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Skulduggery's main living-room was dusty and pierced with sun beams. Valkyrie leaned against the fireplace, whilst the owner of the house was calmly reading the newspaper in an antique armchair. Valkyrie scanned through her phone for new text messages from her boyfriend, Fletcher Renn. She had recently asked him to go on a date to a dance with her.

She looked up from her phone. 'Dammit.'

Skulduggery looked up at her from behind his newspaper. 'What?'

'I've just realised a flaw in my whole date thing with Fletcher. '

'Oh?'

'I can't dance.'

Skulduggery laughed. 'I see your problem.' She sighed and put her phone away.

'Can...Um...can you teach me?'

Skulduggery hesitated. 'We have no music...' Valkyrie paused, and then rushed upstairs to find her old laptop that she kept in his house. When she found it, she brought it back down and plugged it into a spare socket. She turned back to Skulduggery.

'Well?' Skulduggery folded up his newspaper and dropped it onto a nearby table. He stood up and walked over to her, hands in his pockets. Valkyrie looked at him and gestured to her computer.

'Choose a song.'

Skulduggery hunched over the laptop, and quickly chose a song. 'Dead man walking' floated through its speakers.

Valkyrie raised an eyebrow. 'That song?'

Skulduggery cocked his head. 'It's sounds like they're singing about me.'

She shook her head at him. 'Your ego is ridiculous.' Skulduggery laughed and put his hand on Valkyries waist.

'Can you hold up your right hand please?' Valkyrie raised an eyebrow, but obliged. He took her hand in his.

Valkyrie cocked her head. 'This looks too old-fashioned.' Skulduggery shrugged.

'I'm over 100 years old, what kind of dancing would I choose?' Valkyrie rolled her eyes, but put her free hand on his shoulder.

Skulduggery gently led them both round in a circle, murmuring the lyrics.' I'm a breathing, talking, dead man, walking.'

Valkyrie laughed at him. 'Okay, I see what you mean about the song.' Skulduggery grunted good-naturedly.

'Well, why wouldn't someone write a song about me?'

'But it's not about you.'

'Then what is it about?'

Valkyrie blushed. '...you know, about a man who still loves this woman, even though she doesn't love him...'

An awkward silence filled the room, only the chorus of the song sang out.

Skulduggery eventually nodded quickly. 'I prefer my version better.'

Valkyrie grinned. 'Me too.'

Skulduggery twirled Valkyrie around at the final chorus, making her laughed quietly. After the song finished, they stood still, holding on to each other, until Skulduggery coughed loudly and dug his hands into his pockets, looking at his shoes. Valkyrie blushed again and stepped back.

'That wasn't dancing.'

Skulduggery looked up at her.' How rude.'

Valkyrie grinned and selected a new song. 'Cops and Robbers' started playing. Skulduggery groaned.

'Why, Valkyrie?'

She laughed 'its sounds like they're singing about us.'

Skulduggery cocked his skull, listening to the lyrics, "if we catch a criminal, when we catch a criminal, there's nothing we can do, but play cops and robbers, cops and robbers." Skulduggery shrugged.

'I suppose so...'

'And we are wasting valuable dancing time.'

She started sashaying her shoulders, clicking her fingers. Skulduggery looked at her, not quite getting it. Valkyrie laughed and pick up his arm and holding it high above her head, twirling around it. Skulduggery stood awkwardly. Valkyrie laughed and let go of his arm, clicking her fingers whilst circling him. When she ended up back In front of him, she started shimmying towards him. Skulduggery stepped back, alarmed. Valkyrie grinned nodded at him. He hesitated, and then did the same, following her movement. Valkyrie nodded again approvingly.

'Yeah, like that.'

'This is all very complicated.'

Valkyrie sighed. 'You just go with the music.'

'Right. Yes.'

When the chorus arrived, Valkyrie made a gun out of her hands, pretending to shoot Skulduggery, whilst he mirrored her. Eventually Skulduggery was moving in time with Valkyrie, clicking his gloved fingers, but accidently created a fire in his hands.

'Oops.' He said, and quickly extinguished it. Valkyrie burst out laughing. She stood in front of him, and turned the top half of her body to the side, her head turning to him, and then switching to look over her other shoulder. He mirrored her, then took one of her hands and spun her round. She grinned at him.

'You're starting to get this, aren't you?'

'Indeed.'

The final chorus filled the room, as Skulduggery lifted Valkyrie high into the air, spinning her round. She squealed and laughed in delight. He put her down gently as the music came to a stop. Valkyrie breathed deeply, smiling.

'That is dancing.'

Skulduggery laughed. 'You're a little out of breath. 'As he pulled her into a hug, Valkyrie smiled.

'Thanks for teaching me.'

'Thank you for teaching me.'

Skulduggery patted her back as they parted. Valkyrie nodded at him. 'Well, you needed teaching.'

He cocked his head. 'Well, yes, but…'

'You had no idea.'

'No, but…'

'Not a clue.'

'You're welcome, Valkyrie.'

Valkyrie laughed. 'Now I know how to dance, I better get ready.'

'I'll take you home.'

Valkyrie shook her head. 'No, it's okay; I'll walk part of the way, and then get Fletcher to drop me off at my house.'

Skulduggery nodded. 'Have a nice time.'

She smiled. 'I'll try. See you tomorrow, yeah?' She waved her fingers, and left, shutting the front door behind her. Skulduggery looked back at where he last saw her and leaned against the wall. He ran his hands across the front of his skull.

'Stupid. Stupid, stupid skeleton,' He said quietly, 'You. Mustn't. Love .Her.' He let his head droop and put his hands in his pockets. 'But you do love her. You had to go and fall in love with her, didn't you.'