more like 'dropping down after a 48 hours long mission' cuddle pile (you didn't specify which homies, so i chose myself ;) also bonus Komodo and Monroe ;3)
they are ✨ judging ✨
couldn't resist trying to draw Jake in Kim's shirt, that would be like even tighter on him, lol
Created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle for the Disney Channel, Kim Possible tells the tale of a teenage secret agent from the unassuming suburb of Middleton. Kim is an accomplished high school student who fights crime on a regular basis, assisted by her best friend and sidekick Ron Stoppable and Rufus, his pet naked mole rat.
Kim and Ron are aided remotely by Wade, a teenage computer genius who seldom leaves his bedroom and communicates with the duo via a device he invented himself known as a Kimmunicator. Together, the foursome is known as Team Possible. The majority of their missions involve traveling to various destinations around the world to rescue citizens from harm and fight a variety of villains; the most frequent of whom are Dr. Drakken, a mad scientist constantly plotting world domination, and his super-powered sidekick Shego.
Actress Christy Carlson Romano provides the voice for Kim possible; with Will Friedle voicing Ron Stoppable; Tahj Mowry as Wade; John DiMaggio as Dr. Drakken; and Nicole Sullivan as Shego. Kim Possible premiered in June of 2002 and ran for four seasons.
Shego finds herself in a dangerous and possibly deadly situation when she lets herself be blindsided... and her ego get in the way. Partner to Blindside BUT can be read separate. PG-13 for some Violent themes.
FFN | Ao3
Blind Spot 2
Shego looked at her reflection in the mirror of the elaborate private villa she was in. Her hand sliding under her eyes to remove the touch-up to her makeups excess. Not that it mattered, the earrings she wore made her appear disturbingly pale and flawless. She hated undercover missions more than anything. While it was easy to play a role, this time an eccentric wealthy heiress, she didn't always like to play the part. She'd spent the better part of three days away from home on a mission she felt was a dead end. The cloaking of the earring made her looked far too young for her taste. She was in her fifties, not the twenty something she was supposed to be. Pretending to be flirty and vivacious with a bunch of idiotic nobodies she was sure were not smuggling uranium at all.
Probably can't even spell it.
She snorted to herself before forcing on her fake smile before exiting back into the massive lounge area where a social party was happening. A bunch of prestigious and self-entitled idiots was more than a nice way to put it, but she only had to do this for one more day. Kim had already headed back to headquarters to inform them of the wasted time, but she'd been asked to stay until the all clear. Kim had argued with her, but Shego wasn't worried.
"Ms. Wobackoff," came the most pretentious of the lot, a man named Thorton Belie who was as boring as his name entailed, "I was wondering where you'd gone. My friend was wondering if you've seen Ms. Scarlet?"
Shego fought the eyeroll at the names Global Justice had found amusing to give them.
"She got bored and headed home. We're used to more... thrilling endeavors," she drawled and gave a cheeky giggle.
"You were not bored?" asked Thorton, there was a glint in his eyes that made Shego internally groan in annoyance, "Ah, I see my charms are winning you over."
"Biding my amusement is more like it," she winked at him, making her own stomach turn, "But I do have to say, I did expect more exciting things from you.. given your family history."
She watched him look around before moving closer to her.
"How much excitement do you want?" he looked devilishly giddy and Shego felt nauseous.
She decided to give it one last attempt before fully bailing.
"I'm fond of cake," she smirked.
There was a look in his eyes Shego only saw real villains have and suddenly she knew it wasn't a waste of time. She returned a devious expression at this, hoping the uranium was where this was leading.
"Do you like... yellow cake?" asked Thorton as he gestured to a hallway, "It's very expensive."
"Oh, I can afford it," she tucked her hair behind her ear and grinned, clicking the alert on her earring while doing so.
"This way then," he led the way down a hallway, and Shego said nothing as she followed.
Her training told her to push the alert button on her bracelet, but as she looked at Thorton... she wasn't threatened by him... nor what passed as a bodyguard around here.
She was taking in the elevation of the stairs she followed him down to what looked like a blank wall. She knew Kim had done perimeters and this hadn't showed up... or if it had it read as a void. She watched as he opened a door seemingly out of no where, she ticked her head hoping the signal feature was still working if this place had layered walls. Otherwise she was buying Uranium tonight.
