A/N: I don't own Skulduggery or Valkyrie, but Prolix Loquacious is m OC. I know this isn't Valduggery per se, but they are in love, it just takes Prolix to tell Valkyrie that. Among other things. Enjoy!

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Tha last thing Valkyrie remembered was Skulduggery carrying her away from the burning building, his velvety voice talking to her as the blackness had consumed her. But how had he been there? She knew he wasn't even in Ireland.

She tried to sit up, realizing she was in a strange bed in a tidy one-room cottage. It was night and only dim moonlight lit the room. The velvety voice she had loved for so long reached her.

"Ah, you're up. You're Valkyrie right? Do you mind if I call you Val? Because Val is just a lot easier to say to be honest, not that there's anything wrong with Valkyrie, it is a lovely Taken Name, truly it is. But I like Val better, so is that OK?"

"Skulduggery?" Valkyrie whispered, confused.

"Goodness no," the voice paused, a match flared and a candle lit beside the speaker revealing a tall man with curly black hair that fell to his shoulders, a thin sharp angular face, and brown eyes. Valkyrie marveled at how handsome he was and felt instantly smitten. Then he continued. "I'm Prolix Loquacious, Skulduggery's twin brother. Identical twin actually, not that you can tell anymore, which is not to say my brother isn't still handsome, because he is. He just isn't so twinnish anymore. Is that a word? Because if it isn't it should be. But I love my brother, even if he talks too much. He talks about you, My, how he talks. You're all he ever talks about. I think he fancies you. Does he talk about me?"

Prolix Loquacious leaned forward and Valkyrie smiled faintly. He talked more than a cat, but she liked him. He was sweet somehow, charming and friendly. Prolix beamed, apparently taking her smile for a 'yes'.

"I love my brother, I truly do, though he is far too private. He won't even give me his mobile number. I don't know why. I like talking to him, we have the most lovely craics, even though after the first several hours he doesn't say too much. I still feel terrible he was burnt, so I couldn't let you burn too, you know, I doubt you'd come back as a skeleton. Though if you did I'd still be your friend and you'd still be really pretty. Can I make you something? Bacon and eggs? You really should eat."

He paused, and Valkyrie spoke. "Yes, Prolix, bacon and eggs sound lovely, thank you. I don't think I can sit up to eat though."

Prolix came to the bed, fussing. "Oh dear. Really? Let's try, at least. Well, let's try this first, I didn't even think of it, silly me. Mum always said I talked too much and forgot my magic but I think that's plain silly, don't you? Where was I? Right, right, helping you." He put his hands on her and Valkyrie could feel a gentle warmth flood through her. The pain left her and she could sit up, even though she still felt weak.

Prolix gently propped her back on the pillows looking at her kindly. He really was a sweet man and in the seconds he didn't talk he was rather endearing. Then he started to talk again.

"All better? That's good. You don't have to nod, you can feel free to talk to me, you know, tell me your deepest darkest secrets, I'll never tell. Like if you fancy my brother because I really should know because if you fancy one another it could lead to a wedding, and if there's a wedding I'll need a present, and if I need a present I should start shopping now because I can never get sales people to wait on me for some reason. Skulduggery says it is because I talk too much. Actually he says some bad words and then says I talk too much, but I don't do I?" He looked at her pleadingly and Valkyrie shook her head no.

Prolix clapped his hands in delight, getting up and moving to the tiny fridge, then placing the things he needed on the small wooden table, before turning the stove on. "I KNEW I didn't talk too much. How could anyone talk too much? Ever? You'd loose your voice if you did, I bet. Now let's see, bacon and eggs. I'll make you toast as well and fry up some potatoes. You like potatoes? Everyone likes potatoes. Except for Irish potatoes, those things are too sweet. But sometimes sweet is good. Oh, and coffee I simply must make you coffee, or do you like tea better? No? OK, good. Coffee it is then. Are you sure you're all right? Skulduggery says you talk as much as I do."

"Skulduggery says a lot of things." Valkyrie managed.

