He would never fly commercial again. Between the long security lines, crying children, and delayed flight, Drakken's patience had been tried again and again. Despite even sitting in first class, which he admitted was quite enjoyable, a 13-hour flight from China to Middleton was one he wished never to repeat.

He missed his hover car. He missed his home.

His missed her, plain and simple.

She was the reason he ended up on a plane in the first place. He was skeptical of taking the offer at first: a mix of his confidence issues and that fact that he would be going alone was not an appealing route. However, her genuine interest in the project put him on the path.
-

3 months ago...

"You would actually be making a difference, not that silly "superhero saving the world mess."

A tech company across the seas was interested in collaborating with the former mad scientist for a plan to bring agricultural diversity to struggling countries.

"But what if this is just a joke? What if they don't really care about my ideas and treat me like some office lackey?"

"Dr.D, if they truly didn't care about your ideas then it wouldn't say "we believe that your expertise in innovation is essential in our development," Shego said reading the email as a dramatic businessman. She placed her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look right into her eyes, "Trust me, they see something in you."

The feeling of her reassurance made Drakken swell with excitement.

"You're right! I'll show these techies what true crop cultivation is all about!" Drakken bounced Shego's arms off his shoulders before speeding to his lab.

"You know I've never flown in first class. I wonder if they still serve peanuts?"

Shego shook her head and smirked at her boss before following his voice into the lab, internally crushed by his inevitable departure.
-

Three months since he last saw her. Three months without her luscious, black hair and snarky comments ( He actually missed her lippiness). Three months since she dropped him off at the airport and the two parted on quite interesting terms.

A week later…

Shego pulled up to the airport entrance and parked before letting out a sigh

"Well, I guess this is it."

Drakken looked at Shego and saw an expression of..sadness?

Was she actually going to miss him?

He had already come to terms with his feelings about her but he still wasn't sure how she felt about him. It felt like the two were constantly tip-toeing around each other, waiting for the other to take a step closer. It was starting to make him agitated and the fact that he would have to continue dealing with it for three months alone made it worse.

No. He couldn't wait any longer, he had to get some context of her feelings towards him.

Drakken took Shego's hand and softly placed his lips on her skin. Shego had no time to pull her hand away from the sudden chivalrous act. She snapped her head towards Drakken, ready to give a hard glare, but was taken back by staring straight into his eyes.

They were dark blue...Huh...she had never noticed that before.

Drakken then placed his other hand on top without moving his eyes away from Shego's.

"Gosh her eyes are so gorgeous"

Drakken and Shego continued to stare at each other. Absentmindedly, Drakken began to rub his thumb on top of Shego's enclasped hand: so smooth yet so strong.

Neither was sure how long they were in this position, but the reminder that he had to catch a flight snapped Drakken out of his gaze. He quickly took his hands off of Shego and fumbled around to find his suitcase. Shego cradled the hand that was in Drakken's grip and turned her head away, her cheeks getting darker.

"I'll call you as soon as I land."

As he unlocked the door and began to exit the car, he felt a firm grip on his chest. Shego pulled him back into the seat before placing her hands on his cheeks. With no warning, Shego planted her lips on Drakken's cheek, leaving quite a lipstick mark.

"Don't do anything stupid while you're away."

Drakken's nerves went haywire. He blushed a dark shade of blue and Shego snickered.

"How cute"

Drakken finally got out of the car and turned to his partner for a final time. She looked happy but also concerned. Maybe she was serious and actually worried? Using the last bit of confidence he sure he had for the month, Drakken smiled at Shego and reassured her inner qualms about his safety.

"Don't worry. I'll be back before you know it."

Now it was Shego's turn to blush.

"I'll hold you to it...Dork."

Without saying a proper goodbye, Shego sped off, not wanting to embarrass herself any longer.

Drakken watched the car as it ran through stop lights and almost hit a pedestrian. With a pep in his step, Drakken walked through the entrance, while lightly touching the black lipstick that was now stuck on his face.

What a woman.
-

He did call her after he landed and they did their best to keep in touch. But busy schedules and conflicting time zones made communication quite difficult. A call a day became an email a week and by the last month the best he got was an angry text that he was pretty sure was meant for her older brother.

It was nearing midnight and he was now at the front of the airport, the same spot the Shego dropped him off three months ago. He had seen enough reunions in one day to program a rom-com generator. He just didn't understand. So you haven't seen someone in a long time? What's the big deal? He hadn't seen cousin Eddie in years until his mother dropped him off at his lair, and he had no desire to be apart of some sappy scene. Although, an itsy-bitsy thought way back in the man's mind hoped that he could experience some of that sap when he would see Shego again.

When he asked her if she could pick him up a few days ago, he was surprised how fast she agreed. Her voice went from a mundane "hey" to a quite uncharacteristically cheery "Of course!" maybe she actually missed him as much as he did her?

Suddenly a wave of doubting thoughts smacked him in the head; What will she say when she sees me? What will I say? What if it's awkward in the car? What if she's seeing someone?

While he was stuck in his mind a sleek, black car came into his view and speedily curved around, gracefully braking at the spot in front of him. Drakken knew who it was and his body clenched up, his breath held in. The car turned off and the door opened. Out came his partner, her hair (was it shorter?) blowing in the cold Middleton air. Shego looked around nervously, trying to find Drakken. Too scared to say anything, Drakken put up his hand and sheepishly waived, trying to catch her attention. In the corner of her eye, Shego could see a blue speck which she was pretty sure belonged to the only blue person she knew in her life (and possibly on the planet). When she turned and saw the man she hadn't seen in months… she smiled. Before, everything in Drakken's body had stopped, and now his heart had too.