Drakken will be thrilled.
"How expensive are we talking?" asked Shego as she followed him into the room.
"Oh, I think its in your price range," Thorton spoke, the door slamming shut behind them, "Shego."
Shego reacted on instinct in the sealed off room. She swung her foot around without looking, following where she knew he stood. He hit the wall hard but he blocked her next attack and landed his own blow to her stomach. Her eyes narrowed, realizing that perhaps she and Kim weren't the only ones putting on an act. The man could actually fight.
"Nice hit," scoffed Shego as she gave distance in the squared metal room, "Didn't see you as a fighter."
"Yes, well... my family being in the uranium and illegal trade business," he smirked, "I was taught to fight before I could even speak."
"We should get back to that," Shego snickered, "Now lets play nice and maybe Global Justice will go easy on you when they show up here in a bit."
The laugh Thorton gave made her skin crawl as he looked almost amused.
"The shipments already gone... there's not even a trace here," he said calmly. Shego raised a brow, "We sniffed out you and Possible before you even spoke to any of us... at least... I did. You're little cloaking jewelry is cute though... doesn't hide well against our scan cameras."
Shego narrowed her eyes and adjusted her stance as he paced to the left. Taking the chance to hit her bracelet signal.
"If you were on to us, why even bother," she scoffed, "Play it calm for a few more minutes and we'd been gone."
"I know this," Thorton dropped his stance, "I just wanted to have a little... fun... and test out this room. I paid a lot of money for this place... got a lot of blood on my hands for it after."
The head tick he gave put Shego on edge and she squared her stance.
"My father thought I was mad when I said we should worry about you and Possible... he still believes women are threat-less... silly old fool, may he rest in peace," said Thorton as he moved towards Shego, "But now I get to see if this room was worth it."
Shego darted as he lunged towards her, resulting in him kicking the wall as she spun to keep an eye on him in a crouched position. She was assessing his words and motives. He had no need to bring her down here than to test out a room she knew nothing about. Every sense of unease she'd had this mission cam barreling back and she now had the source... he wasn't a brainless twit or a pompous dealer... He was intelligent... and dangerous. They'd been played from the start. Thorton had known who they were and had still gone along with it. It had been a ruse and a trap.
"Alright, let's play nice. Open the door and I'll give you a chance to bail," Shego offered. She kept her confident smirk, though she wasn't feeling it.
"I'm not worried about Global Justice," shrugged Thorton, "You'll be dead before they get here."
The last red flag waved and Shego forced her expression into one of malice, even when her heart was pounding in her ears. After hundreds of villains and a life of villainy even... No one had outright ever declared killing her... something about the words, his calm demeanor, and the room constructed for just this was more telling then any psyche evaluation the guy could be given.
"So are you a psychopath or sociopath?" she clenched her fists, "Doesn't matter... you all roast the same."
Shego focused her energy to her hands... but nothing showed. There was no glow. She tried again, concentrating, but nothing. She looked at Thorton who looked unphased and mildly amused.
"Trying to use your glow there, Shego?" he sighed, "Good to know the rooms reliable. I paid a few good minds just for that feature... shame it was their last project... but alas, now I can relax."
"Just because you managed to make a shield, doesn't mean you should relax," stated Shego. Her stomach was twisted in a mix of fear and panic but she kept her expression fixed, "It's not my only skill-set."
"Yes... but its your strongest," he clarified.
Shego lunged this time, hoping to throw him off guard. She landed a hit to his face, but his hand reached to pull her into a choke hold. She countered in his mid swipe with an elbow. It resulted in him not getting a grip but a few strands of her hair and her earring to depart from her. She ignored the pain as her disguise faded away. She moved away from him and saw the trickle of blood from her ear on the ground.
"Ah, so there's the proof I needed," he heaved, she'd hit him in the diaphragm, "You know, you're far more becoming than your pseudo looks were... More mature and unique."
"Aw, thank you," she feigned before attacking again.
She got a hit into his shoulder but his arm got her leg and she was slammed into the ground knocking the wind out of her so much she saw a few stars. She forced a quick recovery and swiped under his feet, which he blocked and a hefty kick gave the sound of a crack in the room as she knew he'd at least fractured something in her calf. She growled through the pain and forced herself to jump up. The pain radiating through her but adrenaline dulling it as she focused on fighting. She delivered sporadic attacks, her fist and uninjured leg getting him at least half the amount he deflected. He was panting and she'd managed to crack him a few times in the face and arm.
