Valkyrie wasn't usually this quiet during rides in the Bentley. Sure, they could go long periods of time without speaking during car rides, sometimes, but she had been completely silent since the moment they had taken off, gazing with unfocused eyes through the spotless passenger side window.

She felt rather than heard a slight shift from the driving skeleton beside her. Maybe he'd noticed her silence? She remained taciturn.

"Is something wrong?" he asked eventually.

"Why do you think there's something wrong?" she replied, not disrupting her view of the roadside flying past.

"You've been pouting."

"No, I haven't..."

"Yes, you have."

Valkyrie sighed. "I've just have some stuff on my mind, is all."

"Such as?"

She hesitated. "Well... everywhere we go, you know, everyone we meet? They always talk about how everyone around you ends up dead, or something, that you're crazy, you haven't a good head on your shoulders, all of that."

There was a pause. Then, Skulduggery said quietly, "And what do you think of all of that?"

"I tell them, 'Of course he has a good head on his shoulders! In fact, he even has a spare'"

There was a silence.

"Sorry," Valkyrie said, deadpan as ever. "I didn't think I'd be able to strike a nerve; usually it's like you don't even have any."

"Valkyrie."

"And you're so hard-headed, too! Too much so to be offended."

"Valkyrie."

"I thought I'd be able to hit a funny-bone or something." Valkyrie had broken her façade and was now letting a small smile slip onto her face.

"Stop this immediately."

"I'm sorry!" Valkyrie put on her most disappointed expression, turning towards her friend. "I thought you found me humerus..."

"Well usually I- oh that was another bone joke wasn't it."

"Yes, I'm afraid it was."

"You really need to stop this."

"Just trying to tickle your ribs..."

"No, you're trying to-"

"Femur."

"Alright, that's enough." The Bentley slowed to a stop. "Get out of the car."

"Woah, woah, Skulduggery! I think you need to marrow out here."

"I am incredibly done with this right now."

"But I wouldn't last very long out there, you know how spineless I can be sometimes!"

"No."

"I can't help but feel like this conversation has become a little disjointed..."

"No."

"And I didn't mean to get so much of a rise out of you, I swear it was acci-DENTAL."

"Stop."

"Wait teeth are bones right? I'll just ask my wisdom tooth-"

"That doesn't even make sense."

"Well I'd say I'm glad you have the guts to correct me but..."

"This has to end."

"You know what to do."

"No."

"It's the bone-afide answer."

"I will not submit myself to this."

"Socket to me! I don't bite."

Another moment of silence, then a worn out sigh.

"You're really going to make me do this." Valkyrie grinned.

"And all of this will end if I do?" She nodded.

"...you know sometimes you can really get... under my skin."

Valkyrie's grin widened. "That's surprising."

"I really wish I could get you out of my hair sometimes."

"Do you?"

"Yes, you have the tendon-cy to rattle my bones far too often." His voice was pitifully resigned.

She laughed. "I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

She laughed again, and the car resumed its course.