"Hazing." Skulduggery's head tilted to the side. "Would I regret asking what that might entail?"
It surprised Ghastly. Honestly, it was one of the few things that still had the potential to do that these days. After Erskine's reaction and Raphael's surprise healing, and especially after Raphael's outright accusation, Ghastly hadn't been expecting Skulduggery to say anything for at least a few minutes. And definitely not something that, serious though it was, came out tinged with amusement.
Erskine didn't seem to mind. He had his hand on Skulduggery's shoulder, like he needed to constantly remind himself that the friend and brother they all remembered was still there. That, Ghastly knew, wouldn't last; as soon as they had a quiet moment, Erskine would round on Skulduggery once again. But that was a bridge they'd tackle when they came to it. Ghastly was a little more concerned over Skulduggery's uncharacteristic behaviour.
"You can't tell," he'd told Tanith quietly when she helped him to his feet earlier, "but I'd bet you anything Skulduggery's blushing, too."
Tanith had only laughed and shook her head. "Skulduggery? Blushing? Over a joke?"
Not just a joke, Ghastly had almost replied. He didn't, in the end, because he figured that was something Skulduggery would tell them about when he was ready to. Except that now, he... didn't seem too worried about being subtle. Nothing wrong with that, but Ghastly had to wonder if Skulduggery's better judgment was being compromised.
He enjoyed the obvious display of love from the brothers, though. Really, when they both looked human and acted human, for the most part, there was nothing to get used to. Even Raphael's antics became something endearing, instead of an antithesis to everything Ghastly thought he knew about Archangels from the Bible. Everyone was quiet during the brothers' scuffle, with Skulduggery only speaking up after Merlin did.
"Yes," came China's immediate answer to the detective's question. "You would. Fletcher, if you're not too busy nursing Valkyrie back to health, and if no one else needs me for anything, I was rather enjoying time alone in my library. I'd like to get back to it."
Ghastly frowned. China being abrupt? He'd known her to skip small talk before, particularly when she was in a bad mood, but completely turn away from one of the most educational opportunities she would ever experience? The chance of a lifetime? Maybe he'd been really underestimating her need for a vacation over the years. Or maybe he was overestimating her ability to move past life-changing events.
Valkyrie dragged her head up. "I don't need nursing."
"Of course you don't," Fletcher agreed. "Just rest, that's all. Rest and relaxation. On my lap."
Valkyrie's fist raised slowly up into the air, then dropped back down onto Fletcher's knee, as if she barely had the energy to even contemplate hitting him for teasing her. Fletcher seemed to realise that, too, and he grinned. "You know, I've always wondered what being a nurse was like."
"I'm not going to be like this forever," Valkyrie murmured. "You just think about that. China, I'm sorry, but I need to sleep."
"On our only means of transportation, you mean?"
"He's soft. He's a pillow. He's not like the floor."
"I'm still worried about this hazing," Skulduggery continued hesitantly. "I'm not an angel, Gabe. I realise the resemblance is startling, but your brother does know that, I hope?"
"Soulmance," Erskine announced quite suddenly. Ghastly was definitely not the only one to look up at him, and he probably wasn't the only one with confusion etched onto his face as he did so. Erskine met each look with a smile and a shrug. "Trying to think of a word that makes more sense than romance. Soulmance. Like a soulmate. Makes sense, right?"
Ghastly was the first one to laugh - possibly because he was the only one to know Erskine was being completely serious. "I like that. Soulmance."
"See, this is what happens when you don't answer my questions right away," Skulduggery grumbled.
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It surprised Ghastly. Honestly, it was one of the few things that still had the potential to do that these days. After Erskine's reaction and Raphael's surprise healing, and especially after Raphael's outright accusation, Ghastly hadn't been expecting Skulduggery to say anything for at least a few minutes. And definitely not something that, serious though it was, came out tinged with amusement.
Erskine didn't seem to mind. He had his hand on Skulduggery's shoulder, like he needed to constantly remind himself that the friend and brother they all remembered was still there. That, Ghastly knew, wouldn't last; as soon as they had a quiet moment, Erskine would round on Skulduggery once again. But that was a bridge they'd tackle when they came to it. Ghastly was a little more concerned over Skulduggery's uncharacteristic behaviour.
"You can't tell," he'd told Tanith quietly when she helped him to his feet earlier, "but I'd bet you anything Skulduggery's blushing, too."
Tanith had only laughed and shook her head. "Skulduggery? Blushing? Over a joke?"
Not just a joke, Ghastly had almost replied. He didn't, in the end, because he figured that was something Skulduggery would tell them about when he was ready to. Except that now, he... didn't seem too worried about being subtle. Nothing wrong with that, but Ghastly had to wonder if Skulduggery's better judgment was being compromised.
He enjoyed the obvious display of love from the brothers, though. Really, when they both looked human and acted human, for the most part, there was nothing to get used to. Even Raphael's antics became something endearing, instead of an antithesis to everything Ghastly thought he knew about Archangels from the Bible. Everyone was quiet during the brothers' scuffle, with Skulduggery only speaking up after Merlin did.
"Yes," came China's immediate answer to the detective's question. "You would. Fletcher, if you're not too busy nursing Valkyrie back to health, and if no one else needs me for anything, I was rather enjoying time alone in my library. I'd like to get back to it."
Ghastly frowned. China being abrupt? He'd known her to skip small talk before, particularly when she was in a bad mood, but completely turn away from one of the most educational opportunities she would ever experience? The chance of a lifetime? Maybe he'd been really underestimating her need for a vacation over the years. Or maybe he was overestimating her ability to move past life-changing events.
Valkyrie dragged her head up. "I don't need nursing."
"Of course you don't," Fletcher agreed. "Just rest, that's all. Rest and relaxation. On my lap."
Valkyrie's fist raised slowly up into the air, then dropped back down onto Fletcher's knee, as if she barely had the energy to even contemplate hitting him for teasing her. Fletcher seemed to realise that, too, and he grinned. "You know, I've always wondered what being a nurse was like."
"I'm not going to be like this forever," Valkyrie murmured. "You just think about that. China, I'm sorry, but I need to sleep."
"On our only means of transportation, you mean?"
"He's soft. He's a pillow. He's not like the floor."
"I'm still worried about this hazing," Skulduggery continued hesitantly. "I'm not an angel, Gabe. I realise the resemblance is startling, but your brother does know that, I hope?"
"Soulmance," Erskine announced quite suddenly. Ghastly was definitely not the only one to look up at him, and he probably wasn't the only one with confusion etched onto his face as he did so. Erskine met each look with a smile and a shrug. "Trying to think of a word that makes more sense than romance. Soulmance. Like a soulmate. Makes sense, right?"
Ghastly was the first one to laugh - possibly because he was the only one to know Erskine was being completely serious. "I like that. Soulmance."
"See, this is what happens when you don't answer my questions right away," Skulduggery grumbled.