"Last chance... open the door," Shego threatened. There was no amusement or fear on his face.
"Not a chance," he hissed, "Letting you go would mean facing your little villain Network. Not just Global Justice. I'm not stupid."
The shiver ran down her spine at his words... he had made a very clear choice in ending her tonight... especially if he knew about the her other life outside of Global Justice.
"Trying to make a name for yourself then," she spat, "Not going to happen."
"On the contrary... No one will even know I was involved... so long as you never get out of here," his expression was cold, "As for your little tracking device... The blockers disabled that two days ago. My father was correct about one thing... a women is much safer and at place at home."
Shego knew she'd let fear show on her features at the delighted smile the man gave her. She pushed it back and moved for another attack, but this one didn't land and he moved out of the way. His fist coming down hard on her back causing her to drop to the ground hard, her breathing was labored by the multiple blows.
"Now... how about you play nice and I promise to make your death quick," he snickered as he crouched next to her, "I'll even make sure to make your corpse look respectful on your families front lawn."
Shego's eyes shot open and she swung around and landed a kick into his pelvis.
It may have been a mistake move but it was all she had, her reaction at the mention of her family being involved in any of this was a line she wasn't about to let be crossed. It would have been a smarter move to do it when she was in her current position because with a swift hit to her head, everything was spinning and she couldn't see straight as the pain ran through her. She could hear his threats, less tactful than before, his words were more violating than the reality his hands were touching her body aggressively. She could barely distinguish his words, but she knew what his goal was, humiliation and violation.
It was the snickering and the shift in the energy as Thorton's fingers dug into her leg. Rage took over the fear she had and she sat up and headbutted him with all her might, screaming through the dizziness she felt. She kicked blindly until her foot made contact through the stars and swirled color. She kept kicking with all her might. She could hear the yells of pain he was emitting but she continued, knowing he'd let his guard down for some sick fetish he clearly been about to act on, and she was making sure he knew it.
She was fading in an out and heard her leg crack even more with shooting pains as her kicking slowed. There was a ringing sound but she focused her energy, forced it away to stay conscious. The room seemed overly bright as she tried to see. Thorton was in a fetal position screaming in agony and she could see blood, but she didn't care. She forced herself to her feet, keeping an eyes on his as she shakily made her way to the door. She looked at the pin-pad and held herself up with the handle. Trying to imagine the code from what she knew, and she could see blood stains on the pads, prior victims no doubt. Her mind ran through the codes it could be, and annoyingly Mego's voice was in her head narrating them as she listened. The beep sound of the door a relief as she stumbled out and into the stairwell.
There was yelling upstairs and the sounds of Global Justice echoed down to her... along with Kim's voice calling loudly for her.
"Shego!" it was close but still distant because of the ringing in Shego's ears.
"Down here!" she gasped out as loud as she could, "Send a medic!"
She didn't even know if she said it or just thought it, because sound cut out completely. She saw movement at the top of the stairs and then Kim came into view, the look of horror on the younger women's face made it clear Shego looked as beaten as she felt.
Shego must have blacked out at one point because she remembered Kim running down the stairs towards her and the next thing she knew she was in the medic jet breathing into an emergency oxygen mask. Her senses felt less foggy but the pains she felt were still throbbing though her, less as her powers were no longer being blocked.
"Hey, your awake," it was Kim's voice that made her turn to her left where she was seated, "You look horrible."
Shego snorted at the comment, knowing Kim was clearly deflecting. It was a common thing between the two of them, years of being enemies was hard to shake no mater the friendship the two had now, it had been an easy substitute instead of showing how much they cared for each other. Threats, jokes, sarcasm, and insults.
"I'm not doing any better having to wake up and see you hovering over me," responded Shego. She watched Kim look slightly relaxed by this comment, "How long till we get back to HQ so I can write up a report."
"Shego, you should go to the hospital," Kim hastened, "They already wrote up the medical report- What are you doing?"
Shego had grabbed said report off the clipboard hanging next to her cot. One glance over it listing her injuries and what was listed as the reasons to it and she set it ablaze. She glared over at the medic who had said nothing and was staring in horror.