Prolix waved a hand, smiling fondly as he cooked. "I know! He says the silliest things sometimes too. He once told me I should enter a monastery and take a vow of silence. He said it would do me good. Now isn't that the silliest thing you ever heard? He also said my cat ran away because I talk too much. Now that is very silly indeed. He was a nice cat, a Siamese cat. I like cats, do you like cats? I think everyone does, except for Skulduggery. He said the cat talked as much as I did, which I really don't think is much at all. He's a silly man sometimes, my brother."

Valkyrie laughed so hard tears came to her eyes. Somehow Prolix didn't bother her. He was sweet and kind and he was loyal to Skulduggery. True he talked a lot, but she did love his velvety voice, and exact copy of his brother's. Prolix could talk all day as far as she was concerned.

Prolix of course was only too happy to oblige her. "Here we are, all ready. I've got a lovely tray so you can eat right there in bed. I really shouldn't you know, but I'm a total hedonist. I just figure we should do what brings us happiness and not worry about what other people think. I think that is the best way to live, don't you agree? Oh goodness, what's breakfast without orange juice? I do apologize, Just one moment. There you are, orange juice. I'm happy to see you eating. Mum always did say I'm a wonderful cook. I wish Skulduggery could cook I DID offer to teach him, but he refuses to listen, he's a stubborn man, that one. Do you like to cook?"

Valkyrie nodded.

"Oh that's wonderful. Sometime when you're all nice and rested we can all get together and cook all sorts of lovely things. Or maybe not. Skulduggery seems awfully possessive of you. In fact he said if I ever came near you he'd shoot me, but I'm fairly sure he didn't mean to not rescue you. I'm almost sure of it. At least I hope I am. Oh dear, now I'm not sure at all. No, I am. He's my brother and he loves me. He only said I'd frighten you away, yet here you are, so maybe he was joking. Yes, he must have been. Because everyone likes me. You like me, right? But not too much since Skulduggery fancies you. Do you fancy him I asked and you never said."

"It depends on what you mean by fancy." Valkyrie put in edgewise.

"Well you know, fancy. Don't you like him, find him attractive, that sort of thing? Because he's a really attractive man and I know he fancies you. Why on Earth are you blushing? I know words and I'm fairly sure 'fancy' means to like someone a lot. Like 'would you fancy a cup of tea?' That's how I mean it. I did get slapped by a woman once because I told her I fancied her, not sure what THAT was all about. Skulduggery said I deserved to get slapped and not to talk to women like that so I suppose I shouldn't use the word in front of you. So henceforward no more 'fancy' for you. Oh, I just said it, didn't I? Sorry, sorry. I'll use 'like' then. Do you like my brother? Because I know he likes you."

Valkyrie smiled and nodded. "But it's a secret." She told him and Prolix looked overjoyed to be given such a gift.

"Oh, you're secret's safe with me. I wouldn't dream of telling a soul. I'm so very good at keeping secrets. Skulduggery says it's because no one will talk to me, but he's wrong. Because here we are two good friends, having a simply lovely craic. It's nice just the two of us, because if Skulduggery were here he'd talk, a lot, or he'd just shut down and ignore us, he does that a lot too. Strange man. He says I talk as much as Cormac Teige McCarthy, you know the Lord of Blarney? But he mostly wrote didn't he? So I'm not really sure what he means half the time. He also said I should try kissing the Blarney stone all by myself and it might have the opposite effect. When I pointed out I'd fall if I did that, he said it might knock some sense into me. I'm fairly sure he meant it in a nice way though."

He paused, taking the tray away. Prolix returned to her side taking her hand, concern on his handsome features. "You look tired, my dear. You honestly should get some sleep. That's it close your eyes. Would you like me to talk to you until you fall asleep? That's it, just nod. Good. Then I will, because I honestly don't mind."

So he did. Prolix talked to her all of the next day, and all of the next night too. He talked for several days in fact. When she was well enough to return to Gordon's mansion he took her, talking all the way, but the instant he pulled away the silence was deafening.

Valkyrie supposed the silence was OK too, and it would be even better to hear that voice coming from Skulduggery again even if he didn't talk as much as Prolix. She'd missed him even while Prolix spoke and she realized it was the man not the voice she truly loved. Valkyrie vowed that the moment the time was right she'd ask Skulduggery how he felt, though she was fairly sure from hearing Prolix talk that he loved her.