14th Contract - [video/action]

[conesoldstober]

[Hey City! Did you feel like something was missing in your life? Perhaps were feeling the loss of a certain narcissistic magical Welshman?

Then pine no more, for as the camera flickers into life, it displays an extremely bedraggled Howl Jenkins sprawled across the pavement near the fountain. He, quite frankly, looks like a hot mess. His normally immaculate blond hair is frizzed around his head in a messy haystack, the much darker roots showing at his scalp. He's got dark bags under his eyes, and he's wearing and extremely torn and tattered black suit.

Howl sits up, clutching his head.]

Bloody hell!

[Followed by a few more choice swear words.]

Sophie! What have you gotten us into this time you bloody old woman!

[He attempts to stand up, but staggers, hand suddenly clutched over his heart. He swears a few more times, breathing heavily.]

And remind me to please explain to you that hearts go in the middle. This is going to take hours to put right.




[ooc: He's baaaaaaaaaack. Howl's been updated to directly after the end of the book. Hes extremely hungover and just defeated an evil witch so someone please bring him coffee and bacon. Especially if that coffee has kahlua in it.]

Comments

SINCE WHEN

[conesoldstober]

We wouldn't have been in such a mess if you hadn't run directly into the trap laid out for you! I tried to stop you didn't I?

[He staggers a bit more and has to lean against a near by phone pole with another wince and clutch to his heart.]

SINCE I SAID SO

[mrsnose]

[She probably shouldn't be grinning, even if it ends in a flash - he remembers - but there's the problem. Sophie keeps doing things she shouldn't be doing. Like hurrying through the house to search for a coat so she can rush to him.]

I thought a poor woman was in danger! Granted, that poor woman wasn't so poor after all.

YOU ARE THE WORST WIFE

[conesoldstober]

The poor woman who tried to kill us both? Yes, not so poor after all.

[He's had to collapse on a bench, now. His heart is beating up a storm and he's still not used to it, even after all the time with his heart back in the City.]

AHA BUT I'M NOT YOUR WIFE

[mrsnose]

Yes - well - we took care of her, didn't we?

[Off she goes, off the door and scowling at the device in her hands as she walks. What a sight.] Or, you took care of her, mostly, and then I took care of - [The star. The demon. All that Calcifer could've been but wasn't.

She waves her hand, dismissing the continuation of that sentence.]

NOT YET

[conesoldstober]

-of some other things, yes.

[He's slumped in the bench now. He really does have a killer of a headache.]

Please tell me we have tea and bacon at home. And I hope you haven't thrown away all my spells, Mrs Nose. I need a long hot shower and to put this heart back in its rightful place as soon as we get home.

NO-ONE ASKED SO :T

[mrsnose]

We always have tea and bacon at home. And no, I haven't thrown out a single one, although the alcohol is gone. We didn't need it. [Because she said so.

She just walks, hurries, tries to hurry without running.]

I thought you'd left for good.

JUST WAIT

[conesoldstober]

Why on Earth would you do THAT?

[He huffs.]

Of course I wouldn't be gone for good. I wouldn't leave you here on your own, cariad.

[mrsnose]

[O-oh - oh, no. No, she thinks she must have her heart out of place, too. It's beating too fast.] Yes, that was -

[A brief smile.] Poor Pavel. I made him help me look for mice the whole day, in case you'd botched a spell.

[conesoldstober]

I'm sorry for causing you distress, my dear.

[mrsnose]

I've gotten used to you causing me distress. [She also happened to miss it. Especially when everyone was married and she had to talk to the world's biggest cynic.

But all that doesn't matter at all, because she's seen him. The device gets pocketed, and she starts to run, stopping only when she nearing the bench. She's grinning by the time she steps up in front of him. Her fingers move through his hair, pushing it away from his face.] It's not an invitation for you to cause as much as you want, just telling you that I've gotten used to...you.

[conesoldstober]

And you stay by for some odd reason.

[And then she's here, and he's smiling despite the fact that he's still hung over and probably looks a terror, and his hands are around her hips to tug her in closer.]

I think I may have gotten to you as well, Mrs Nose. Despite how much I've fought it.

[mrsnose]

[She should be at the very least embarrassed by displaying this much affection in public, but it doesn't matter anymore. He's smiling, she's smiling. The City could burn and she wouldn't see it.]

It might be insanity. [She steps closer, and sits down on one of his legs. Her hands straighten his jacket a bit, picking soot and ash and whatnot off it.] Did you try to fight it as well?

[conesoldstober]

Oh, endlessly. The last thing I needed in my life is a nosy busybody like you.

[He pulls her closer at that, resting their foreheads together.]

[mrsnose]

[Softly.] And the last thing I need in mine is a cluttered melodramatic mess like you.

[conesoldstober]

You might have been better off without me, then.

[mrsnose]

Might have?

[conesoldstober]

It's not entirely certain. I am rather irresistible after all.

[mrsnose]

Oh, so am I, I've heard. [Is this the part where she just brushes her forehead against his, leans down to rub their noses together, and cannot stop smiling? Yes.]

Back to exploit me?

[conesoldstober]

Are you going to cut up my suits to teach me?

[mrsnose]

I've been looking forward for the chance.

[conesoldstober]

Remind me to buy a padlock for my wardrobe.

[mrsnose]

Remind me to not remind you.

[conesoldstober]

Unless you'd like to pay for a new one. And my taste isn't cheap.

[mrsnose]

Has it occured to you that maybe you should learn from my lessons, instead of encourage more?

[conesoldstober]

Not for a moment, no.