Megamind stared at the ceiling, wondering where he was. Then it hit him: he recalled himself entering Roxanne's apartment, talking with her, sneezing and coughing a lot, and then entering into his "healing slumber mode".
He slowly sat up, and he saw Roxanne, sitting near him, on a chair, with his holowatch in one hand and…red eyes? She cried for me? For this cold? He thought, then he said, "Oh, crap…this is so embarrassing! And what are you doing with my watch?" he asked, trying to sound scolding.
"Sir, Miss Ritchi was talking to me. I'm so happy that you are awake. Feel better?" Minion asked through the watch with relieve in his voice.
"Oh…hum…well, yes, I feel better, and I'm ready to return at the Evil Lair, to make another evil plan!" he said with his usual evil tone, but having another coughing fit, luckily not so serious like the one he had the previous day.
Roxanne shook her head, and said, "You aren't going anywhere, Mister Ill! You are going to stay here, until you feel really well, and THEN you can go to your Evil Lair, right, Minion?" she asked at the henchfish with a playful tone.
Minion laughed at the other end, and said, "Right, Miss Ritchi! Sir, do as she told you, ok? And I think that you need to talk, right, Miss Ritchi?" he asked, referring to the discourse they have made.
Roxanne nodded, and answered, "Yes, Minion, and I'll let you know how he's doing, ok?"
"That's ok, Miss Ritchi, now I will leave you two alone, see ya!" the ichthyoid said, interrupting the communication.
Megamind had a puzzled expression, and then he frowned, and said, with a resolute tone, "I don't want to stay here, and I feel already better! I'm going at the Evil Lair now!"
Roxanne shook her head, and made a mischievous expression, then she said, nonchalantly, "That's ok, even if Minion would be very sad about that, and…well…let's say that I have an ace up in my sleeve…teheheh…"
The blue alien raised an eyebrow, and said, "What is that? And you seem a little evil, Miss Ritchi…what's going on?"
She chuckled once more, and pulled out her SRL camera, shoving to him the pictures she took, while he was sleeping.
"You look so peaceful and not villainous in these photos…maybe I could be tempted to publish them, if you don't do as I say," the reporter said with a very wicked tone of voice.
Megamind gaped at the pictures, then slumped and sulked. "Ok, you won…for now. And to tell you the truth, I don't feel so well, it would be risky for my health to return to the Evil Lair. AND I'm curious about what you have to tell me…" he said, thinking about the opportunity to stay with her for a while.
He had a crush on her, and it was one of the many reasons that he kept kidnapping her. But he also knew that the bad guy doesn't get the girl, but he always could dream.
Roxanne smiled triumphantly, and put away the camera in a safe place, hidden from the blue alien, and then she went in her bathroom, taking out the cold medicine, and a glass of water, returning into her bedroom.
"There, take this pill, and after that I would prepare you some warm soup to eat. After that, we need to talk about something important," she said, handing him the glass and the blister of pills.
The blue alien raised an eyebrow, looking at her puzzled, taking the pill.
"We need to talk…about...?" he asked, curious.
"Later, now you need to eat something warm, ok?" she said warmly, going toward her kitchen to prepare the soup.
While Roxanne prepared the meal, he wondered what it was, and he wondered about Roxanne's gently behavior toward him, so decided to call Minion with the watch.
"Minion? Did you know what she wants to talk about? I know that you know!" he whispered into the communication device.
The henchfish sighed, and said, "The only thing that I'm gonna say it is that you had a bad dream. And we had a…little chat. Now rest…hum…what is she doing?" he asked, with curiosity, smiling giddily.
Megamind blinked, and remembered the dream, and he remembered that somebody comforted him…and it was a feminine voice. He also remembered Roxanne's red eyes, and all clicked into his big brain.
"You have told her about my past…why? And…oh well…anyway she's preparing some soup…her behavior…it's changed. I will ask her. See you later, Minion, and…thanks?" he finished frowning, not knowing what to think of all this.
The fish ended the communication, hoping that it was going all well.
The blue alien was assorted in his thoughts, and he didn't hear Roxanne entering the room.
She noticed his strange look, and saw the holowatch in his hand. "You have talked to Minion, right? Eat this soup, and then we can talk, ok?" she said, placing the tray with legs on her bed, near him.
He watched her with a mixed look: sadness and hope, and Roxanne's heart sank a little. The alien began to eat the soup, and he finished it quickly, then he watched the brunette with a questioning glance.
She took a deep breath, then she bit her lower lip, and that gesture made Megamind's heart race.
Then she told him what happened, the dream, her that comforted him, and then the chat with Minion, who told her all his past.
Finished all the speech, Roxanne told him, with a calm tone of voice, "I have this idea, if you want to do it. I want to talk with Wayne, and the warden, and some other people, to gather information, and then I'm going to do an interview with you and Wayne, to tell at all the citizen of Metro City the truth behind your villainy. You could give being good another opportunity, Megamind, I know it! You aren't so evil, and I am the proof! I mean…in all your "evil plans", you never hurt me, you was always careful!" she said resolutely.
Megamind was speechless: he didn't know what to say. He thought about all that, and after a while he shook his giant head.
