Skullduggery Pleasant stories

A new nickname

"Don't turn the tv on, I'm trying to read." Skullduggery muttered blankly from the sofa, pouring over something small and sleek, and remarkably similar to something she'd seen on China's table the last time she'd been to visit.
Ignoring him, Valkerie fell down onto Skulduggery's expensive leather couch, ignoring his quiet huff of irritation, and snatched up the remote control.
"What's on?" She asked casually, watching the screen flicker onto some random, blaring reality show.
He glowered at her, which was a little confusing seeing as he had no eyes, before his shoulders slumped and he turned away.
"There's a science show which I think you might enjoy, if your actually going to pay attention to something I say".
She raised her eyebrows slightly, flicking through the channels at his instruction, and decided not to ask how he knew what was on,
She knew he'd love the tv!
Simply waiting until she found the right show.
The credits rolled not the screen, some perky theme tune with random images shooting up onto the screen.
"Bill Nye the science guy?" She frowned, pausing.
"I didn't know we got this show in Britain."
There was a long moment of silence, Skulduggery tilting his head in amusement, before something clicked in her expression.
"Oh my God!" She gasped, laughing and dropping the remote control onto the cushions.
"Nye! Like, Nye the science guy!"
Skulduggery nodded his head again, his grin as permanent as ever, and as the images flickered onto the screen, she pulled her phone into her hands, tapping on the YouTube button and then tilting the screen away.
"What are you doing?" Skulduggery laughed, glancing away from the screen once more.
She grinned at him.
"Texting, Skullduggery. I'm texting everyone!"

A week later
Bye strolled slowly into the hospital ward, running one careful eye over each patient. It was odd, admittedly, trying to help people rather than kill them, but they was almost learning. Looking over at a passing nurse, dark haired and smiley, they sent a brief nod, and resisted the urge to pick up s nearby scalpel. They wondered, briefly, what those patients, that nurse, would look like on the inside, before brushing the thought reluctantly away as the young boy sent a wide, friendly grin back. Odd, they noticed, seeing as he usually seemed to despise running into Nye.
"Well if it isn't Nye the science guy!" He grinned again, before reigning himself in slightly, reddening and turning away.
Nye frowned, looking round for whoever might have prompted the strange reply, before shaking their head and continuing on. Mages minds; so fragile.
Finally finding the bed of the patient he was meant to be saving, an awkward young girl, she shot him a weak smile, before turning to whisper something to the boy perched next to her. The bystander muttered something in response, their patient bursting into laughter, before he clapped a hand over his mouth and rushed away. The people were getting worse everyday, they told them self, before absently checking the young girls pulse. A sinking feeling began to settle into their stomach, but they dismissed it, shaking their head. They surely weren't dating to talk about them, beside they were certain they heard the boy mention someone called Bill. Nothing to do with them.