"Rewrite it and keep it simple," she ordered and then groaned as she sat up, feeling the aches soar through her.
"Shego, they need it detailed," glared Kim as she apologized to the medic, "Just encase there's further n investigation."
"They'll toss him in a cell and be done," said Shego, "I think luring someone into a premeditated trap specifically created for the person.. wont be argued against."
"As true as that is... there still might be an investigation," Kim hastened.
"They only investigate if a criminal's dead," scoffed Shego. She looked at Kim who didn't make eye contact, "What?"
"The door somehow got closed and by the time they managed to get through he'd succumbed to blood loss due to lower regional trauma and a head-wound," stated Kim flatly. Her eyes glanced over Shego's injuries and to the location of the prior chart, "Shame."
Shego looked at Kim closely, knowing she had left the door open and that she'd not landed any head hit to him in her blind kicks from the fetal position he'd been in. She glanced down and mentally looked at the wounds on her body, seeing where bruises were and how Kim wasn't making eye contact.
"Accidents happen... it was a heavy door," was all Shego said and she watched Kim nod, "Thanks for the rescue Kim... I was worried by his words that you didn't get my signal."
"I didn't," said Kim. Shego raised a brow, "Once I got halfway to headquarters I finally got signal and realized our trackers had been jammed and locked on showing a signal of us on the island we met Mr. Scumbucket on."
"So it showed us active and safe so no one knew we would have been in danger, " nodded Shego, "I change my mind. I'll email the report."
"I'll let them know you're headed to the hospital," said Kim.
Shego nodded.
==
Shego had done her best to avoid thinking about the evening, the report she was had to write and her own failings... all until she pulled into her driveway and saw the porch light still left on for her. She let her head rest against the back of her seat and took a deep breath as unease finally made way to some sort of relief as she saw her home. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, letting a slight thought occur... she'd not only been blindsided this evening... it could have been avoided if she'd just not let her ego get in the way... she'd been overconfident... she'd almost-
No. Just...don't.
She hadn't gone to the hospital, she'd gone home. It was late and the house was silent and dark as she entered. Locking and securing the door behind her as she scanned the entry way. She didn't even know what time it was, barely acknowledged the sound of Spike racing towards her. She held her hand up so he stopped and she pet him gently before heading upstairs. Her mind completely blank as she tried to avoid processing the last several hours, only observe her surroundings. She glanced out a window as she walked down the hallway, looking at the lawn where a few toys lay and the flowers were nestled around. A flash of her own body there shot through her mind and she moved quicker to her room, keeping her mind blank.
She turned the handle to her room and
moved in it quickly, as if going through that door was the last barrier to relief. Her back fell against the door as if she was physically trying to shut the last three days out, not just the last few hours. If she'd been in the right state of mind she would have walked around her home, would have not left her things back at Global Justice... she would not be scanning the room frantically. The light for the bathroom was still on and Drakken wasn't in bed yet. She heard the faucet turn off and suddenly the bathroom door swung open to reveal his relieved expression at her being home. She returned the smile, until his face fell as he looked her over with wide eyed shock.
It was it.
The last reserve she had as the evening and its emotional turmoil broke like a dam. The pain, the fear, the injuries, and the humiliation showed on her face. The threats of her family finding her body in a worse and unmoving state in the morning... it all hit her at once as she let the facade drop. The deep sob that escaped her took nearly all of her strength with it.
Drakken's arms were around her as she sunk to the ground and let the emotions escape her. Her mind spinning with everything that could have happened, the fear that no one would have even known if the threat had been fake. She would have just never come home at all, while her family thought she was safe and working on a mission via the tracking device... How long would they have the been left in the dark... days? If she hadn't come home tonight or tomorrow she knew Drakken would have gone looking for her... would he have walked in a trap.
So many failing that could have occurred because she simply assumed she would always have the upper hand.
She could feel Drakken's hand running down her thigh to her calf, tracing the bruises as he held her close. She hissed in pain as he pressed on her calf. His arm slipped under her legs and she let the sobbing dwindle as he picked her up, but he didn't put her in bed but instead moved towards the bathroom. She didn't say a word as she was sat on the counter and Drakken began digging through their medical supplies. She focused on trying to control her thoughts and fixate on the fact she was home now... she was safe. Today could be written off as a bad dream.