"It's useless, Miss Ritchi…no one would believe this story. Metro Man would lie to you, even if you are his girlfriend, to hide the truth, and I don't think that you would find other information about my shool period. All my classmates were Metro Boy's groupies, and so was the teacher. I'd like to do that, but it's impossible…" he said, slumping and biting his lower lip, sulking.
Roxanne shook her head, took his hands in hers, and said, "First of all, my name is Roxanne, use it, please, and don't be so formal! Second – but not less important – I'm not Wayne's girlfriend, I never was. And I would find the information I need. You know, someone keep calling me Nosy Reporter for a reason, right?" she finished making a mischievous smile.
The blue alien was shocked by her gesture and words: he was gaping at her, and blushing a lot. He was never touched like that by a human, even less his favorite human: Roxanne.
"Ah…hem…ok…Miss…oops…Roxanne. You and Wayne was never a couple? But I thought…"
"Everyone did, but really, he's not even my type," she said, interrupting him and watching him smiling, thinking how he was cute, blushing like that only because she held his blue hands.
"Really? And…hum…if I may ask…who is your type?" Megamind said, with disbelieve in his voice, and a bit of hope, asking that question, seeing how she held his hands.
"Yes, really, we are only friends, and well, I like to be together with a witty, intelligent and funny man," she said, watching him, smiling.
He was so socially awkward that he didn't recognize those characteristic in himself, so he looked down, and said, with a sad tone of voice, "Well…he will be a lucky man, whoever have these characteristics. I bet that you have never encountered him, because all people of Metrocity think that you are together with Wayne, and for our…"game", right? I'm sorry about that, I think that I and Wayne had rendered your life a little Hell, right?" he said, sulking a little more.
Roxanne sighed, and shook her head, not believing her ears, and for a good measure, she started to stroke his hands with her thumbs.
"Silly alien, I've already found that man, you know?" she said, mischievously, continuing to stroke gently his hands.
She had the suspicion that the true Megamind was hidden, and now she had the possibility to see some snippets of the true him, and she liked him even more than before.
He was again taken aback by her behavior, and breathless, when she started to caress his hands in such fashion.
He raised suddenly his head, watching her, and said, on instinct, with fear and hope in his voice, "Perhaps…perhaps…that man it's…me?"
She kept caressing his hands, smiling at him, and nodding. "Yes, that's you. I was always attracted by you, but you know…"
"…The bad guy doesn't get the girl…I know…" he finished for her, sadly, and she nodded.
"But why you decided to tell me this now? It's because you pity me for my past, and you want to give me a taste of a normal life? Or…for something else? I don't believe that a beautiful woman like you would want to stay with a blue-skinned, giant-headed alien like me, right?" he asked, his insecurity emerging once again.
Roxanne shook her head once again, smiling crookedly, not believing that Megamind – the manic alien, always doing his shows before every battle – was so shy and insecure.
"I would NEVER pity you, and I don't care about your appearance: my father taught me to not judge a book by its cover, or a person by the outside, but to judge them based on their actions. It's true that you were a bad guy, a…villain…but there was a reason behind that, and it's not entirely your fault. I admit that you made some rotten choices in the past, but you had your reasons to behave like that. And now you could change your destiny, your path!"
"You can be whatever you want to be: you want to be someone who helps the citizen of Metro City with your inventions? You can! You want to do Wayne's job? You can! Even if you don't have his powers, you have your brain, and your amazing intellect: you can build things to protect this city, instead of destroying it, and I think that many people of Metro City would accept you, I'm sure!" she said with enthusiasm.
"And if you feel down, well…I will be there to support you, always," she finished, with sparkling eyes, and holding his hands with care and sweetness.
Megamind processed all those things, and a smile began to spread on his sad face, and his green eyes began to sparkle.
"You really think all those things? I…want to change, now, you convinced me…I…mh…well…I like you, Roxanne…I had always a crush on you, and…mh…oh, I don't know what to say, I'm so happy!" he finished, shedding some tears of happiness.
Roxanne was speechless in front of this display, and now she knew that Megamind was the right man for her.
She let his hand go, and whipped away those tears of joy from his face.
The blue alien was breathless for a moment, for her gesture, and then, on pure instinct, he closed his eyes, leaning against her hand, and sighed contentedly.
"Oh, Roxanne…I feel so at peace with you, and I will do my best to change my ways, for you, I promise!" he said tenderly, with love in his voice. For him it was a dream come true, and he blessed his cold, and his own stubbornness to not take the cold medicine, which were the reasons that changed his destiny.
The brunette giggled, and said, "That's ok with me, but don't change too much! You know, I like your "bad boy" and hyperactive's side too!"
At that statement he opened his emerald green eyes, smiling openly, and then doing one of his evil smiles.
"Oh, so you like that side of mine, uh? Interesting…but after your blackmailing with the pictures, I'm not so surprised, and also, I wonder why you never accepted my proposals to become my Evil Queen," he said mischievously.
Roxanne rolled her eyes, and watched him with a scolding glance. "Well…I was tempted, but I thought about my career, you know…if you are an Evil Queen you cannot go to work and be loved by everyone," she said, trying to hold the giggles.
