Author's note:
Right, number three of three and it's another 10K plus chapter to close out this update. So, still plenty for you to get your teeth into. The title this time, It isn't only me that you're running from, is a slightly modified (replacing wasn't for isn't) lyric from the Pink Floyd song, Poles apart, which you may remember was the title to chapter 13. Hmmm, I wonder why I might be revisiting that old chestnut? Guess you're just going to have to read on and find out. Enjoy and I'll see you all at the end.
##
Chapter Twenty-four: It isn't only me that you're running from
A light beat fluttered from the stage, out across the dance floor and to the ears of those seated on the comfortable chairs and sofas that surrounded it like a horseshoe; it also had no issue in reaching the mezzanine floor above. It never commanded a listener's attention or forced itself upon them, rather was there for someone to enjoy should they so desire. Needless to say, the atmosphere of the bar could be summed up perfectly as relaxed. This was the exact opposite of how Kim Possible currently felt.
Sitting on a sofa beside her best girl; Monique and across from two boys whom they had met only two hours prior, Kim was uneasy... on edge even. Matt, the boy directly opposite her and the one who had taken an interest in her, had bought her a drink; an apple sours and lemonade, almost an hour ago and they had talked casually. But things hadn't gone anywhere from there. There had been no push from him to make a move on her and likewise, she hadn't known how to advance things either. While this had been fine to begin with, for she did not think she could have handled someone being pushy, the longer it went on the more awkward she felt. She had genuinely tried to engage him, to convey the fact that she was interested in them doing… whatever it was you were supposed to do in such situations. Unfortunately, therein lay the rub. Every time she reached for something to say that might allow for some sort of progress, she drew a big fat blank in her mind. So, there she sat, slowly retreating into herself and allowing the music to claim more and more of her attention. At least in the moments when it gripped her, the awkwardness receded.
"…yo, Kim?"
Kim's eyes darted to her left when she heard Monique say her name, only to find an empty space on the sofa beside her.
"This way, Girl," her friend said playfully.
She turned around to look towards the dancefloor, only to find her best girl obscuring her view. She hadn't even noticed that the girl had stood up and walked past her.
Mo extended a hand out to her, "will you come help me? I think I smudged my lipstick."
Kim looked up at Monique's lips and unsurprisingly saw that there was nothing wrong with her lipstick. Nevertheless, she took the outstretched hand, more than happy to take the opportunity to escape the increasingly awkward situation. Besides, she knew fine well that her friend clearly had something to say that she could not talk about in front of their male companions. Perhaps she liked Dylan; the fourth member of their quartet. Rising to her feet, she followed the girl around the edge of the dancefloor and to the lady's room.
"What's up, Mo?" Kim asked once they were safely inside and the door shut, as though her voice might somehow carry across the room to the supposedly eavesdropping ears of Dylan and Matt.
"Girl, what on earth are you doing out there?" Monique asked. Her tone was by no means harsh but definitely commanded an answer.
"Umm, sitting having a drink and listening to the band?" she replied stupidly, not really sure what else to say.
Needless to say, that had been the wrong answer.
"Exactly!" Monique exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Kim, I know it's been a while since you last hooked up with someone, but the way you're acting out there it's like you've never picked up a guy before in your life."
"Umm, technically…" she had been about to say that was actually true (Josh had asked her out, Eric had been a Synthodrone programmed to go out with her and Ron… well they'd sort of just come together at the junior prom after having saved the world), but her best girl swiftly cut her off.
"Don't want to hear your excuses, Girl," Monique replied. "Matt is interested in you and you're doing nothing to encourage him. In fact, if I wasn't keeping Dylan entertained, they would probably have left already!"
Great, way to crank up the pressure, Mo. However, Kim did not say this. Instead, she replied, "I think you might have been wrong on that one. He's not done anything to try and move things along."
Monique rolled her eyes. "He knows who you are, doesn't he?"
She was at least ninety-nine percent sure that the boy did. While Matt had not vocalised the fact he knew she was Kim Possible, the way he had phrased certain things and the look she had received when they had all spoken about what they did in life, had convinced her that he knew her identity. "I think so."
"Well, there's your problem, Kim. Any nice boy would feel intimidated when sitting across from you."
She almost burst out laughing. Given the way she felt at present, the idea of anyone feeling intimidated by her seemed utterly ridiculous. "Don't be silly, Mo. Why on earth would he feel intimidated by me?"
Monique did a facepalm. "Geez, Girl, I don't know," she said sarcastically, "maybe because you're Kim Possible! You save the world on a weekly basis, do things that even the bravest guys wouldn't even dream about."
"But that's no big…"
"No big for you maybe. But to any guy with half a brain cell, your reputation alone is enough to intimidate, probably even emasculate them. Regardless of what their most manly achievement is, you probably toped it back when you were fourteen and asleep no less," Monique finished.
Despite how she felt, Kim could see the line of logic that her best girl was laying out for her to follow. Unfortunately, this revelation served only to highlight the growing distance between herself and normal, everyday people. Maybe that was the driving force behind my relationship with Ron. At least he understood that part of my life. Except that doesn't help me now. And I need this to go well. "Ok, I see where you're coming from, Mo. But what do I do about it?"
"You gotta go out there and take control of the situation, Kim," Monique replied, sounding certain about that fact.
This did not make her feel any better. "Ok… how exactly do I do that? Again, I've technically never done this before."
