48. Tinsel

"Oh, come on. Please?"

Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery with her best puppy dog eyes, the couch between them.

"Nope. No way."

Skukduggery shifted to the left, and Valkyrie mirrored him.

"But you said no to the Christmas tree..."

Skulduggery shuffled to the right. Valkyrie did as well.

"I am not paying over a hundred bucks that will shed little green things everywhere-"

He finally settled in a fighting stance, preparing to run for it when he could.

"Pine needles."

Valkyrie twirled the tinsel in her hand.

"and will undoubtedly be thrown out within a month. Besides, if I did get one, you'd nag at me until I got all those other knick-knacks as well."

Skulduggery gritted his teeth. He was under a lot of pressure, and one mistake could prove fatal.

"You mean ornaments. Why? What do you have against Christmas?"

Valkyrie was keeping her eyes trained on him, making it harder to run.

"Nothing!"

"Then why can't I?"

Skulduggery glared at Valkyrie.

"No, I will not let you wrap tinsel through my ribcage!"

Valkyrie grinned.

"I even bought it half-off?"

"No."

"Fine then!"

Wothout warning, Skulduggery ran off, sprinting as fast as he could. He could hear Valkyrie vaulting over the couch, and he cursed his amazing teaching skills. It took all he had not to look back.

"Come on- think of it as paying me back for all the awful presents from before!"

Skulduggery dashed down the hall and up the stairs.

"The stick wasn't bad!"

Valkyrie stormed up after him.

"No girl wants a stick for Christmas from a guy!"

Skulduggery looked between Valkyrie's room and his room. She was getting closer, so he made a split second decision.

"Then what did you want? A kiss?"

He shur the door to Valkyrie's room behind him, making sure to lock it.

"Yeah right! I want something tangible!"

Skulduggery moved her desk in front of the door, then set about pushing the bookshelf. Valkyrie caught up and tried the doorknob.

"I'm surprised you know that word, considering you don't go to school! And you can feel a kiss!"

Valkyrie was kicking at the door now, and it was only a matter of time before she decided to burn it. He stepped onto her bed and opened the window.

"Well, your kisses suck! You better give me something better this year!"

Skulduggery slipped out the window just as she broke down the door. The desk and bookshelf fell over with a crash, revealing a very annoyed Valkyrie.

"Excuse me?! Even China liked my kisses."

He hauled himself onto the roof, Valkyrie hot on his heels.

"News flash: You don't have lips anymore. Any your facade doesn't cut it."

He sat down on the roof, and Valkyrie flopped down next to him.

"Fine, I'll get a Christmas tree."

Valkyrie smiled, and wrapped the tinsel around his hat.

"Your kisses aren't too bad... For a dead guy."

Skulduggery sighed.

"Just... Try to refrain breaking down the door next time, would you?"

Valkyrie laughed and pulled him into a hug.

"No promises! But seriously, you better get me a good present."

"Lingerie okay?"

"Then I'll get you a dog."

Merry early Christmas!

-ravenwings52