Drakken's hands meticulously seemed to trace every scratch and bruise as if it were critical and not just minor compared to the stitches she knew she had on her head from the medic and her swollen leg that was poorly wrapped with no support. She could see the questions spinning through Drakken's features but he would wait till morning she was sure. She almost smiled at his expression until his hands traced the bruises along her thigh and legs. She herself hadn't even bothered to examine them till he had.
The places she vaguely remembered being grabbed violently before she'd manage to pull herself together. She suddenly felt a new wave of emotions coming as it sunk in the exact intentions that she knew were always planned. Not a single doubt found her mind as she realized the set up from the very beginning had been a sick trap for she and Kim, she'd just been the first one tricked. Her mind began spinning that if he knew Global Justice wasn't coming at all, how long would he have kept her in that place that no one could even see with thermals.
Her mind was spinning and she looked at Drakken who was now following the marks and cuts under her clothing, which she let be pulled away, where she could now see the nasty bruises and welts she'd not been aware of. More hand print shaped marks were scattered over her, along with the kicks and punches she'd received. She could never remember a time that it had looked this bad before, and he hadn't even been a challenging fighter... just tricky and had the upper hand on location.
Drakken moved to look at her back and she hissed as his hand touched her shoulders, her face finding to crook of his neck as she wrapped her arms around him. Letting the whispers he'd been saying finally reach her ears in comfort. His voice pushing the images and fears from her mind as she let herself finally breath right again.
"Hospital." He stated as he kissed along her cheek and forehead as she loosened her grip.
"Morning." Was her response. He pulled away to look at her, his own eyes turning red as he held back his own emotions, "First thing."
"Sheila," he rested his head against hers, avoiding her wound.
"Okay... but can you just..." she trailed off in her declaration of going to the hospital tonight, as his arms wrapped around her and held her firmly.
She wasn't sure how long she simply just held onto him and let it push away the thoughts and emotions racing through her head, but when he made a movement to pull away she held tighter, as if him pulling away would break the calm she was feeling and her panic might resurface. It was this calm and the fear that made her words more solid.
"This was my last mission," her breath came out shaky as she said it.
The audible reliving gasp Drakken let out as he held her closer shot a shock wave though her as she felt him shake slightly against her. There was a new pain grasping at her heart as she gripped him tighter in return. She wondered suddenly, how long he'd been waiting for those words from her, and how it took this one night to make her aware that Drakken clearly spun these horror filled thoughts in his head every-time she was gone. She felt the tears resurface again as she buried her face against his, knowing even more how much her not coming home would have destroyed him... because it would have been the very fear that he had every time she took a mission.
And it took her last mission to realize that the missions should have ended a very long time ago.
"Promise," it was a crackly whisper in her ear that finally broke her.
Shego's work and late night missions start to effect Drakken without her knowing. A short angst/fluff dealing with a domestic Drakken and Shego.
FFN | Ao3
Blind Spot
Shego wasn't sure at what point she'd stopped helping Possible and Global Justice with weekend missions and had started taking on more during the week. It had only been once in a while, and here and there...but she seemed to be relied on more as time went by, even taking a few undercover jobs once in a while. Perhaps it was the thrill of using her skills outside of a classroom...but it never really dawned on her how much she was working. She'd always get home before dinner with her family, and it was no different then any other 9 to 5 job... At least at first.
It was nearly dawn when Shego got home from her latest mission. She was agitated as she always wanted to be back before dinner—not breakfast. The house was silent and she wondered if the kids had stayed the night at their friends. They were old enough that this was a common occurrence. She saw the single bowl in the sink and nodded. They had. She was glad Drakken had managed to eat at least. He'd probably been happily tinkering away in his lab all night. She smirked at this and that he'd probably appreciated not having distractions to his work. She saw the dim light of the television as she entered the living room and paused. If she was being honest, they rarely used the large television save for family movie nights over the years.
Shego slowed as she looked on the couch where Drakken slept holding a pillow under his arm. He'd yet to change out of the clothes she'd seen him in the morning prior, which meant he hadn't been in the lab. His phone was placed in front of him, whereas normally he'd toss it somewhere else; the countless times he'd have to track it down were laughable. She leaned over the couch and looked at him sleeping. His face wasn't peaceful like it normally was when he slept, but contorted. His breathing was heavier than normal as if he was having a nightmare or had just drifted off.