Monique took a deep breath before replying, "first things first, we're going to go back out there and you're going to ask him to dance."
Kim gulped at this idea. I can't do that! She felt her heart rate increase slightly and a stab of pain from her ribs. Perhaps they were trying to offer her a good excuse as to why she couldn't ask Matt to dance with her.
She opened her mouth to say this, but Monique, possibly having seen the worry in her eyes, swiftly added, "don't worry, I'll be right beside you asking Dylan to dance with me.
Ok… that makes it slightly easier if Mo's going to be doing it too.
"Second, once you've danced with him, you're going to take him to the bar and get him a drink."
"Umm, won't that make him feel even more emasculated?" Kim asked.
She received a reproving snort from Monique. "Girl, this is the twenty-first century. If he can't handle you buying him a drink, then you don't want him."
Ok, that makes sense. If he can't handle me buying him a drink, how will he ever be able to cope with everything else I do.
"Third, when you come back from the bar, you're going to sit down beside him on the sofa. And don't worry, I'll make sure that Dylan and I are not there to get in your way. That way Matt will know you purposefully sat down beside him."
"Wait a minute, Mo, slow down," Kim blurted out. This is going way too fast for me.
"Kim, if you want this to work, you need to be bold. You need to let him know that you're interested in him."
"But I'm not sure I can do that…"
Monique gave her a pointed look. "Are you or aren't you the girl who can do anything?"
On hearing her friend utter her own Motto, Kim felt her shaky resolve stiffen somewhat. She's right. I'm supposed to be the girl who can do anything. Come on, Kim, get a grip of yourself. You foil evil super-villains on a weekly basis. You can ask a boy to dance, buy him a drink and then sit down beside him! "Ok, Monique, I can do this," she said, perhaps more confidently than she actually felt.
"Good. Because once the two of you are comfortable, you're going to get his attention, look at him with those big olive-green eyes of yours and tell him to kiss you."
WAIT! WHOA, BACK UP A MINUTE! I CAN'T DO THAT! While she might not have vocalised the thought, she might as well have. For it was written all over her face.
"Yes, you can," Monique replied firmly, "you can do anything. And I know fine well that you've kissed boys before."
"But am I not supposed to wait for him to ask if he can kiss me?" Kim asked, looking for a way out of Mo's fourth point. She might have been desperate for a boy to kiss her, to reaffirm that she did indeed like boys, but the idea of making such a bold move filled her with dread.
"Yeah, if this was the fifties. You've got as much right to tell him to kiss you as he does to ask you to do the same. Welcome to the age of equality, Kim." Monique then laughed at the look of horror that spread across her face.
Kim sucked in a deep breath, felt it catch in her lungs and started coughing.
"You ok, Girl?" her friend asked in concern.
"Yeah…" she replied when she had stopped and was able to draw enough breath to utter the singular word. However, she had to pause for a moment to steady herself, before adding, "I'm fine. I just tried to take too deep a breath."
"You know I'm supposed to take you home if you start coughing too much."
Kim's cheeks turned red. "Mom's got you babysitting me?" she asked hotly, feeling a wave of irritation directed towards her mom. I don't need someone looking after me. I can take care of myself!
"She wasn't going to let you come if I didn't agree to keep an eye on you," Monique replied, but quickly added, "however, I'm not going to pack you off home, just because you coughed once. Besides, you've got a cute boy to reel in. Now, are you ready to get out there and work that Kim Possible magic on him?"
She wasn't ready. However, Kim had a suspicion that she could have stayed in the restroom trying to compose herself all night and still not have been ready. Carefully, she sucked in a breath and tried to steel herself. "Ok…" she said with trepidation, "I can do this. I can do anything."
"That's my girl," Monique said and gave her a smile. Her friend then reached out and took Kim's bag from her, reached inside and removed her lipstick. "Pucker up for me."
She did so and allowed her best girl to touch up her lipstick.
Monique handed her bag back and held out her hand. "Ready to reel in a cute boy?"
Kim took the offered hand. "Yeah, let's do this thing."
They headed for the door. I can do this. I can do anything… God, I need this to go well.
##
A light breeze blew through the street as Shego made her way back to the Blackbird. After forcing herself to endure Killigan spending the remainder of dinner talking about everything to do with golf, even though it had been self-inflicted, she had declined the offer of going back to the hotel at which he was staying to have a drink in the bar. She had held up her end of the wager, provided him with all the help she could on his Amy problem and given little Miss Go even more ammunition to fire at her in the process. So, had been done with the whole stupid affair. Entering the parking lot, she deactivated the motorbike's security system and stowed the bottle of whisky he'd given her in one of the side boxes, the only silver lining from the evening. She was about to hop on when the image of Miss Go formed in her mind and she shuddered. I am not going home and putting up with her all night!
It was still relatively early; about nine-thirty and if she went home now, she'd end up sitting on the sofa trying to get drunk while fending off the pain in the ass that was the teal headband wearing version of herself. Even the presence of Ru-Ru would not likely deter the irritating bitch. Shego glanced behind her and out at the lively Middleton night-life scene. She was far too overdressed for Spritzers and after the disaster that had been Friday night, her liking for the place had soured somewhat, at least for the moment. The nightclubs too were out for the same reason. She wracked her brain, searching for somewhere she could go where she would not stick out like a sore thumb. A venue soon came to mind, Bingo. Re-activating the Blackbird's security system, she made her way out of the lot. She might not have been a fan of jazz, she didn't even own a single jazz record, but she could get behind it if the band was good and Heartbeats always had a good band playing.