Megamind was sure that it was for something like that, so he nodded, and smiled. "Well, I'm anyway happy now, even if you aren't going to be my Evil Queen. And…oh…I will try to be a nice…mh…boyfriend," he declared, blushing furiously at that thought.
The reporter smiled contentedly, seeing him so insecure, and said, very sweetly, "And I will help you, since it is one of the tasks of a good girlfriend. By the way, you are so cute when you're embarrassed. I will help you in that task too, ok, sweetheart?"
The alien gaped at her, breathless, for those declarations, and said, "How did you called me? And…well…I will be happy to learn from a fantastic girlfriend like you. Oh…I'm not believing this…you are my girlfriend…Roxanne, this is a dream come true, and all thanks to this cold…or I must say, my thick headedness to not take my cold medicine…" he said, sulking a little.
"Teheheh…I called you sweetheart, because it's true. Oh, Megamind, I really never thought that under all that drama and spikes, was hidden a so sweet man. And it's not a dream, it's the reality, and I'm happy that you didn't take your medicines, so I got to know the real you, and I will help you to change your path, aren't you happy?" she said merrily, holding again his hands, and smiling at him.
Megamind blushed once again, and said, "Thanks, I think that it will pass a long time before I would get used to this, but I'm so happy now! Really, really happy. Oh…I need to talk to Minion…I think that he would be very happy too! You know…I had always the impression that he didn't like my choice to be a villain."
Roxanne nodded, and took the watch, giving it to the blue alien. He pressed the communication button, and said, excitedly, "Minion? Are you there?"
You could almost hear him rolling his brown eyes, while he sarcastically answered, "Yes, Sir, I'm here…you are the one who installed a direct link with the watch in my suit, you know…"
Roxanne giggled, and Megamind frowned, pouting a little. "Hem…you're right…but in this moment I'm so EXCITED! I MUST tell you what I and Roxanne were telling each other…mh…well…not EVERY detail, but..oh…Minion! I'm so HAPPY!" he stammered, blushing again and watching Roxanne with a love-sick glance.
And after that, he told him about her idea, and about their promises, and when he finished there was a moment of silence, and the blue alien was worried, because he knew that Minion was usually a chatterbox, and that silence was unusual.
Then they heard the strangest sounds from the speakers of the watch: burbling and sighing sounds.
"He is crying, perhaps?" Roxanne asked whispering at Megamind.
He smiled, and nodded. "Yes…he is always like that when he's moved by something…he is really a fantastic fish! He must be very happy," he said with warmth in his voice.
After a while, the crying stopped, and Minion declared, "Oh, Sir, Miss Ritchi, I'm so HAPPY! Why there is this dreadful weather? In this moment I want to hug both of you…and I must thank you, Miss Ritchi, you have a big heart, and I'm so happy that you decided to stay with Sir, really…oh, I'm going to prepare a VERY good meal for you two, when the weather will be better and I can be there, ok?" he said merrily, making smile the fresh couple.
"I'll let you know when the snow stop, ok, Minion? You are such a sweetheart too, and I'm looking forward to taste your meal. In the meanwhile, I will take care of my new blue boyfriend, and I'll let you know the progress of the healing. See ya later, Minion," she said, interrupting the communication when he responded positively.
Then she watched Megamind, and said, "If you feel better, we can go in my sitting room, to watch some Christmas movies, or some DVDs, your choice, ok?"
Megamind blinked, and smiled openly, then he said, "It's Kurisumas! I almost forgot! Merry Kurisumas, Roxanne! It's true that miracles could happen on this day, then! This is the best gift I ever received in my entire life!" he declared, hugging suddenly Roxanne, which responded happily at the embrace.
The moment she hugged him, he realized what was happening, and he froze for an instant, and after that, he melted under her touch, leaning his head on her shoulders sighing contently, and closing his eyes.
Roxanne realized that he wasn't even used to hugs too, and she thought about his life, and so she wasn't surprised, and she liked to have such an effect on the alien who had made her life a little Hell.
After a while, Megamind detached himself from the embrace, and he had a dreamy expression on his features.
Roxanne giggled a little, seeing him like that, and she thought that she liked this side of him, and she knew that would be a long time before he was used to those type of affections, especially by her.
The blue alien came out from his dreamy state at her giggle, and he watched her with a mischievous glance, saying, "You are really a temptress, my dear. I must be careful to not fall into your sweet trap again, but maybe I will let you do your plan, it's not so bad," finishing winking at her.
Roxanne smiled mischievously, and she said, "Maybe I would plan other attack like this, to get you used to my affection in the future. So, we go to watch some movies? If I'm not wrong is what we did the other years, only that now it's MY choice…teheheh."
Megamind smiled at her, and said, "Whatever you want, I'm way too happy to protest. Maybe it's better to take a blanket? What do you think?" he finished, thinking about cuddling with her under the blanket, watching the movie, blushing at the thought.
She noticed that particular, and so she took a matrimonial blanket from her wardrobe, then she helped him stand up, holding his hand, and taking him in the living room.
