Requiem: Chapter Sixteen...

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"You...you weren't?"

"To be honest, I didn't understand what was happening until the car drove away." His head tilted. "Though I'm flattered that you think my acting skills are that good."

"I don't get it. Is this a joke?"

"No."

"You wanted to kiss me?"

"At the time it happened I wanted to kiss you back, so I did. And now I'm apologising for my behaviour."

"So you pushing me against the car, that was real?"

"Yes."

"Why are you so calm?"

"Would you like me to wave my arms around? Because I'd rather not. They might fall apart." He paused. "Every time I think I've seen the darkest shade of pink you can go, you find another even darker one."

"Shut up. I'm trying to think." He shut up. She tried to process what he'd said. Everytime she tried to accept that he was telling the truth her brain came up against a wall. "Nope, I'm sorry. I can't make sense of this."

"Which part is difficult for you?"

"All of it."

"I think you may be overthinking this somewhat." He shifted on the bed, ignoring the pain as he turned gingerly to face her a little more. "Perhaps you have questions that I might be able to answer. Would that help?"

"Possibly." He nodded, waiting for her to pick a question. "So you wanted to kiss me?" He nodded again. "And did you know you wanted to before you did it?"

"No."

"Do you want to kiss me now?"

"If I try to get out of this bed I will actually fall apart. I don't want to kiss anybody at the moment."

"Okay. If you weren't on death's door would you want to?" He stayed silent, and she realised he was seriously considering her question. She appreciated that.

"Probably," he answered, still as calm as ever. "It wasn't the worst experience I've ever had."

"Thanks for the glowing review," she scowled. He chuckled.

"Valkyrie, I'm not saying it was bad in any way. It wasn't." The warmth in his voice made her stomach squeeze. "In the interest of honesty, I enjoyed it. It was something that I would want to do again. However wanting something and acting upon it are two different things."

"Would you act on it?" She didn't know why it mattered so much to her.

"Hmm." It was hard to guess what he was thinking when he couldn't move and he had no face. The usual body language she'd come to know couldn't help her. "It would depend on the circumstances."

"What does that mean?"

"Well in another undercover mission, if it were necessary, then yes. If it were a normal day then no."

"What makes you say no?"

"I'm not a fan of forcing myself onto women that aren't interested, Valkyrie." He still spoke in that same easy, even tone. She wanted to tell him that it wouldn't be forced. She couldn't. "You have something to say."

"I...was just wondering how this might affect our jobs."

"It shouldn't affect them at all. We've addressed it and it can be put behind us."

"Is that what you want?" He cocked his head in a gesture she knew well. He was confused.

"Why wouldn't I want that?"

"I don't know."

"Perhaps you should ask me what it is you really want to know." His voice grew quiet, and the change of tone sent goosebumps up her arms. She looked at their hands, clasped on the blanket. She looked at the black tape around his bones, even the fine bones of his fingers had been injured. She remembered the sound he'd made as the magic hit him and how he'd faltered and fallen. And she remembered how he'd still shown more concern for her than himself even as his bones began to break apart. She had to ask.

"Do you have feelings for me, Skulduggery?"

"And there we reach the crux of the matter," he said gently. "I suppose I do, yes." She expected him to explain it, or dismiss it. Instead he said it and then he sat there. He didn't try to excuse it or defend himself. He was simply honest.

"Oh," was all she could say. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried again. "Is this a recent thing?"

"I felt something for a short while before the stake out. I wasn't sure what. Then you kissed me and I realised that yes, I am attracted to you. I understand of course that it's inappropriate, which is why I offered an apology, and why I'd like to put it behind us. You don't have to worry about me making any unwanted advances."

"Unwanted advances?"

"Yes. I would like to remain partners and friends. I'd hate to think I spoiled things between us." His gaze was fixed on the blanket, though it was hard to tell where he was really looking with those eye sockets.

"I don't...I..." She was confused. So confused that words failed her for a moment. "Do you think I was acting too?"

"Of course." He looked back at her, careful not to move too quickly. "You were, weren't you?" Slowly, so slowly, she shook her head. "Oh. Alright." They sat there in silence for a few minutes. "Is it the facade?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Is it the facade that you're attracted to?" She blinked, confused. And then she realised why he'd automatically assumed she had no feelings for him. Why he felt the need to apologise to her. She saw through his flippant comments about his relationships. He genuinely didn't believe anybody could truly care about him while he was a skeleton.