Making her way through the semi-crowded streets, Shego drew the looks of several men, but a quick flash from her eyes convinced all of them not to even think about approaching her. Within ten minutes, she had arrived outside the entrance to the rather upmarket jazz bar. Even though it had a mezzanine floor, it was by no means the largest of venues and she was pleasantly surprised not to find a queue of people waiting outside to be allowed entry by the sharply dressed doorman. He opened the door for her and she stepped inside, her ears immediately filled with the sweet notes from a saxophone.
Shego cast her eyes around the ground floor and quickly deduced that all tables on this level were occupied. She passed by a pair of boys sat beside one another on a low sofa, the one opposite them empty but with drinks sitting on the table in front of it. She paid it no more heed than any of the other tables that had unoccupied seats. So long as I don't have to ask someone if I can sit at their table because I can't be bothered making small talk with some random. Making her way to the bar, she quickly caught the attention of the bartender and had him whip up an Aunt Roberta for her. She paid for it and then headed for the stairs up to the mezzanine floor. Fortunately, perhaps by some sort of divine intervention or just a pure fluke, she managed to snag a small round table with a pair of leather chairs; situated beside the rail overlooking the dancefloor, to herself. Slipping her jacket off, she tossed it on one chair and sat down on the other. Raising her glass, she took a sip of her cocktail and rolled it around her tongue. Good, but not quite Spritzers good. I think the brandy isn't quite up to scratch. However, it's still perfectly drinkable.
Leaning back in her chair, she allowed the music to capture her attention as she sipped her drink. The combination proved effective at keeping little Miss Go at bay. She was actually beginning to relax when purely by chance, her gaze drifted out across the lower floor and found the pair of boys she had spotted when she had come in. Shego's eyes widened when she saw the pair of girls that had just approached the table. Or rather, when she caught sight of the head of bright red hair sported by one of them. It might have been cut and styled differently from when she'd last seen it, but she would recognise those locks anywhere. Shit, it can't be… it was. The girl in question turned just enough for her to catch a glimpse of her face and the corner of a big olive-green eye. Fuck off! she cursed internally. Of all the sodden places you could have come, why the hell did you have to choose this one? She let out a longsuffering sigh. Looks like fate's screwed me over once again. Isn't that right, Kimmie?
##
Kim chose to focus on her breathing to try and keep both it and her heart rate in check, as Monique led her back around the dancefloor to where Dylan and Matt were sat. I can do this, I can do anything, she repeated to herself. They were only a few meters away. Ok, Kim, just be cool. You're only asking him to dance with you.
"Hey, guys," Monique said from beside her as they stopped in front of the table. "Sorry we took so long, but makeup can be such a pain in the butt sometimes. Isn't that right, Kim?"
"Oh, umm, yeah," she stammered in agreement, having been caught off guard by the question. Damn it, focus, Possible.
Monique then flashed her a look that said, "are you ready, Girl," before turning back to the boys and saying "anyway, Kim and I were thinking…"
That was her cue. "…would you like to dance with us?" the words spilt out of her mouth far too quickly for her liking, but not to the point that they were unintelligible.
It was an often-overlooked fact that when girls excused themselves so they could go to the restroom to converse about whatever boys they might be socialising with, that it afforded the aforementioned individuals the opportunity to do the same. It was the result of this conversation that Kim witnessed when she watched Dylan and Matt exchange glances. The expression on the former's face clearly telling the latter that while this might not have been the plan, he was not getting the option to refuse.
"Why not," Dylan said casually, clearly trying to remain aloof. The boy gave his friend a pointed look as he stood up, succeeding in getting a slightly nervous-looking Matt up onto his feet.
Kim received another look from Monique, this one telling her that, "Matt's clearly slightly nervous because of the Kim Possible factor, so just relax and take things slowly."
I can do that, Kim thought as she watched Monique take Dylan by the hand and escort him out of the way, leaving Kim free to make her move. She gave Matt a warm smile. "Will you dance with me?" she asked, this time managing to keep her voice at a normal tone and speed. It took effort to stop her hand from shaking as she reached out for the boy's.
"Sure," the boy replied as he allowed her hand to take his own.
Kim felt the warmth and slightly clammy nature of the boy's hand when it interlocked with her own. It told her that he was obviously nervous and it strangely reminded her of Ron when they had first danced on the night of their junior prom. Must not think about Ron, she admonished internally. That's all in the past. Need to focus on the here and now. She led Matt out onto the small but uncrowded dancefloor. A slow but consistent beat came from the drummer and bassist; while the sax and piano players noodled out a lazy dual between themselves. Slow worked just fine for Kim, for she was still sore in the rib region. She held Matt's hands as they both moved somewhat awkwardly to the rhythm.
"So, do you do this often?" Matt asked, clearly trying to break some of the ice.
"No," Kim replied and let out a somewhat forced laugh. "Am I really that bad?"
"No… I didn't mean that… I…" the boy stammered quickly.
This time she actually did laugh. He really is worried about offending or upsetting me. What does he think I'll do? Throw him through a wall? "It's ok. I know I'm bad. I've got busted ribs, remember?"
Matt visibly relaxed when she said that, then replied, "I guess it's just me that's genuinely bad then. I don't have any injury to blame it on."
