Disclaimed.

They're dancing.

Before they were researching, or at least Valkyrie was researching for a case while Skulduggery continued to lecture her on the value of water manipulation.

Somewhere along the lines Valkyrie turned some music on, which Skulduggery quickly turned to jazz which spark a heated debate, several saucy comments and snarky quips.

"This music is entertainment, music you can really move to. That trash you listen to is just....headbanging music." Skulduggery said grasping her hands and pulling her to her feet. There was some note of utter distaste that sate in his voice making Valkyrie laugh.

He twirled her around once, and tried to instruct her on the Charleston, and then the Jive, and a couple other fast paced dances that she stumbled through, laughing as Skulduggery feigned offence when she made comments on Vex, and his poor teaching.

"That's all fine and dandy." Valkyrie said as he twirled her away. "But this is how we dance nowadays." And then she looped her arms around his neck and pulled him flat against her, swaying slowly and out of tempo to Sinatra's voice.

"Not very exciting, is it though? No display of skill nor strength, no uniqueness. Nothing but swaying side to side and picking up feet."

Valkyrie shushes him with a laugh and draws him closer, laying her head against his shoulder.

They were dancing before. But now they're dancing.

Entangled and perfectly at ease in each other's arms, they don't even notice when the song switches to something soft but with more guitar.

"Thanks." Valkyrie murmurs her forehead brushing his jaw. "Thanks a lot."

"Yes, you're welcome, I know it's not every day I give you the honor of seeing me dance."

Valkyrie snorts, "Goon. S'not what I meant."

"Ah. Well you're welcome for the dancing lesson."

Valkyrie gives and exaggerated sigh and pulls back slightly. Skulduggery immediately misses the feel of her hot breath against his jaw.

She grins at him, as if she knows, and really he wouldn't be surprised is she did. She's mapped out every tilt of his head to the degree and measure every length of silence to know exactly what his reactions were, what his thoughts might be on, and what raised his hackles.

Her eyes are warm in the dim lighting of his living room but he doesn't see much of them as she pulls him back against her standing on her tip-toes so that their cheeks are pressed against each other.

"Thanks for being my best friend."

Best friend. Worst Enemy. Lord Vile and his brave little girl. Darquesse and her Skeleton-man. They've always been good at contradictions.

"You're welcome." Skulduggery says quietly, then tilts his head, listening to the fluttering of her strong heart. He rather thinks he'd like it if he had one of his own to match that pace. Her finger tips trace the top vertebrae of his spine, as his hands tangle in her hair.

The song switches again, loud and guttural voices against louder guitar music and the ambiance it gone, but they don't quite disentangle themselves yet. Valkyrie sighs and Skulduggery clears his throat, both very much feeling as though they had been woken suddenly and rudely from a pleasant dream.

"Are we out of milk again?"He asks quietly.

He can feel Valkyrie smile into his shoulder. "Yes."

"And you want me to go fetch you some."

"Unless you'll let me take the Bentley yes."

"...Get me my keys."

And she does. It's not really about the milk and they both know it, just like dancing is never just dancing between them. It's the gesture really, a display of married life in the middle of their friendship because they never know if tomorrow will be their last day, so they try to cover all the bases when they can; if they can.

This is their life together and they are oddly fond of the domesticity that comes and goes between adventures.