"Guys, come down! It's time to eat!"

You groaned as you rolled over on your partner, Markl's bed, smothering your face into his torso as your arms wrapped around his waist. It had been a long day of magic training with Master Howl, and now your muscles felt like Calcipher had set fire to your entire body.

"Mmfrggh." The scent of mint and freshly cut grass filled your nose as you buried your head further into Markl's chest. "I'm sleepy, Mar," you mumbled, your voice muffled by his vest.

His light chuckles vibrated through his chest, tickling your nose, and he returned the embrace, burying his own face in your hair. He inhaled deeply, and you drew your head away, giving him a look. "Eww," you drawled out. "I probably smell gross."

Markl looked back at you, smiling gently, and it took all your willpower not to blush. Years had passed since the two of you'd been taken under Howl's wing, and now Markl was barely a boy anymore - he'd grown into a fine young man, with looks almost as good as his master's.

His orangey-brown hair had grown out, and he liked to wear it in a small ponytail which you'd teased him about first, but you had to admit that it did suit him very well.

"Actually," his smooth voice snapped you out of your thoughts, and you were blushing madly inside when you discovered that he'd been staring into your eyes the entire time. "I think that you smell pretty nice. Like... Flowers." He broke eye contact with you to pull your head closer, and rested his chin in your hair. "It's a pretty smell..." He mumbled as an afterthought, oblivious to the pink hue that arose to the tips of your ears.

He pulled back once more, and looked back into your eyes. His hand found your cheek, trailing down to your chin, leaving electricity running across the path that his fingers took. "You're pretty too, [First]..." His voice was barely above a whisper as he leaned in, slowly closing the space between you two...

"Hey, you two! Sophie's done with dinner, so..." The two of you were interrupted by the voice of your master, who, seeing what was happening, had trailed off awkwardly. "Ah." He stood in the doorway, a blank expression on his face, and the two of you quickly backed away, sitting up, faces flushed.

"Well, then, I'll... I'm going to eat," announced Howl, his voice flat, and
he retained the same blank look as he stiffly turned and slammed the door behind him.

After a few moments of silence, you cast a timid glance towards Markl and blushed to see him looking at you as well. "So, [First], um..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck as he felt all his confidence from just a few moments ago fly out the window. "Be my girlfriend?"