Skulduggery Pleasant Fan-fiction- Love Amongst The Cain (Sequel to The Cradle Of Magic)

Behind Closed Doors

-Vin

The puddle splashed beneath my tightened trainers as the muscles in my legs ached as I ran. I needed to run, to get out of my own thoughts and lose everything with the beat of my fast track heart. I slowed and ran a hand down the back of my neck, freeing the hot sweat with my chilled fingertips. I felt myself stop and blew hot air into my palms, warming my face and looking up to the path ahead.
In reality it was thick woodland, ladened with hedgerow and scuffed with mud to where people and horses had walked before. In my mind there was nothing. Nothing was of relevance par my beating thoughts.
No-one would talk. The conversation halted as it was mentioned.
I had a mother and I had a father. I knew them all my life and yet not at all and now: they were gone.
I could have had siblings, brothers and sisters. Did they exist? Did they roam this earth and breathe the same air as I and yet not know I existed? I would now, never know.
I felt a now familiar tear stream down my cheek and brushed it aside with the back of my hand, swallowing hard and looking to the dark sky.
Skulduggery would be home in an hour. He would be home.
I turned and watched a cloud pass behind the trees, cloaking the sky with deep grey as the rumble came overhead. Soft droplets fell down my face and the sky gave way, spilling heaven down toward the cold earth.
I turned and ran, feeling my back soak thick with rain as my feet reentered the puddles and remarked the mud beneath me.
I sped faster, full sprinting down the footpath until a house was seen and stopping in it's wake. It was boxed and painted chalk, the roof done well and the doors oaken. I reached the stoop of the door and pushed my key into the lock, stepping inside and feeling warmth hit my face as I closed the entrance to the storm behind.
I breathed hard and tried to regain my breath, running a hand through my dampened locks and wringing it out before slipping off my trainers next to his loafers and walking into the hall leaving a trail of damp footprints on the carpet.
"Skul?"
Placing my keys in my pocket I craned my head around the door edge and glanced into the empty living space; the fire crackling happily in the hearth yet no sign of him in his usual armchair.
I stepped back into the hall and began to advance up the stairs, placing a hand on the banister, "Baby?!" I echoed up the stairs and catching my gaze in the mirror ahead.
There was a brief shuffle of feet and a curse before the skeleton detective replied.
"My room."
I gave myself a small smile and headed up the second flight before reaching the landing and walking past a drawn window towards the door of his room to where the door was closed.
I knocked thrice and lent up against the doorframe. "Can I come in?"
The door opened and he turned back to the mirror which sat quaintly opposite the wardrobe in the room. The room was empty other than an armchair and a small bookcase to where he tended to occupy his time most days. Times were hard, we both understood that concept.
His shirt hung loosely over his shoulder-blades as he buckled his belt and attempted to do up the gap that revealed his ribs.
I paced forward and stopped him, doing up the buttons and roping the tie around his neck as he gave a head tilt and a silent outtake of breath.
"Did we have permission to do that, Miss Nightshade?"
I smiled and kissed him cocky smile, kissing him on the jawline and pulling on his tie.
"Did you have permission to distract me like that Mr Pleasant? I think not."
He gave a soft chuckle and pulled away, straightening his tie in the reflection and pulling a blazer from the back of a chair onto his shoulders.
I tilted my head and furrowed my brow, sitting back on the edge of the chair and speculating.
"You realise what that rain will do to your suit, correct?"
He nodded faintly and took his scarf to his neck, thoughts distracting him as per usual.
I remained where I was as he advanced through the door and take the stairs in his stride.
"Where are you going?" I echoed after the pause.
"Out." He remarked bluntly, two clicks following as he opened his briefcase with the scribble of a pen to follow.
Groaning out of annoyance I headed through the door and down the stairs, lingering on the banister and watching him as he wrote a note and left it on the peg board. I watched him for a fair few minutes as he went down to tie his shoes and placed the hat upon his head.
"I need to talk to you."
He ignored the remark and took the key to the door.
"Skul."
He twisted the key and opened the door, lingering on the mat. I took the last step and paced towards him, stopping him with a light touch of my hand.
"Just... Stop."
He looked to the rain and speculated it for a while before turning his gaze to mine and sighing in annoyance.
"I may be gone for some time. Vex asked me on a case and..."
Anger flared inside me and I pushed him back into the frame, growling deeply and gritting my teeth much to his surprise. He gripped to my wrist and we stared at each other for what seemed like centuries.
"You said you wouldn't leave. And you're not." I closed the door upon his foot and he tilted his head, almost out of pure curiosity.
"I'm going. End of conversation." The door opened a crack more and he pushed against me before giving up and sighing. Anger raging on the rim of his voice.
"Valiance."
"You said you'd never leave me. You said after Bliv... After she died you said I'd never be alone."
He sighed deeply and ran an instinctive hand over the back of his neck, looking towards the storm. "I think you're being a little dramatic here. It's a small case abroad and I'll be back by next week. I promise." He leaned in for a kiss but I slapped him hard and once again instantly regretted it, biting back the harsh pain and letting my fingers fall from his cheek bone.
He straightened up slightly, silently amused and turned his head taking the door and stepping through onto the porch as the rain fell hard.
I felt a tear slip through my lashes and bowed my head as he turned his and made a sound as if he were to speak but swiftly silencing and taking the steps off the porch and into the rain.
"You can't keep breaking your promises like this. One of these days...I-I..."
He looked up only to cock his head to the side and shadow his hat over his fresh flowing facade.
I looked at him and bit my lip.
"You would what, Valiance?"
I looked away and brushed my cheek, closing the door a fraction.
I watched him turn after a substantial pause and head down the steps towards the black Bentley that grew as a great shadow on the driveway. The gravel crumbled beneath the stallion of a car and dispeared into the night.
He left me on the doorstop in the pounding rain.