They both laughed and continued to dance, albeit badly to the music. This was… alright... Ok, so dancing with Matt is fine. Surely buying him a drink afterwards won't be that difficult. Unfortunately, Kim failed to notice something crucial about the whole situation. Dancing with a cute boy that seemed to genuinely like her had only measured as fine.
##
Shego scowled as she forced herself to avert her gaze from the hero, her friend and the two boys whom they had just engaged in conversation. Unfortunately, the moment it came to rest on the empty chair opposite her, an image of Miss Go sitting in it, teal headband and all, filled her mind.
"Well, if this isn't an unexpected turn-up for the books? What were the odds that you'd come to the same place as Kimmie?" Miss Go said in an amused tone.
Shut up, Shego barked internally, unsure of which sight was worse, Princess or her own personal pain in the ass.
"Ouch, someone's tetchy…"
I'm not tetchy!
"Case and point, Cupcake."
Shego growled internally and took a sip of her drink. Why does my luck suck so much?
"Personally, I think it has nothing to do with your luck. Rather, most of your misery is self-inflicted."
Her knuckles turned white around her glass and she bit back a response. Not wishing to get into yet another damn argument with little Miss Go.
Except it did nothing to stop that part of her brain from continuing, "however, we're not here to discuss your luck. And the fact that you inflict most of your misery upon yourself will have to wait for another day. We need to talk about the subject you've been trying to escape from for the last forty-eight hours; Kimmie."
I don't want to talk about fucking Princess. So, just leave me alone.
"But you do," Miss Go retorted. "Friday night is clearly still bothering you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been so annoyed to discover that she's here…"
The words hung inside Shego's mind, daring her to try and refute them, only she couldn't. Her own thoughts from first seeing the hero were against her on that point. Meaning that the best she could fire back was, she's my nemesis. Of course I'd be annoyed at finding out that she's drinking in the same place I am. It puts a right downer on what could have been a good night.
This only caused Miss Go to laugh. It was not an evil or cruel laugh, rather one of playful amusement. "Really, that's the best excuse you could come up with? Do you want me to sit and blow holes in it, or can we simply agree that it's bullshit and move on?"
Ok, fine, so I'm annoyed at the fact that she led me on all night on Friday, happy? Now can we just drop the whole thing so I can drink in peace? Shego emphasised this point by picking up her glass again and taking a long drink. Damn, I'm going to need more of these and soon. Unfortunately, to get to the bar, she would need to go past Kimmie. Something she did not relish. She cast her eyes around the mezzanine floor and caught sight of one of the bar staff out collecting empty glasses.
"Hey," Shego said when he drew near.
"Yes, Miss?" the boy, who could not have been much older than twenty-one replied, as he looked her up and down.
"Eyes up here," she commanded when his gaze lingered on her breasts.
A fearful look filled his eyes when he met her piercing stare. "I was just…" he stammered.
"You were staring at my tits," Shego said firmly, giving him zero wiggle room. "Now, I was going to offer you money to be my little bartender for the evening. But since you seem to have already gotten your money's worth by ogling me, you're going to serve me for free, understand?"
The boy shook slightly under the intensity of her glare as he quickly nodded his head.
"Good. Now, go get me an Aunt Roberta and be quick about it, I'll be watching."
"Yes, Miss," he said and scampered off towards the stairs.
She laughed as she watched him go. Well, that solves that problem.
"Don't you think that was a bit harsh?" Miss Go admonished.
You're all about teaching, aren't you? This will teach him that it's not ok to ogle woman and treat them like objects.
For once, Shego got the satisfaction of seeing a ponderous look on Miss Go's face, before the woman replied, "you make an excellent point. Now, shall we get back to the matter at hand?"
She groaned, her momentary reprieve seemingly just that. What will it take for me to be rid of you?
"Death. I'm an integral part of you, remember?" Miss Go replied with an air of smugness. "What you meant to ask was, what will it take to make me less annoying?"
That comment prompted her to finish the rest of her first drink. Her gaze drifted to the ground floor, but instead of finding the waiter and her new drink, it came to rest on Kimmie and the boy she was dancing with. See, two nights after leading me on and Princess is out with some boy. Ergo, she likes boys, case closed.
"Except you're only seeing what you want to see, not what's actually there," Miss Go interjected.
She rolled her eyes. Oh, do enlighten me, she thought with the same level of sarcasm that was normally reserved for Dr Drakken.
"Look at how awkward Kimmie is."
Shego focused her gaze on the girl, however, made sure that she remained inconspicuous. The last thing she wanted was for Princess to spot her. That could easily lead to explosive complications. Kimmie was moving awkwardly, her movements lacking the grace and finesse that they normally had when the two of them were fighting. Only, she had an alternate theory on that one. I hit her with a few decent blows on Friday, not to mention when she landed after that vortex throw. That would explain why she's got no rhythm.
"It's a fair point," Miss Go conceded. "But is probably only a contributing factor. Take a look at her face, especially those eyes. You've probably seen about every emotion imaginable in them over the years. What do they currently say to you?"
She had to crane her neck more than she wanted to and wait until the couple moved slightly closer before she got a close enough look. After a quick glance, she hastily retreated, just in case the girl happened to look up.
"Well, what did you see?"
She's uncertain, confused almost…
"And why might she be confused?" Miss Go asked. "What might she be trying to prove by coming out and dancing with a boy?"
…
"What, afraid to answer the question? Or is this whole situation, the expression on her face, giving you a sense of déjà vu?"
