He adored his starlight-haired wife. While Howl was a little distracted by all the love he felt, Sophie grabbed his upper arms and squeezed them. It was a move to shove her husband away from her, but with that? She hit his own sensitive spots a little too much for his own good. He collapsed onto her body, chuckling while she giggled. Sophie embraced her lover, pulling him tightly against her own body, with curious fingertips running over his bare skin. The back of his ribs was very sensitive to her touches, but Howl shrieked suddenly.

„What was that?“, she giggled, very excited.

„Nothing!“, he squeaked.

„Nothing, hmm?“, she chuckled and her fingertips ran over his lower back - now on full speed. He laughed his head off, into the crook of her neck, which made her giggle in return.

After a while, when the laughter had subsided, only a low chuckle here and there, the couple was facing each other: „Guess I found another weak spot of yours“, Sophie grinned happily.

„Maybe…“, Howl mumbled into his palms in-front of his face, his midnight-sky hair was a mess and all over the pillow as well as his hands and forehead.