Chapter 18 – Awkward!

Haaiioooo people! Been a while since I (Shan) uploaded, huh? Well, no worries, there's no need to wait any longer! Here's the 'love' chapter you might have been waiting for (or not, y'know.. That is a.. Possibility too)! Anyway, enjoy reading it.
~Shaniee

ooOoo

Sunday morning.

Really early morning for a Sunday.

Really early meaning, seven in the morning early.

Guess who are up?

Tanith and Valkyrie.

Skulduggery sat on the sofa of his living room. He'd been up all night, as usual- skeletons don't sleep. Instead, he'd been peacefully meditating.

Until THEY got up.

Down the stairs they came, trying their very best to be quiet, when infact they sounded like two giggling rhinoceros. Immediately disturbing his meditation, the girls half tiptoed half fell in to the kitchen and started to make breakfast.

All Skulduggery could do was pretend that he hadn't been interrupted, and watch them.

It was interesting, really. It was like watching two wild animals make themselves at home in unknown territory. If he made but a single sound, they'd both freeze, wait for a while, and then go back to whatever they were doing.

It appeared that they had chosen to have cornflakes for breakfast as the bowls clattered about and boxes were ripped open.

Skulduggery raised one bony hand to his forehead and mentally sighed. Ghastly and Fletcher had stayed the night as well, and were fast asleep. Thank fully, the two girls had gone straight to sleep last night, seeing as the current case was requiring a lot of their energy and time.

They sat down at the table, munching away on their breakfast, and began talking to each other.

It was just casual chit-chat like, "Do you think we woke the others" and "That cornflake looks like a butt", and of course the occasional giggle. But then they got on to another subject and their voices dropped a considerable amount- enough to pique Skulduggery's interest.

Its one of those situations where you have a really nosey person trying to listen in on someone's conversations from afar. As usual, its impossible when they are whispering.

So, what to do? Why, creep closer, of course!

With as much skill as a skeleton who has been through years of war, and general sneaking about, he flattened himself on to the floor and began to shuffle forwards.

The space between the kitchen door and the living room door was not much. A meter, if not smaller. He had to pause every now and again when the girls stopped talking to munch on their cereal.

Soon enough, he was right underneath the wooden chair than Valkyrie was sitting on- half of his chest and below sticking out noticeably.

".. Oh god no, I wouldn't say that. What was it- ah, elegance. That's what he calls it," He heard Valkyrie whisper.

"Mmhm," Tanith said through a mouthful of cornflakes. "And have you seen the ties he wears? God, he looks like a diabetic clown!"

That comment rewarded a laugh from Valkyrie. Tanith shushed her, reminding her to be quiet, though she was trying her best not to laugh as well.

"He has no idea how ridiculous he looks on a daily basis, does he? Oh Skul.." Valkyrie shook her head slowly, one foot hooked over the other.

They were talking about -him-?!

Skulduggery felt like biting Valkyrie's ankle and growling. But he didn't. He wouldn't lose his composure over such a childish thing.

Thinking that, though, he still glanced down at his latest tie- it was a modest light blue, with a matching, if not darker, blue suit. It didn't look clown-like. To him, at least.

Deciding he'd heard enough, he began to shuffle backwards with enough elegance possible.

Once his head was clear from under the chair, he stood up, brushing off his suit. If he had lips, they'd be set in a scowl.

"You girls are so nice." He mumbled almost inaudibly.

Valkyrie spun around on her chair, her smile fading. She put on her best shocked face and said: "Oh! You heard us?!"

Skulduggery rolled his non-existent eyes and turned away, heading towards the door.

He was about to leave when two arms encircled him, and trapped him in a tight hug. "We were only kidding, of course! You need to brush up on your ninja skills."

He remained silent for a while, his mind going a little crazy as he realised that it was Valkyrie that was hugging him.

As he turned around slowly so that he wouldn't make her let go, he was met with the biggest puppy eyes he had ever seen in his many years of life.

"Stop that- that's unfair," he said, almost choking.

Valkyrie grinned cheekily at him and opened her mouth to say something smart, when Skulduggery began to tickle her sides, making her fly backwards and on to her back on the ground, in a fit of laughter.

Skulduggery followed her to the floor, tickling her continuously until she was gasping for breath. To prevent himself from being kicked, he sat firmly on her legs.

"S-Skulduggery! Stop!" Valkyrie gasped through laughter.

Almost immediately, Skulduggery withdrew and sat upright, still on his legs.

"A-alright, your ninja skills are okay." Valkyrie said, grinning as she sat up on her elbows. Her face was flushed from an intense tickling session. Tanith had left the room at some point during it to make sure they hadn't woken anyone else up.

Skulduggery tilted his head to a side and shrugged elegantly. "You should know by now that I think highly of myself no matter what people think- its what makes me so wonderful. You should learn from me."

Valkyrie made and face and sat bolt-upright in protest.

Wasn't a good idea.

Before she could stop herself, her face collided with Skulduggery's- or, rather, her -lips- collided with the area his lips were meant to be.

They both froze for a moment. Did that -seriously- just happen?

Really?

Valkyrie's eyes were open wide as she slowly sank back down on to the floor, her hands covering her face.

Skulduggery coughed awkwardly and got off of her. "Aghem. Well, I'll go check on the.. Others."

He brushed off his suit and left the kitchen, leaving Valkyrie so lie on the floor muttering, "Oh my god" over and over to herself.

"Hey, I just passed Skul-" Tanith waltzed in to the kitchen, but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Valkyrie on the floor. "Uuhm, Val?"

Valkyrie kept muttering to herself as Tanith approached her with caution. Then something clicked in Tanith's crazy little head and she began to panic.

"Oh! She's having a seizure! Oh my god! What do I do?! Someone tell me what to do!" She flailed her arms about uselessly, her eyes shut tight.

"Shut up, Tanith!" Valkyrie said, pulling her down on to the floor next to her. "The most embarrassing thing -ever- just happened to me.."

And she went on to tell Tanith the story about hers and Skulduggery's first, accidental, kiss.

Tanith was rolling around on the floor laughing (Rowfeyull. :D) by the end of the story, and Valkyrie had a rather grumpy expression on her face. "Tanith! Its -not- funny!"

"Ohh-hoo, yes it is, Val! Oh dear.." Tanith snickered, wiping away tears.

"Will you two.. SHUT UP!"

They both jumped as a rather disgruntled Fletcher appeared in the doorway, his pillow under his arm.

"Go back to bed, spoilsport." Tanith scowled.

"Make me!" Fletcher said, sticking out his chest in an attempt at manliness.

Tanith leapt to her feet and began to prowl towards him- all trace of the man he wanted to be left Fletcher in an instant and he screamed and ran upstairs with Tanith hot on his tail.

ooOoo

O'rly, did you like it? Ohh, you -didn't-? My bad, well, if so.. Please give me some more ideas for the next chapter- it would help a lot.

Even if you DID like it, and have ideas, please tell me. Just leave a review, and I might use your idea for my next chapter (and compliments are always welcome too)!

Next chapter will be done by the awesome NuggetBoss: Jess! Good luck.

~Shaniee