…
"Your drink, Miss."
The sound of the barboy's voice snapped Shego out of her internalised debate and she started at the glass that had just been set down on her table. "Good boy," she then replied, recovering enough to impart a sort of goodwill for a dog in training in her tone. She reached into her bag and withdrew money from her purse with which to pay him.
The boy took the offered note and was about to scurry off when…
"Aren't you forgetting something?" she admonished dryly.
He stopped and looked sheepishly at her, but said nothing.
She looked between him and the empty glass on the table. It took a few seconds for him to understand the message, however, the second he did, he hastily snatched it from the surface.
"Now, be a good boy and come back in twenty minutes as I might be in need of another drink."
"Yes, Miss," he replied, but this time waited to be dismissed.
Shego picked up her fresh drink and then offhandedly said, "shoo."
Like a magician performing a magic trick, the boy vanished from her sight. She took a sip of her second Aunt Roberta.
"So, where were we…"
##
The rather long jazz noodling came to a close and Kim let out an exhale, feeling a slight stab of protest from her ribs. Ok, note to self, if there's going to be a next time tonight, try and pick a shorter song. She caught Matt's eye and before the band had the chance to strike up their next number, she quickly asked, "can I buy you a drink?" recalling Monique's four-step plan.
"Sure," Matt replied. He sounded much more relaxed now that they had spent the past five-plus minutes in close proximity to each other; hands joined. "Are your ribs ok?"
"Yeah," Kim lied. While the note of concern was touching and probably a sign that he might genuinely be a nice guy, she did not care for it. I don't need people to worry about me. I can take care of myself.
Still holding the boy by the hand, she led him off of the dancefloor and towards the bar. They joined onto the end of the short queue and she did not fail to notice that Monique had kept Dylan on the dancefloor for the next song. As they waited to be served, Kim could not help but have a thought slip into her mind, did I enjoy myself there?
A voice from the depths of her mind swiftly replied, "of course you did. You were dancing with a cute boy."
Yeah… I was… and it was… fun. She had the thought but it felt somewhat hollow. Maybe it's because my ribs hurt and I'm not feeling one-hundred-percent. Yeah, that must be it. I'll feel much better once we're sat back down at the table.
The voice boomed in agreement, "of course you will. And remember, you want him to kiss you. Boys kiss girls."
Yeah, boys kiss girls and I like boys…
They reached the front of the queue and the barman gave her a smile of recognition. "What can I get you, Miss Possible?"
Well, if there was any chance Matt didn't know who I am before, he does now. However, she drew no attention to the man's use of her surname and simply replied, "I'll have a mojito and," she turned to the boy beside her, "what would you like?"
"Can I have a Corona with a wedge of lime," the boy replied.
Kim gave him a smile as they waited for their drinks. "Is that what you normally drink?"
"You mean when Dylan isn't badgering me to try the latest cocktail he's discovered?"
She laughed, "yeah."
He nodded, "yeah. I much prefer beer. I've never felt the need to vomit while drinking one."
"What cocktail gave you such a bad experience?"
Matt shuddered. "Something called a zombie, if you've ever heard of it."
At the mention of another of the drinks that Shego had consumed on one of their two nights out, her mind quickly conjured up an image of the green-skinned woman. The second she received a wink, she tried to force it out of her mind. "I've heard of it," she then replied quickly. Hoping that the conversation would help to rid her of the unwanted intrusion in her mind by Shego. "But I've never tried one."
"Take my advice, don't," Matt warned. "There's so much alcohol in it, I almost threw up after one sip."
"I'll keep that in mind," Kim said, however, the thought that ran through her brain was, lightweight. She did not know where it had come from, but nonetheless, it had.
The barman set their drinks down on the bar and she reached into her pocket for her purse so she could pay him. She then picked them up, handed Matt his bottle of Corona and led the way back to the sofa. Ok, here comes stage three. It's only sitting down beside him. I can do that. I can do anything. Stopping beside one of the sofas, she indicated with her hand for Matt to sit down first. Seemingly far more settled now, the boy did so and showed no sign of nerves when she slipped in beside him. Something that was in complete contrast to how Kim felt internally. Holy crap, I can't believe I'm doing this… get a grip, Possible. You're not a high school kid anymore. You can sit down beside a boy without turning into a gibbering wreck. Taking a semi-deep breath, because she wanted to avoid both a coughing fit and Matt noticing, she sat down.
##
Shego's gaze had drifted back down to the ground floor and was now following Kimmie as she finished dancing with her random boy.
"She's not comfortable around him, despite what she might be trying to tell herself and you know why," Miss Go said, almost like she was whispering in her ear. "You recognise this scene because you've seen it all before."
There is no way for you to know that for sure, Shego replied, not taking her eyes off of Kimmie, who had just led the boy around to the bar.
"True, but I'm willing to put a bet on the fact that I'm right and that we'll get proof of it soon enough."
She took a sip of her drink. If the little Miss Go part of her brain seemed so convinced, it probably meant that she was right. She sighed, fine, you're right. This scenario does bear a lot of similarities to when I went out with that boy to try and prove to myself that I was straight.
"And we both know how that turned out."
Eventually, Shego corrected. While it may have been the catalyst that set me off down the path towards acceptance, I seem to recall that I continued to deny it for a while, then went through anger, fear and bargaining before I finally reached that point.