Shego furrowed her brow at his as she leaned on the back of the couch. Her hand smoothed out the stressed lines on his face softly and his eyes shot open.
"Sheila?" he asked quickly and then focused his eyes. A look of relief swam over his features. "You're home."
"Doy," smirked Shego. She raised a brow and it clicked. "Did you stay up all night waiting for me?"
Drakken sighed and nodded.
"You didn't call and I couldn't get the hover car started... You forgot your tracker..."
He was ranting out of worry rather than anger at her being forgetful. She mentally chastised herself for forgetting her tracker—something he'd insisted on in case she found herself in a circumstance she may need Drakken to assist her in. She was torn towards being annoyed by his worry, but it faded.
"You didn't take your tracker," he said again. This time there was annoyance. His hand desperately covered hers. "You didn't call this time..."
"Sorry, there was no service in Cambodia," she yawned. "But I'm home."
His brow relaxed and he sighed before looking at the clock on the television.
"I have to go to work," he muttered but smiled at her. "Breakfast?"
"No, I'm exhausted," she gave him a quick kiss. "I ate something on the jet... You have a good day at work."
"Love you," she heard him call behind her. She responded the same but her yawn muffled it slightly.
He heard me.
==
Again...and again, the missions were taking longer and longer. She was coming home at obscene hours and a few undercover missions had taken whole weekends. On that night's mission she'd gotten her phone smashed. She'd not bothered calling home once she'd gotten into a service area because she had planned on being home by dinner... Unfortunately an escape from the cells at Global Justice had made her walk right into a lock down upon her return.
She was furious as she walked in the door at nearly midnight. Another dinner missed. She saw bowls in the sink soaking so at least everyone was home. It was aggravating that she only seemed to see the kids in passing. And Drakken...it seemed he was always at work when she was home...which wasn't the way she'd planned her job to be. They had mirrored shifts...or they were supposed to. She walked up the stairs and sighed as she entered their room. Drakken lay in bed and she looked at the clock. It was Saturday, so he wouldn't have work tomorrow and the lab could wait.
She smiled and tossed her clothes aside before lazily sliding under the covers next to him. It had been warm that night despite the air so he wasn't wearing a shirt. She felt herself relax and the trials of the day fade away as she smiled and snuggled up to him. His cool skin against her cheek was a welcoming feeling. He stiffened and she knew he was awake.
"It's just me," she hummed. She snuggled further in the silence as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Sheila?" his voice was hoarse and off. She raised a brow and opened her eyes.
"Hmm?" she asked as his hand slid over hers. "What's up?"
"Are...are you not happy anymore?" he sighed. There was a heaviness in his voice.
She was confused by his question and snorted.
"Of course I am... I mean not with work at the moment... Tonight was—"
"Are you happy with me?" he asked. Shego sat up completely.
"What do you mean? Why, did you do something? Did something catch fire..." she looked around trying to figure out if she'd missed something.
"I meant with me in general... Do I make you happy anymore?" he breathed.
Shego looked at his form. His breathing was heavy and he hadn't turned to look at her. Her hand slid over his shoulder and she let out a deep sigh. She felt it fuel her already agitated state. She would have normally scoffed at his absurd question but his voice again made it melt away into unease.
Why would he ask that...
"What kind of question is that? Of course you make me happy... I love you," she chuckled softly. Her hands dug into his flesh in a gentle squeeze. "Why would you ask that?"
"You don't come home anymore... You even canceled our date nights... You stopped wearing your tracker and calling when you're out..." He turned to look at her now. "I can go on."
She could see in the moonlight how tired and sad he looked. She knew he'd been crying at some point that evening by the shine in his eyes. She wanted to argue that it was just work or timing or— Her mind shut down the growing annoyance from lack of sleep as it clicked. He thought she had fallen out of love with him? Her own heart ached at this, a mix of anger and sadness swimming inside her... She wanted to demand how he could think that but he'd just explained it to her...and he was continuing in her silence.
"You don't wear your wedding ring... When did you start taking it off?" he added as he held up her bare hand, his wedding band catching the light.