With her smile (which of course, was rare, at least when it wasn't related to evil), he noticed that her hair was, in fact, shorter, ending mid-back instead of her calf. It made her look older, more confident. He thought this would be impossible to say, but Shego had never looked more beautiful. As she walked closer to him, their eyes never moved away from each other. When they were face to face there was silence between them besides the ruffling of Drakken's hands in his pockets.

Finally...

"H-Hi" Shego stuttered.

"Hey" Drakken replied, exhaling deeply. He could see his breath in front of him. He then realized just how cold it was out here. Maybe it would've been a good idea to check the weather and dress accordingly before coming home. It was so hot when he left.

He had been gone way too long.

Before Drakken found himself on another thought train, he felt a huge weight on his chest. Shego threw herself onto him in a one-sided embrace, with her small but strong arms wrapped around his neck, her head nested onto his shoulder.

Immediately, Drakken wrapped his arms around her waist, possibly even harder. He inhaled through his nose and hummed against her hair. It smelled different but he loved it.

Shego lifted her head and looked back into Drakken's eyes, moving her arms and putting her hands on his chest, the couple slightly loosening their grip on each other.

Now it was his turn to start.

"Did you miss me?"

Shego lowered her eyes and smirked. She placed a hand on Drakken's cheek. The warmth of her palm on his chilling face felt wonderful. Shego lifted her head up to Drakken's and brought her lips against his. Her lips were so soft and warm. Drakken's heart swelled to a size he thought wasn't possible as he felt his whole body heat up.

Shego wasn't sure why she kissed Drakken. There were definitely other, more platonic ways to respond to his question, yet verbally, Shego could not process an answer. She did like Drakken, something she finally came to terms with, annoyingly after he left, which put her in an awkward position. She didn't want to confess her feelings over the phone while he was across the ocean but that left her emotionally bottled up for the last three months. The closest she had too any emotional release was cutting off half her hair and even then she could still link it to her feelings for her ex-employer. Deep in her soul, locked away with the key thrown out, she felt that maybe Drakken would find her more attractive, more mature, with shorter hair.

Jeez...caring about her appearance for someone else..she was getting soft.

It wasn't a deep kiss, more of a long peck. Before he even had time to physically react- his eyes didn't get to close- their lips parted. Shego looked up at Drakken with the brightest, doe eyes he had ever seen on her face.

If she had gone this far to express her feelings she might as well try to figure out his.

"So...did you miss me?"

Drakken continued to look into her eyes and began thinking. All the karaoke nights, Trash Tv marathons and take-out dinners they've missed. All the laughs, screams, and sarcastic remarks he didn't get to hear. When it came down to it, Shego was his best friend, the woman he had spent most of his life with for almost seven years. She was the only person that, in her own twisted way, supported him through his shocking ups and disastrous downs. Even after "saving the world" and being thrown into a mid-life crisis that was mentally and physically exhausting Shego was still patient and resilient enough to stay by his side as he was making the life-changing decision of giving up a goal that controlled his career for the last decade.

He thought about their reunion on the Lowardian mothership. He had never felt like such a coward until he pulled away from Shego when she tried to hug him. When he saw her face cringe and eyes squint, as if she completely regretted her decision to open herself up to him, his heart broke. Of course, he had to mess up what he was sure going to be a once in a lifetime chance. Lucky for him, he was given numerous chances to redeem himself-the award ceremony, before the trip, when she dropped him off- but Drakken felt he still wasn't straight up with Shego about what he wanted their relationship to be. He needed her in his life, and he knew that it was now or never to make a statement.

With all the confidence the man ever had, Drakken pulled Shego into a kiss that he knew was one for the books. Drakken tightened his hold on Shego's waist with one hand and ran the other through her hair, placing it on the back of her neck to maintain control of the kiss. Shego threw her arms across Drakken's neck again, this time deepening the kiss. She was not expecting Drakken to be so forward with her and she couldn't lie the aggressiveness was pretty attractive. Drakken was hoping for a nice kiss but next thing he knew, the couple was getting more intimate, with light groping and a tongue fight for dominance over the lip-lock. This was a long time coming and even with something as personal as kissing, the two still found a way to make it a competition

Before Drakken got way over his head and try to pull something that would've gotten the two in trouble with the law, Drakken slowed down and lightly plucked his lips off of Shego's. He realized how long he had gone without breathing and began taking deep breaths while reminiscing about the last five minutes that he thought would never happen in his lifetime. When their lips separated, Shego whimpered, breathless, and almost going in for a second.

The couple was looking at each catching their breaths. Drakken leaned his forehead onto her's, poking their noses.

"Ow..." Drakken muttered.

Shego started chuckling, unable to control herself.

Well, there goes the mood.

Drakken followed soon after and the two were quietly laughing; not only because of the nose boop but also because it was hilariously pathetic how long it took to get here. When it died down the two smiled at each other, heads still together, passing the same thought.

Did you miss me?

Of course, I did you dork!

Although the moment was quite blissful, the cold was becoming too much to bear. Drakken let go of Shego and picked up his carry on while a vine sprouted from his neck and pick up the other luggage. Shego slid her hand under Drakken's free arm, intertwining her other hand into his, and started leading him to the car. She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed.

She would return to her regular snappy, sarcastic self when they got back home. But right now, she was too happy to have her man back (Did she really just call him that?) And if it made her look like some rom-com sap, then she was totally cool with that.

Now that the awkwardness had passed, Drakken wanted to get down to the nitty-gritty.

"So why the haircut?"

Shego shrugged her shoulders and smirked,

"Guess it was time for a change."

Drakken couldn't have agreed more.
-

Author's Note: So I realized I've never actually written a full fanfic of Drakken and Shego being romantic and I decided it was time to try it out. The were probably a little sappy in this one but hey, I think they deserve some sap!

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!