A/B: Warning. For once this is not Fletcher bashing but rather a sneak peak into Tanith's head… Meaning GhastlyxSkulduggery

I don't own Skulduggery Pleasant but I do ironically own Tanith's weird stories.

Yes this is a spin-off chapter and yes I'm being sarcastic.

Chapter 17 A Moment in Tanith's Mind

'Chapter 132 What Feelings Lie Within?

Skulduggery looked over his shoulder into the dark night sky that lay behind him. All seemed quiet and tranquil as the skeleton sat on the jetty letting this serenity swallowing him, seeping into the depths of his bones.

For a moment he sighed as put his head down in dismay, what was bothering this man who was given a second chance of life was unknown to everyone. But he could feel an ever growing feeling inside of him; he could feel it smother a heart that wasn't meant to be there. The agony of these feelings that meddled with his mind. The sheer surprise as he tried to confront, deny and accept them at the same time. He had heard sayings, that love gave you strength but what was love that normally should never be there. Love that people would grimace at or even laugh at. A love for a friend that had always been there for you, at your side…

Though all seemed understandable at a point of view Skulduggery couldn't accept it and let his heart burn in both pain and love as he made the soundless decision to forget though he knew that when he set eyes on that beautiful figure he would instantly melt and forget anything which he had previously said before.

The caressing moon gazed upon his heavy head in a melancholy manner as if pitying this skeleton and the future decisions he had to make. As the night swept on the skeleton lay down on the jetty listening to the monotonous sound of the waves lapping onto the bank. He dreamt of taking out his heart that wasn't there anyway or thoughts of his loved one, how they spoke, the way they moved and the way their eyes would sparkle whether in the moonlight or daylight.

Ghastly Bespoke

Said a whispering voice carried by the wind.

A rush of heaviness entered the skeleton's mind.

Why did it have to be this way? Why him? Why couldn't he get over him? But every time Skulduggery saw him in his mind he felt like a heart was once again pounding in his chest, heavily. Butterflies swirl in the empty hole where his stomach once was.

Absolute agony. Absolute bliss.

They would run through him whenever he heard his name.

These feelings which lie within that he could never speak out loud. Not even the faintest whisper.

"Skulduggery?"

Skulduggery knew this voice. He would know even if he was once again in the hands of the Faceless Ones driven to insanity.

He sat up quickly and met those sparkling eyes. Skulduggery was thankful that there was no longer blood pulsing through his veins as even in this dim moonlight his heavy blush would've been visible to everyone.

He cleared his throat as that dear friend come towards him on the jetty.

"Ah, yes. It's me" he reconfirmed trying not to stutter for words, trying to make everything normal. They were only friends. That was all they could ever be. Ghastly came closer and sat down next to him.

"What are you doing here Skulduggery?" asked Ghastly, "Is something wrong?"

Yes, thought Skulduggery, 'In a world where you do not love me everything seems to be wrong'.

"No nothing at all, just enjoying the cool night breeze after a long day" Skulduggery answered. Ghastly sat in a more relaxing position.

"I guess it is pretty nice out here" he said, breathing in the cool air or the sea. He looked at Skulduggery for a moment as he put on a serious face.

"I- I was just worried after that mission, with Treeface (NOTE FOR VALKYRIE: Remember in chapter 79? Read it again if you forgot I'll send it too you) that-. Well you haven't seemed the same since then" Ghastly said, slightly embarrassed, but he cared for this man very much.

'Of course' Skulduggery thought, 'That was the day that I realized I- that these feelings came'.

"I know. I guess I just realized something then" Skulduggery said. Ghastly looked at him concerned.

"What? Is there something you want to tell me?" asked Ghastly because unbeknownst to Skulduggery Ghastly also harbored the same feelings for each other.

'I really want you to really want me'

"No. It doesn't matter" said Skulduggery pretending to laugh it off but Ghastly even though Skulduggery had no face to put his expressions on his face could tell that something wasn't right. Something in both of their hearts were screaming out to each other the way a seal would scream as it was being eaten by a carnivorous whale. Anguished and gruesome to the onlooker but yet a beautiful faze of life was taking place as hearts bloomed…

'But I really don't know if you can do that'

Ghastly put a comforting hand on Skulduggery's shoulder and looked deeply in those empty sockets. This man whose carcass held his heart bewildered him as the two connected in a way that was deeper than a connection that two men could ever make to each other.

'But fate can't break this feeling inside'

'That's burning up through my veins'

Skulduggery couldn't help but lean in closer to that scared face, as if a supernatural force was telling him to be closer.

'I really want you'

"Well" Skulduggery started but he couldn't finish. He just couldn't.

'No matter what I say or do'

'The message isn't getting through'

'And you're listening to the sound'

'Of my breaking heart'

Ghastly tried to urge him on, leaning in closer so he would be able to hear even the tiniest whisper uttered.

'I really want you'

Then words seemed useless as they gaze into each other's eyes, closer… closer… until they both-'

"VALKYRIE PLEASANT NEE CAINE WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU READING!" cried out Skulduggery as he glimpsed a sentence of a 'manuscript that she had to read for work'. Valkyrie rolled her eyes.

"Oh don't worry about it Skulduggery. It's just a bit of fun" said Valkyrie trying to continue her reading.

"Did Tanith make this!" asked Skulduggery still shocked.

"Don't shout you're going to make Nicky cry" she said dodging when Skulduggery tried to pull the paper out of her hands.

"That piece of paper is humiliating" said Skulduggery.

"And it's funny" said Valkyrie cackling.

Skulduggery shook his head.

"She better not be showing this garbage to others" he said

Valkyrie smiled and thought 'Good thing Skulduggery doesn't know about LiveJournal' and then made a mental note to ask Tanith for the next chapter.

A/N: Hell hath no fury that Tanith on LiveJournal hath.

Just a bit of fun. It is scary how much I enjoyed writing this one.

Lyrics from 'I really want you' James Blunt are used cause Tanith likes songfics.

Created this out of curiosity from chapter 3.