"I remember. Back then, you wore the teal headband and I was the stubborn hard-ass. I had you in denial for months before then and even after that disaster of a date, I kept you in each of the subsequent stages for weeks on end," Miss Go said.
Shego shuddered at the reminder of just how long it had taken her to come to terms with the fact she was a lesbian. The level of emotional turmoil that she had endured had been almost unbearable. No one deserves to go through the hell I did.
A smile formed on Miss Go's face and Shego had a bad feeling she had just fallen into another one of the woman's pitfall traps. "I'm glad you remember how difficult and how long it took you to reach acceptance."
Why? She had a bad feeling she was not going to like what came next.
"Because now you know exactly how Kimmie's probably been feeling recently. How scared she might have become on Friday night and why she flirted with you, but when it came down to it, dumped a bucket of cold water over you."
Shego growled and took a drink of her Aunt Roberta. She'd been afraid that it had been that particular pitfall trap that Miss Go had been leading her into. I seem to recall that back in the day, you were never this manipulative.
"Well, you eventually cornered the market when it came to hard-ass-ness, so I had to find a different way of getting through to you. However, for now, why don't you sit and watch Kimmie. I think you'll learn all you need to."
She did not want to acquiesce to Miss Go's suggestion but found that her eyes were glued to her rival, who had just sat down beside the boy on a sofa. She could only hope that Kimmie was too busy to notice that she was being watched.
##
Sitting forward, almost on the lip of the sofa, Kim uneasily sipped her mojito. The whole situation made her feel like she was on the edge of a cliff and that the next few minutes would determine whether she found her balance and managed to step away from the precipice, or plummeted down into the dark unknown. Beside her, slouched against the back of the sofa with his arm running along the top, Matt drank from his bottle of Corona. She snuck a glance towards him and what felt like a warm, open invitation for her to get closer to him. He really is a nice guy, she thought. He's not pushy, he's kind, considerate and patient. Everything a woman should want in a man. Not to mention cute. So why don't I…
A voice boomed from the depths of her mind, "because it's been so long since you've actually been with someone. You need to get closer to him and have him kiss you. Remember, boys kiss girls."
Boys kiss girls, Kim agreed, and I like boys. She took as deep a breath as she dared, followed by another drink of her mojito. Ok, Possible, if you're going to do this thing, you need to do it now. She took another breath, set her glass down on the low table and scooched back on the sofa. Her gaze then turned to look at Matt. "Hi," she said softly, having to force her voice not to waver. She inched closer to him and he gave no objection.
"Hi yourself," Matt replied playfully.
While he might have been acting the perfect gentleman, she could see the desire in his eyes. Oh my god, he genuinely wants me. She had to quickly cast the thought aside. While that was a good thing and should undoubtedly help matters, this was about her. Kim's thigh brushed against Matt's as she moved within the reach of his arm. She looked him straight in those bright chocolate brown eyes. "I've got a question."
"Ok…" Matt replied with slight trepidation. She had a feeling that the boy knew what she intended to ask and that this was again a manifestation of the 'Kim Possible' factor, as Monique had dubbed it.
Ok, Kim, here goes nothing. I can do this. I can do anything. While she uttered this thought inside her head, her nerves felt shot and a cauldron of anxiety had built up inside her. I need this to go well. I like boys! With sweaty palms and a bad feeling that all her limbs were shaking, Kim finally managed to ask her question, "do you want to kiss me?"
She saw the response in Matt's eyes before his lips even moved to utter the word, "yes," in a slightly shaky manner. Chalk another one up for the 'Kim Possible' factor.
Kim leaned in towards Matt. I can do this. I can do anything. There gazes intertwined as her lips drew closer to his. She could feel his warm breath against her face and caught a whiff of fresh grass and leather from his aftershave. Then their lips touched. She felt the slightly chapped crags of the boy's brush against her own soft, warm ones as they kissed. They parted for only the briefest of moments before they kissed again. However, she could not ignore the distinct lack of spark… of magic. So, naturally, she dug deeper. Slipping her tongue out of her mouth and pressing it against Matt's lips, Kim waited for a moment for him to grant her entry into his mouth. As she began to run her tongue over his teeth, she felt his arms wrap around her torso and a hand begin to snake its way up her back. Immediately, her brain tried to yell, wait, I didn't sign up for this! but she roughly shoved it to the side. I need this to go well. I need to feel something. She returned the gesture in kind and brought one of her hands around and into his thick chocolate brown hair. Matt deepened the kiss and soon their tongues were interlocked in a dual as they slid back and forward between their mouths.
Enveloped in Matt's warm embrace, Kim felt his body move and before she knew what was happening, he had rolled them over so that her back was against the sofa and he on top. The movement had caught her by surprise, but she felt no forcefulness behind it, otherwise, she probably would have kicked him off immediately. However, Kim could not shake the feeling that, while she was unquestionably engaged in the act, she was simply a disengaged spectator.
##
Shego watched on in horror from her seat in the gallery, as Kimmie kissed this random boy and she felt a flash of anger that was almost enough to ignite her glow. She wanted to tear her eyes away from the scene but found she could not. Having to sit and watch someone else… some boy, make out with the girl dug up all the feelings that she had felt in the run-up to Friday's disastrous non-date. And they boiled down to one simple thing, she had wanted Princess all to herself.
"So, going to tell me that I was wrong about how you feel about Kimmie and how she's currently feeling," Miss Go said smugly.
