SkulPoint of View
Skulduggery waited for Valkyrie in the hall as she placed a scarf around her neck to brace the cold. They both walked to the Bentley together and Valkyrie kept running through excuses to tell Ghastly.
"Are you okay?" Skulduggery asked softly.
"Just trying to come up with some genius excuse to tell Ghastly that's all."
Skulduggery backed out of the driveway. "I was thinking that... we may have to tell him."
Valkyrie stared at him. "Now isn't that what we didn't want to do? I thought that it would cast a bad image on you if you were seen with me." Valkyrie crossed her arms.
"Well I love you and I want to be seen with you," he said casually.
Valkyrie smiled at him.
"We can trust Ghastly," Skulduggery continued, "I mean I think he's my best friend."
"You think?" Valkyrie asked doubtfully.
"Well I could be wrong and I have been more then once in my lifespan."
"Which one?"
"Both."
"Okay. At least I know you're not perfect," she joked.
A few minutes later they arrived in front of Ghastly's tailor shop. Skulduggery put the car in park and cut the engine. They both sat in silence for a moment or two then Skulduggery finally exhaled. "Let me do the talking."
"Now where have I heard that before?" Valkyrie grumbled.
"The last few times I let you speak, you made a bad impression of me."
"That was your fault."
Skulduggery tilted his head at her before getting out of the car. He walked around the front of the Bentley and held the door for Valkyrie. Ghastly was the first thing they saw when they entered.
"Wow isn't that nice?" said Ghastly commenting Skulduggery. "Where have you lot been?"
"Out and about," said Valkyrie with a smile.
"You shouldn't be smiling about that," said Ghastly an edge to his voice.
Valkyrie turned her smile to a frown. "There. Happy?"
"Ghastly," Skulduggery started, "Are you angry that we haven't been talking to you about what's been going on?"
"I'm angry that nobody's been telling me what's going on. That includes Tanith as well. We haven't heard from you two in ages and quite frankly we also know that you're never home quite enough."
"Have you been watching my house?" Skulduggery asked in a deeper tone that almost surprised Valkyrie at his side.
"No I've been checking in every once in a while. I even saw Finbar go to your house the day you went missing. What aren't you telling us, huh?"
Skulduggery fought to keep his voice low. "You have to right to monitor my house. That's an invasion of my privacy."
"So tell me," Ghastly crossed his arms, "Are you two working against the Sanctuary?"
There was a silence. Then Skulduggery said, "You have reason to believe that all this time we conspiring against the Sanctuary?"
"Yes," he responded sternly.
Skulduggery and Valkyrie both looked at each other and began to laugh.
Ghastly looked at them confused. "What's so damn funny?"
"Oh Ghastly," Skulduggery sighed after he was done laughing, "That is not what's been going on."
"So what has been going on? You two have been confusing me since day two of Valkyrie's stay at your place."
Skulduggery made a sound as if to breathe in. "Ghastly, me and Valkyrie are a pair."
"A what?" Ghastly asked as if he didn't hear him clearly.
"A pair. A couple, two peas in a pod, hitched, we tied the knot, together, bonded, we're seeing each other, we're in love, a package, love birds, you're not invited in our tree..." Skulduggery stopped trying to think of some more.
Ghastly just stared at them and for a minute or two that's all he was capable of doing. Then he said: "Heh are you serious?"
Skulduggery pointed to his skull. "This is my serious face."
"Sorry I baffled. And how did you two come to this conclusion if he's dead?" he asked Valkyrie.
"We found a way around that barrier. Um, remember the pyramid thing when we found while Skulduggery was drunk?"
"Um, yeah..."
"Yea, um, as you saw then, Skulduggery can make himself human now so here we are." Valkyrie held out her arms.
"Wow, I didn't expect that at all."
"Which," Skulduggery said cheerfully, "Brings us to why we are here. Since we've been investigating the Black Market, we need certain attire to get into a party we're invited to."
"And I need a new set of black clothes," added Valkyrie a little shyly.
"What happened to your clothes?" Ghastly asked her.
"They... um... sorta disappeared..."
"Don't ask," Skulduggery said with a laugh, "We need formal, rotting, decaying wear for the celebration."
Ghastly exhaled deeply. "I can do that but under one condition."
"And that is?"
"Next time you leave your stuff behind because you having fun, don't lie to me and say you ran into some psycho you needed to chase for some reason."
Valkyrie blushed deeply and Skulduggery laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, I'll write that under things to remember."
ValPoint Of View
Valkyrie buckled her seat belt as Skulduggery pulled out back on the streets. "That went well."
"If by you mean well you mean completely embarrassing then yes, it did," Skulduggery responded.
She nodded. "Now where to?"
"Well we have no need to be anywhere till the clothes are finished..."
"Okay so how about we..."
"No sex, love." She felt him smile.
"I wasn't going to say that," she crossed her arms, "Pervert."
"Look who's talking. Surely I didn't ask for you to make my day."
"That's low, Skulduggery."
"Not my fault I'm so freakin' handsome."
"Oh go gloat in a grave somewhere," she joked.
He laughed. They continued on driving till they came to a stop light and Skulduggery turned his head to her. "Valkyrie," he started.
"Yeah?"
"About how long have we been together?"
"A couple weeks or so," she smiled proudly. "That's a nice record."
"Nice and shiny."
"Don't get distracted. You're driving remember?"
"Yes, yes." He sighed. The light turned green and a thought repeated in his mind. I want to marry this woman. I love her. But when would be the appropriate time? This might take a while...
******
Sry for taking such a long time to post this up and this chapter wasn't even that exciting. Well the next one coming up they go back to the Black Market for the day of the living celebration so keep a look out :)
