Valkyrie was silently cursing herself when she pulled away from the hug, for not realizing the obvious details like Gabe being barefoot. She loved her mother more than anything right at that moment, loved the way she simply accepted it and moved on. There was a familiar twinge of guilt, though, just like there always was when her parents offhandedly mentioned how much she'd changed lately, how much she kept to herself. But Valkyrie was able to ignore that when she heard her dad's voice echo from the bowels of the house.
"Steph?" He appeared at the top of the stairs, barefoot and wearing a basic sleep shirt over jeans. "Bringing guests, you say? Is that some type of exotic food?"
Valkyrie gave him a happy wave. "Hi, Dad!"
Des looked to Melissa in confusion. "Is it a type of exotic food that induces strangely good moods?"
Valkyrie rolled her eyes and repeated the round of introductions, with more confidence this time, and still quietly grateful when neither of her parents seemed to remember the name Pleasant. Des made the same comment about Gabe's shoes - causing Valkyrie to laugh - and regarded them all with a thoughtful expression before loudly announcing that any friend of Stephanie's was absolutely not allowed to leave the house without at least having a drink beforehand and telling him their life stories.
"We'd be here for years," Valkyrie muttered to Skulduggery as she led the group into the living room.
"Indeed, we would," Skulduggery said with a nod.
"I mean, you'd be bad enough, but then Gabe..."
"How religious are your parents?"
"Not very. They know the basics, I guess. But so does China, and we managed to fool her."
Des appeared behind them. "What are you two whispering about? Is there anything I should know?"
Valkyrie smiled innocently up at him. So, so many things. "Probably not."
Des's eyes narrowed, and he jabbed a finger into Skulduggery's chest. "Are you the one who's teaching her to disrespect her elders?"
"Me? Not in the least." Skulduggery shook his head sadly. "She doesn't respect my authority either. If you want to blame someone," he tilted his head towards Gabe, "blame him."
Des looked from Skulduggery to Gabe, and then back to Skulduggery again. Something Valkyrie couldn't quite identify flickered over his features, and she frowned. Did he suspect something? Did he think she was actually part of Gordon's 'cult' now, and that these were other members? But a moment later his expression cleared, and the beaming smile was back. "What would everyone like to drink?"
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"Steph?" He appeared at the top of the stairs, barefoot and wearing a basic sleep shirt over jeans. "Bringing guests, you say? Is that some type of exotic food?"
Valkyrie gave him a happy wave. "Hi, Dad!"
Des looked to Melissa in confusion. "Is it a type of exotic food that induces strangely good moods?"
Valkyrie rolled her eyes and repeated the round of introductions, with more confidence this time, and still quietly grateful when neither of her parents seemed to remember the name Pleasant. Des made the same comment about Gabe's shoes - causing Valkyrie to laugh - and regarded them all with a thoughtful expression before loudly announcing that any friend of Stephanie's was absolutely not allowed to leave the house without at least having a drink beforehand and telling him their life stories.
"We'd be here for years," Valkyrie muttered to Skulduggery as she led the group into the living room.
"Indeed, we would," Skulduggery said with a nod.
"I mean, you'd be bad enough, but then Gabe..."
"How religious are your parents?"
"Not very. They know the basics, I guess. But so does China, and we managed to fool her."
Des appeared behind them. "What are you two whispering about? Is there anything I should know?"
Valkyrie smiled innocently up at him. So, so many things. "Probably not."
Des's eyes narrowed, and he jabbed a finger into Skulduggery's chest. "Are you the one who's teaching her to disrespect her elders?"
"Me? Not in the least." Skulduggery shook his head sadly. "She doesn't respect my authority either. If you want to blame someone," he tilted his head towards Gabe, "blame him."
Des looked from Skulduggery to Gabe, and then back to Skulduggery again. Something Valkyrie couldn't quite identify flickered over his features, and she frowned. Did he suspect something? Did he think she was actually part of Gordon's 'cult' now, and that these were other members? But a moment later his expression cleared, and the beaming smile was back. "What would everyone like to drink?"