Shut up, Shego fired back. Only she could no longer refute the woman's claims. She'd wanted Kimmie badly… possibly still did. However, that only caused a reflex flash of anger, screw Kimmie!
Miss Go rolled her eyes, "just watch…"
She watched the boy roll himself and Princess over, giving her a clear view of the girl's eyes.
"You see it, don't you," Miss Go said with a hint of pity in her voice, although Shego knew it was not meant for her.
In the face of such damming evidence, she could not refute the claim. For she saw it clear as day; the awkwardness and uncertainty in Kimmie's eyes. However, that only made the whole situation worse and her anger intensified. This boy was snogging the girl and she clearly was not into it. She picked up her glass and quickly downed the last of her drink.
"What are you doing?" Miss Go asked in alarm.
Shego picked up her bag and stood up. If you're right and Princes is having trouble with her sexuality, she needs a helping hand to steer her in the right direction. While she phrased it as an if, she knew there was no if about it. She'd been there. Been Kimmie in the same situation; many years ago, and knew the difficult road that lay ahead of her rival. From the chair opposite, she grabbed her coat.
"What do you plan on doing?"
Making her way across the mezzanine floor, she reached the stairs and quickly descended. I'm going to prove something to her and hopefully kick her but out of denial and into stage two.
Given that she was part of Shego' brain, Miss Go did not need to wait on a more detailed answer to know exactly what she planned to do. "This is a bad idea. You're only going to enrage her and push her further away."
If her brain had not been clouded with anger, perhaps Shego would have agreed and decided on a different course of action. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Walking around the edge of the dancefloor, en-route to the exit, she passed by the sofa upon which Kimmie and her new friend were snogging. Lighting a single finger, she formed a small orb of green plasma, no bigger than a ping-pong ball and flicked it in the direction of the boy's back. She knew her glow and the range of her plasma well. A ball that size, travelling over that distance, would probably be no bigger than a marble by the time it hit its target. But, it would do exactly what she wanted it to.
##
Kim could feel the waves of unease and awkwardness cascade over her as she forced herself to keep making out with Matt. I NEED this to go well, her brain kept trying to tell her. Unfortunately, she could not keep ignoring the mounting feeling of wrongness. It's just because it's been so long since I kissed someone. I'm just nervous, unsure… scared of suffering the same pain that I did when I broke up with Ron… I like boys… That last thought had come almost as a plead to whatever god might be listening. However, it was soon driven completely from her mind, when a smell of burning suddenly filled her nostrils. Her body froze and she quickly ceased all interaction with Matt.
Her sudden disengagement, caused the boy to stop. "Is there something wrong, Kim?" he asked in a concerned tone.
Less than a second later, she felt a sharp rising heat against the back of her arm, which was wrapped around the boy's shoulders. Then she saw the flames. Matt's jumper was on fire!
The boy must have felt it too, as he suddenly yelled, "HOLY SHIT!" and leapt off of her.
Kim's eyes took in the green-tinged orange flame that had started to lick the edges of the boy's jumper and she dived up off the sofa and grabbed hold of him, using her momentum to send them both crashing to the floor. Matt yelled, but she ignored him as she forced his back to the ground. Like she herself was aflame, she rolled them back and forth; the flame quickly dying out. The second it did, her eyes shot up into the crowd that had turned its collective eyes upon them; Monique and Dylan already darting towards them. However, she gave them only a cursory glance as she scanned the room. Then she saw it. Long raven tresses flowing down the back of a green dress as the woman made her way out the door. She knew that hair all too well. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Kim knew that there was a choice to make, however, it had already been made the second she saw the green tinge to the flames.
"SHEGO!" she yelled as she jumped to her feet. She felt a slight stab of pain from her ribs, but it was quickly overridden by the burst of adrenaline that hit the second she broke into a run.
From behind her, she heard Monique yell, "Kim, where the hell are you going?" but she ignored her best girl.
Expertly dodging through the crowd, she darted for the exit. Bursting through the bar's double doors, she spilt out into the cooling night air, her gaze rapidly scanning the street for any sign of Shego. Unfortunately, the sidewalk was too crowded for her to adequately see through. Running out into the road she came to an abrupt stop. Her head snapped from side to side, eventually catching sight of long black raven hair moving swiftly through the crowd and towards the curb. "SHEGO!" Kim yelled again and broke out into a run.
Having slipped through the crowd with ease, a thin smile formed on Shego's lips when she heard Kimmie's voice yell her name. Instantaneously, she increased speed and darted across the road. That's it, Princess, we both know you won't give up until you catch me. So let's take this away from prying eyes.
Kim saw her rival head into an alley and forced her battered body to go faster. I'm not going to lose her. She had no clue why Shego had been in Heartbeats, what her intention had been by setting Matt's jumper on fire and she did not care. This was personal.
Shego cut her way through the streets on her way to the parking lot where she had left the Blackbird; Kimmie in hot pursuit. When she eventually got there, she had enough time to walk to the far end and deactivate the motorbike's security system before she heard the hero's footsteps ring in her ears from the entrance.
"Shego!" Kim exclaimed yet again when she saw that the woman had stopped. Her breathing was ragged and her ribs hurt like hell, but all that paled in comparison to the adrenaline that coursed through her body and the thrill that had come from the chase.
"Well, lookie who decided to show up," Shego replied airily, as she lazily turned around to face her opponent. "You're getting slow, Kimmie." She knew it wasn't true, that the hero was carrying at least one injury from their fight on Friday, but couldn't resist the jibe.