"I don't want to lose it on undercover missions," she stated. It sounded pathetic but it was true. Her hand gripped his. "It's in my bag..."
"Are you sure it's not just me," he asked. There was a sad laugh in his throat. "It seems that way... You come home for other things... Not me, or us... It's been weeks since we've been in the same bed...months if you're honest... I just can't figure out if it's because I've gained some weight... I didn't think it was that noticeable... Or...have I finally just annoyed you enough..."
His voice cracked as he rambled about everything wrong with him and Shego's mind was pulled into the past... She was picturing an isolated Drakken, alone in his lab...all by himself... The kids were out more and more, and she was home less and less... He was alone again in his head...and so he was making mental lists of his faults to try to figure out why.
Shego's shoulders fell and she slid her hand across his cheek and he fell silent.
"I'm sorry Drew... I didn't mean to make you feel this way... I'm not unhappy..." she muttered. He wasn't looking at her and she knew he was still mentally finishing whatever list he'd concocted in her head. "Drew... Hey, Drew... Drakken! ...Look at me."
His head turned to her at the use of his old name...gaining both his attention and focus. Her fingers traced under his eyes, caressing the deep scar more than the other as she wiped away the dampness.
He had his emotional moments, he always had...but not to this degree. She wondered just how much he'd been piling onto himself over the months in misguided reasoning to explain her absence. If she hadn't come home when he was still awake...how long would he have kept building that wall of self-pity and loathing back up? She'd thought it had been eradicated years ago... But she felt stupid at that thought... Walls never really go away... They just crumble in small places.
"It's not whatever you're listing in that crazy head of yours. It's me... I've been neglectful and selfish." She tried to give a smile to lighten the conversation but she felt her eyes burn as she did so. "You kind of knew that when you married me."
His expression didn't change as he looked at her hands on his face. He barely touched her hand in response. The silence stayed as she tightened her grip on his face and forced him to look at her. There was still sadness in his eyes as he nodded.
Shego's heart ached as she saw this. He was only nodding because he was accepting her answer rather than believing her. She'd unknowingly been breaking his heart and tormenting him for months. Any other man would have assumed she was having an affair...but he knew better than that. No...he just assumed she'd fallen out of love with him. It hurt her to know this. But she couldn't fault him for his thoughts and emotions... An image from over a decade ago flooded back to her mind, of her crying in bed as he worked and ignored her as neither of them were used to being in a relationship. And now more than ten years later...she'd flipped the pain onto him. Her heart beat in her throat out of fear and sorrow. She lunged forward and kissed him hard.
She felt hunger building in her as she tasted the salt from her own tears and his as she kissed him. His hand slid into her hair and around her with the same blind hunger as hers. Her thoughts fell to wondering about the last time they had even made love... Her hunger was fueled even more as she couldn't remember... Months? Any other man might have been tempted to stray rather than brood... Not Drakken... Not her husband. He loved her with all his heart...and she'd been breaking it. She pulled from his kiss and rested her head against his. She needed to make it very clear to him.
"I'm so sorry... I didn't know I was hurting you." She sniffed and scoffed at herself and rubbed her face in frustration. "Of course I didn't... I haven't been here to see."
His hand pulled hers away from her face.
"You thought I didn't love you," she whispered to herself rather than him. She felt anger mix with her own upset. "After everything we've been through... After all of that...I made you think I didn't love you?"
She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him, her hands on his face again to keep his eyes focused on hers. He hadn't looked away but she didn't want him to even think about doing so. She saw him swallow hard as his hands slid over hers to lace his fingers with hers to pull them from his face and to rest on their laps.
"But you do?" he asked rather than stating and it hurt again.
She yanked her hands from his and reached to the side lamp. He clearly wasn't seeing her in the dim-light and she was losing patience. She turned to look at him to focus on his eyes with her own. The light showed the deep redness of his eyes...with the distant sad look in them. He looked uncomfortable as he pulled the blanket around himself...his words faintly in her mind of how he'd listed his faults... She'd made him insecure... His expression shifted as he took her in.
She knew her eyes were red and puffy from her slight tears. She knew her body held bruises from her mission... She had lost weight, if she was being honest... There wasn't always time to eat in her haste to get home and even when she'd get home, she'd much rather sleep. She hadn't washed her hair in days...yet he looked at her with all the love he always did. But still, the sadness was there.