She got up from her seat and moved to perch on the mattress beside him, careful not to jostle him. She felt like her body moved of it's own accord as she reached up and touched his jaw gently. And then she leaned in and her lips brushed his mouth. Kissing him without the facade was strange, but not unpleasant. He hesitated, and then he leaned into it as well and it became an entirely different experience. He was so gentle. It wasn't like the passionate embrace they'd first shared where her fingers had knotted in his hair and his body had pinned hers. This was tender and careful.

"Wow. Okay, not what I expected to walk in on." Valkyrie pulled back and turned to see Tanith standing behind them with her mouth open, her eyebrows raised as high as they could go. "I'll give you guys a minute." She turned stiffly and walked away again.

"That woman has the worst timing I've ever seen," Skulduggery murmured. Valkyrie turned back to look at him.

"I like the facade," she said, ignoring his comment. "But I prefer you."

"You understand that I'm a skeleton?" She nodded. "You know I can't be the same as a normal man, don't you?" She nodded again. "And you don't care?" She shook her head. He reached up and touched her cheek carefully. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

"Right, it's time Skulduggery rested," Doctor Raze said as she reappeared out of nowhere, not looking up from the notes in front of her. Skulduggery let his hand drop slowly. "You're going to be here for a couple of days while we make sure you don't spontaneously disintegrate. After that we'll see what happens. You can come back whenever you like tomorrow, Arbiter Cain, but for now I have to ask you to say goodnight." And then she turned away before they could answer, already focused on her next patient.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," she mumbled.

"I certainly hope so." She felt him smile. "If you need to talk I have my phone."

"What are we to one another, Skulduggery?"

"Partners, Valkyrie. No matter what, we're partners."

"Until the end," she said, smiling softly. She bent to brush a kiss against his cheekbone as she stood. He tipped an imaginary hat to her and she left with a grin on her face.

"Where exactly do you think you're running off to?" Tanith asked, catching her as she exited the Infirmary.

"Home," she answered. "It's been a really long day."

"And when did you and Skulduggery start dating?"

"We're not dating."

"Then why were you kissing him?"

"Can we go home first? I promise I'll explain but right now I just want to be at home in my pyjamas." Valkyrie was exhausted. Tanith's expression grew soft and she nodded.

"Sure, Val. We can go home first." She texted Fletcher and in a few minutes the three of them were outside the apartment building.

"When have you been to my apartment?" Valkyrie asked, frowning.

"Tanith uses me as a taxi way more often than I'd like. She made me come here so that next time she wanted to see Ghastly I could pick her up and take her straight there." Fletcher scowled. "Sometimes I'm important enough that the whole Sanctuary wants to protect me. Other times I'm an instant bus service."

"Thank you for being a very efficient bus service this evening," Valkyrie smiled.

"Anything for you gorgeous," he winked.

"Uh, Fletch? I'd stop that if I were you." Tanith's tone was wary.

"Stop what?"

"Flirting with Valkyrie."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't, Skulduggery will snap your arms off, I'm sure."

"Why would he...Wait...You mean he beat me to it?" Fletcher looked dismayed. Tanith nodded. "Damn that stupid skeleton. No offence Val."

"None taken," she answered.

"Still, if you ever get bored of him, come see me." He winked, and then he was gone.

"Poor Fletcher. He had a huge crush on you," Tanith said as they headed inside. "He was gonna try to take you on a date."

"I feel bad now."

"Don't, he's a resilient guy. He'll have a crush on somebody else in a week." She dumped her keys on the side and flopped onto the sofa.

"I'm gonna change out of this ridiculous dress. Back in a sec." Valkyrie padded to the bedroom to pull on a soft jumper and a pair of shorts. She took a minute to think about everything that had happened over the last few days. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She took a deep breath and went back to the living room to find Tanith had made her a cup of tea. She accepted it gratefully and curled up on the sofa beside her.

"So. You and Skul, huh? How's that going for you?"

"It isn't," Valkyrie answered. "That was our first kiss. Sort of."

"Sort of?" Tanith leaned forwards. "Spill."

"You know how we went undercover as a couple? Well we were following Magnus out of the restaurant. He didn't see us out there but he'd seen us sitting together while he was eating. I was wearing a stupid pair of shoes and I kicked a rock by mistake and it hit a grate. He heard it and he was about to see us watching him so I just sort of...made out with Skulduggery."

"Christ."

"Yeah."

"What did he do?" Valkyrie's expression turned sheepish and Tanith's grin got wider. "You have to tell me!"

"Well he was surprised at first, but then he got really into it." She looked down at her mug. "He pinned me against his car."

"He did not! Really?" Valkyrie nodded and Tanith's eyebrows crept up again. "Damn. I had no idea he had it in him. And he didn't complain about the paintwork?"

