Traffic [Valduggery, Skulduggery Pleasant Fanfiction]

Puddles

"Well, you look happy."

Valkyrie blinked the rain out of her eyes and looked around.

A woman sat on the stairs in front of a tiny house. She was soaking, her feet in a puddle. But she had a playful smile. Her hair, dark with rain as it was, was probably blond when it was dry. She was strong, and she smiled again when she saw Valkyrie observing her.

"Why are you out?" the woman asked.

Valkyrie looked over her shoulder, but she doubted she could see Skulduggery in the rain, even if he was there. She licked her lips and stepped closer. The woman had blue eyes.

"I'm not really sure. My—my, uh, friend and I are looking for someone, but I think he just wants to annoy me."

The woman's nose wrinkled when she smiled. "'Friend?'"

Valkyrie shrugged. "What are you doing out here?"

"I like the rain. I like how quiet the streets are when no one's around."

Valkyrie nodded. "It must be annoying. Having a bunch of tourists around all the time. I'd go crazy, probably start punching people."

The woman laughed. "If you're not a tourist, then, what are you?"

Valkyrie stepped closer. "We're here to help. Some people have gone missing, and my friend and I are trying to find the person or persons responsible. Do you know anything about that?"

The woman's smile fell slightly. She turned her head, and something was—wrong. Just for a second, the woman's features seemed to shift, seemed to settle back into place a moment after the movement. And there had been something underneath, something wrong beneath the rosy cheeks.

"Is that your 'friend?'" the blond asked, words sharp underneath he soft tone.

Valkyrie stepped back, surprised how close she had gotten to the woman. Skulduggery walked through the rain, hands in his pocket, sunglasses gone and scarf pushed down.

Valkyrie glanced at the woman, then walked back to meet Skulduggery five meters away. The woman watched them, reclined back on the steps, legs extending further into the puddle.

"Is that a siren?" Valkyrie whispered, looking over her shoulder. "She doesn't look like a fish lady."

"She probably wouldn't kill many people if she looked like a fish lady. What were you talking about with her?"

"I'm not sure. I think something about tourists. How did she expect me to drown? Was she going to shove my face in the puddle and hold me there?"

"Well, she does look pretty strong."

"What?" Valkyrie looked over her shoulder again. "No, my arms are totally bigger than hers."

Skulduggery tilted his head. "What does she look like?"

"Blonde, strong—not that strong—blue eyes, nice smile, nice laugh. What does she look like to you?"

"She's scowling."

Valkyrie grinned. "That's it? That's your draw to her? She's grumpy?"

Skulduggery looked at her, and Valkyrie felt like he was making fun of her, somehow.

He led the way back to the siren, and she smiled at the two of them.

"So, this is your friend?" she asked Valkyrie.

"Yep. Apprently, you're the asshat whose been killing a bunch of people, so we didn't have far to look. If you could stop doing that, we'd really appreciate it."