She could see his eyes look into hers, and she smiled softly as the hesitance in his eyes seemed to fade.
"Look in my eyes, Drew Lipsky," she demanded. "Do they look for a second...for even one second...like I don't love you? Tell me."
She felt relief as she watched the last of his concerns fade from his eyes and a smile ghost his lips as he shook his head and moved closer to her face with his own.
"I want to hear it," she smirked. Drakken rolled his eyes.
"I love you," he smirked. Shego pulled back from the kiss he was going for and he gave an annoyed sigh. "And you love me."
"Glad that's cleared up," snorted Shego. "God, you're so needy—"
His lips kissed hers hard but it turned soft and passionate as she felt the anguish and the stress fall away and his hands slide over her shoulders. She'd been so wrapped up in work and missions that she was letting it all build up as she ignored him unintentionally. Each part of her his skin touched felt like it was screaming in relief. The scent of oil, mint, and flowers soothed the weight in her chest. Her hands slid under his arms and her nails ghosted over his back. She heard the hum of relief from his lips.
Months...
She repeated that mentally as her body held its renewed craving of his hands on her skin. It had never really gone anywhere, just...clearly waiting for her to slow down. She pulled him closer against her so her body was flush against his chest. She wondered if this was what people meant by the phrase touch-starved. His hands touched and kneaded every inch of her he could reach, and each touch was rewarded with hums of contentment from her lips.
"You're not going into the lab this weekend," she said between breaths as she fell back against the soft blanket, pulling him down over her as she did so.
"I don't have to work all week if I want," he said as he began kissing down her neck. Her nails dug into his back as she grinned at this.
"I have several weeks of vacation," she smirked as his brow rose before kissing her lips softly.
"Technically you don't have to ever go to work," he said innocently. "I mean I don't either..."
"And nix my goal of becoming director just so I can be Possible's boss?" she asked in mock shock.
"Oh well you're right...we can't let that level of petty go un-denied," he laughed.
"Damn right," laughed Shego.
They stared at each other as their laughter faded. Shego slid her hands to grip through his hair tightly as she leaned up to kiss him firmly. When she pulled away he was giving her a soft thoughtful smile.
"I love you," he sighed. Shego tugged his hair and he laughed. "Ow! And you love me."
"Uh huh," smirked Shego. "You better keep saying that too... None of this emotional pity-party in the middle of the night."
"Well sometimes it was in the middle of the day in the lab," he nodded. Shego rolled her eyes as he continued, "in the car listening to music..."
"Zip it," she laughed as he continued dramatically.
"I floated in the pond in the park in grief—"
"You better not have," she gasped. "Don't need any of the single grandmothers in the neighborhood showing up at the door with Jell-O molds."
"You joke, but we both know Beatrice down the block has a sweet spot for me," he retorted. Shego rolled her eyes. "...And you like watching the welcome mat eject them from the property and into the pond... It's your favorite summer party activity."
"It would be nice to see how far the Jell-O mold could make it intact," mused Shego.
"Well I didn't so...we'll have to figure out a way to test that in the morning." Drakken smirked and reached for the light as he slid off her.
"Ohm, excuse me...I still want attention... It's my turn to be emotional and needy," scoffed Shego as she yanked him back to her.
"You can be the needy and emotional one in the morning," he suggested. Shego pouted but sighed.
"You're lucky I'm tired and too drained from your breakdown," she said, cuddling into him as he lay down next to her.
"I meant it by the way," he sighed into her hair. "Take the week off?"
"Two," she yawned as she found her spot nestled in the crook of his arm. "Let's go away."
"We do have the island..." She heard him yawn.
"How about something more family-friendly," she replied as the blanket was pulled around them.
"You act like an island of killer plants and piranhas isn't something the kids would enjoy," he scoffed. Shego snorted.
"You're right...they are ours... The island it is," she nodded.
Shego took a deep breath and pulled herself closer to Drakken, wondering if taking a month off would fly or not... As much as she enjoyed the thrills of missions, danger, and mischief...she'd been letting the best thrills fall into a blind spot in her head. Love, laughter, family, and their own brand of united mischief was always far more thrilling than any mission could ever be.
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