"No. It was actually me that mentioned that. I thought he was acting so we just went after Magnus like it was normal and said we'd talk about it later. And then Magnus almost killed him."

"So if you thought he was acting, and he thought you were acting, how did you end up kissing in the Infirmary?"

"He said he wanted to apologise and openly admitted that he wasn't faking it."

"Wow. That's bold of him."

"I know, that's what I thought. But he thought I knew he wasn't acting so he said sorry in case he'd offended me." She frowned. "I told him he hadn't and that I wasn't acting either. What he said next made me really sad." Tanith waited for her to continue. "He asked me if it was the facade that I liked."

"Is it?"

"No. No it's not. I mean the facade is handsome and all, but it's not that. It's hard to explain."

"No I get it. You don't like somebody for how they look. I mean I'm dating Ghastly and he's scarred from head to toe."

"That's not it either. I mean it's partly it, obviously. But..." She trailed off, too embarrassed to continue.

"You can tell me anything Val, you know that."

"It's just that I like him."

"You find him attractive?"

"I know it sounds weird." She sighed. "I don't know what it is. The way he dresses, the way he tilts his head when he finds himself funny, his voice. I like all of it, and I'd still like all of him even if the facade never existed."

"I get it," Tanith said. "The things that make you like him are what made me become friends with him. Also that voice could melt the heart of a sea hag if the inclination took him." Valkyrie giggled. "It's not weird that you like him, Val. And to a certain extent I understand why you prefer him without the facade. Ghastly has one that he can wear to get rid of his scars. I hate it."

"I didn't know that."

"I dig scars," she winked, and Valkyrie snorted and almost choked on her tea. "Was it weird kissing a guy with no lips?"

"A little," she answered when she was done spluttering. "But honestly it wasn't bad."

"Was it better with the facade or without?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "The first kiss was wild. I've never been kissed like that in my life. But the second one was sweet and it was actually real and we had a choice. I can't pick between them."

"I can't believe Skulduggery pinned you against the Bentley. He must really like you."

"When was the last time he had a girlfriend?"

"Before I was born, easily. And I'm in my nineties. I don't know exactly how long it was. All I know is that after she turned out to be insane and he had to cut out her heart he steered clear of relationships." She shrugged. "He had a couple of really really brief flings I think, but nobody stuck around."

"Wow. That's...that's a really long time."

"Yeah. Try not to worry too much about that though. Time is irrelevant when you're four and a half centuries old." She paused. "What do you think will happen next?"

"I don't know. We didn't get chance to talk about it really. We're staying partners, that much I know. We work too well together to not be partners. He told me he couldn't be what a normal man would be to me, whatever that means."

"I think he's referring to the lack of organic materials." Tanith had an eyebrow arched as she spoke. "You know?"

"No," Valkyrie answered, frowning.

"Jeez, you really are dumb sometimes. He's telling you that if you ever considered him seriously enough to stay with him long term he couldn't give you a family."

"But I know that already. I don't want a family."

"What he's saying is that you might in the future. If you chose to stay with him you'd sacrifice that."

"I know."

"There might be other things he can't give you, you know. Physically."

"I know that too."

"Unless the facade is as good as China says it is, of course. She's always bragging about it. She says she's designed it so well that Skulduggery should feel alive again when he has it activated."

"This is a really awkward conversation. I haven't even had this kind of conversation with him yet. Should we be talking about it?"

"I won't tell him if you don't," she winked. "Besides, it makes sense to talk it through with a friend. If you didn't I know for a fact you'd spend all night thinking about everything instead of sleeping."

"Thanks Tanith."

"Anytime," she grinned. "So are you gonna see where it goes or break it off or what?"

"I think...I think I want to see where it goes. It might end up being nothing, but I know I'll regret it if I don't at least see what happens next."

"I knew when we met that you'd be trouble," Tanith chuckled. "As soon as Skulduggery said he was avoiding you I thought 'well that's not going to happen'. He's a magnet for trouble."

"He does seem to get into an extraordinary amount of fights."

"That's because he has no fear of offending people. He knows he's usually the smartest person in the room and he's quite happy for other people to know it too."

"I know. I've never been punched so much because somebody likes to talk." She grinned, tucking her dark hair behind her ears. "But I have to be honest, it's exciting. I love my job."

"There really is nothing quite like kicking criminals in the face." They both laughed, and then Valkyrie yawned.

"I'm exhausted so I'm gonna head to bed. Thanks for the tea and the chat." Valkyrie took the tea with her, but by the time she'd crawled into bed and settled beneath the blankets the drink was forgotten and she was asleep.

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