A/N: I don't own Skulduggery or Valkyrie, but Liam Begley is my OC. I got bit by a rather silly plot bunny and for that I apologize. Val is 20-ish. Enjoy.
Liam Begley typed nervously, trying to get his outdated machine to run faster. There was something unnerving about how the two detectives roamed him small lab, touching things. The smartly dressed skeleton would pause every so often, looking over at the brown-haired young woman when he seemed sure she wasn't looking.
Liam felt sorry for him. He knew what it was like to be in love with a beautiful woman and not able to say anything. Small, with over-sized thick glasses and a face even his own mother didn't love, he KNEW. But he also knew why the skeleton loved her, since her smile had melted his heart the instant she flashed it at him.
As a misanthrope Liam had neglected to offer his guests anything as they waited, and when he remembered to belatedly, he figured it was too late. He typed furiously at his keyboard, trying to bring up the data for the test they required, but the computer still moved sluggishly.
He looked over at them from time to time, realized that the beautiful young woman was looking at the skeleton when she saw him not looking, and the look on her face shredded Liam's heart. He should say something, he guessed, but what? Then he knew exactly what to do, and he smiled.
Liam had instructed the pair to start working on a compound for him. A rather stretchy mass that he complained loudly his assistant was failing to work with. He had no assistant but they didn't need to know that.
"You'll both have to work at it at the same time. I should have a machine, but they never give me anything I need. Just look at the computer."
The skeleton titled his head skeptically. "If we both have to do this, how can your assistant do it alone?"
"Four arms."
"Ah."
The skeleton removed his gloves, and started to work the mass with the woman, and of course their hands kept touching and they had to stand rather close.
"Keep at it." Liam ordered gruffly, hiding his smile behind his computer screen. The two detectives obeyed, at last figuring out the way to manipulate the mass, stretching it and then compacting it until it became more flexible.
He imagined how hot it was might be off putting, but he deflected their questions as it needing to stay heated until ready for his experiment. He shook his head when the woman said it smelled sweet.
The data was coming up at last, and Liam had the detectives put the stretchy mass back into the awaiting pan and small warming box, instructing them first to press it flat, then score it ito squares, turning off the box.
He printed up the data and handed them a copy, even going so far as to make a hard file on CD for them. They looked happy, and he'd enjoyed seeing them work together. They left and he went over to the machine, all too happy that he'd remembered his mother's advice as he popped one of the squares in his mouth.
Nothing beat getting a couple together like a good old-fashioned taffy pull.
That was WAY too fluffy. I have shamed myself.