"Not only did you have a head start, but my boots have heels," Kim fired back. She hadn't dropped into a guard yet, however, she felt the desire nonetheless. It might only have been two days since their last fight, but she was ready to do it all over again.
Shego laughed as she lifted a foot to show off the thin three-inch heels on her shoes. "Like I said, you're getting slow, Princess."
Kim grit her teeth and knew she had no choice but to concede the point; lest she betray the fact she was carrying an injury. "What the hell, Shego," she spat, changing the subject and allowing her anger to rise to the surface. "Matt hasn't done anything to you and could have been seriously hurt!"
"Is that his name," Shego snorted. "I'm surprised you even remember."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
The green-skinned woman completely ignored the interruption. Instead, she continued with her initial point, "however, I don't think you can comment about whether or not he's hurt."
"What?" Kim exclaimed in confusion. "You set his jumper on fire. He could have seriously been hurt!"
"Don't you mean, might be seriously hurt?"
A blank expression formed on Kim's face, no idea what her rival was getting at. "What's your point?"
An amused laugh escaped from Shego's lips. Kimmie's still clueless, guess it's time to fill her in. "You probably only had just enough time to put that fire out before you set off after me. Definitely not enough to properly check to see if he was ok."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kim yelled, her fists clenching as she prepared to jump into battle.
"It means you care far more about yours truly than you do that poor sap you were using…"
"That's absolutely ridiculous!"
"Is it, Kimmie?" Shego asked, for once her tone holding no hint of sarcasm or anything that could be construed as mocking. "Instead of making sure that he was ok, you came after me."
Kim's knuckles turned white and she had to restrain herself from leaping at her rival there and then. "I came after you because someone has to bring you to justice. Matt was innocent and you could have seriously hurt him!"
The green-skinned woman laughed again. "Hate to break it to you, Princess, but that's a load of bullshit. You came after me because you would rather be here, fighting me, than back in the bar snogging him."
Shego's words were like a hammer blow to the flimsy excuse that Kim had tried to peddle. And she could not deny that she felt more of a thrill, more excitement, as she prepared to face off against her rival than she had while making out with Matt. No… I couldn't have chased after her because I'd rather be here than snogging Matt… could I?
From the dark depths of Kim's mind, a voice boomed, "don't listen to that villainous bitch. You like boys and she purposefully ruined the first Kiss you've had since Ron."
Yeah, you're right, Kim agreed. I was having fun and she went and ruined it! She fixed Shego with a determined glare. "You just can't hack it because you like girls and I'm not interested! So you had to ruin my evening because you got jealous!"
Shego almost doubled over in a bout of laughter as she listened to
her opponent's sheer denial. Sorry, Princess, but it's time to burst your little bubble. "This isn't about me, Kimmie, not this time. This is all about you and the fact you can't accept the fact that you like girls."
"I do not!" Kim yelled viciously. "I like boys!" And with that, she sprang into action. Darting forward, she brought up her guard and lashed out at the green-skinned woman with a quick front-snap-kick, turning-kick, side-kick combo.
Shego had been ready for such an outburst, expected it even and had her guard up in time to block each of Kimmie's kicks. Ironically, for once, she didn't want to fight the girl. For that would give her opponent exactly what she wanted. Unfortunately, she had known that it would be an inevitability. She returned fire with a turning-kick, hook-kick, inward-axe-kick combo of her own.
Kim blocked her rival's first two kicks and skirted around the third, quickly retaliating with a turning-kick. The green-skinned woman ducked underneath it, so she used the momentum to transition into a reverse turning kick with the other foot, but it was blocked. She then had to go on the defensive as Shego had stepped in towards her exposed back and lashed out with a fore-fist-punch. The only thing she could do was front flip out of range.
Unlike in their previous fights, Shego did not immediately pursue Kimmie when she flipped away from her. Instead, she took the opportunity to say, "I've been watching you since you returned from the little girls' room with your friend."
"Her name's Monique," Kim growled as she spun around to face her opponent once more. Why didn't she pursue me? She asked the question of herself but was thankful for the breather. She received a sharp stab of pain from her ribs at having done the front flip.
"Don't care," Shego replied, waiting from Kimmie to come at her again. "The point is, I've seen how awkward you've been with that boy. Even if you're not willing to admit…" she did not get the chance to finish as the hero leapt at her with a jumping-front-kick combo; only two kicks instead of the four that the girl had recently been rattling off.
Kim landed back on the ground after having had her kicks hit nothing but air; Shego having quickly stepped backwards. She felt the anger build inside her again. How dare she sit and watch me! She fired off a twin turning-kick-reverse-turning-kick combo, only still could not land a blow. This time her opponent had jumped well out of range. "What's wrong, Shego? Unable to fight in your heels?" she yelled in irritation at her opponents uncharacteristically defensive approach.
Where normally she would rise to the bait, Shego allowed the comment to slide. "Why don't you just admit it, Kimmie? You like girls. That's the real reason you chased after me. You enjoy spending time with me because it's easy. It feels right. Unlike how wrong your little make-out session with little Matty was."
"SHUT UP!" Kim roared at the top of her voice and she broke into a run. She felt another stab of protest from her ribs but forced herself to ignore it. The moment Shego was within range, she lashed out with a side-kick, which was quickly blocked, that she transitioned into a turning-kick-hook-kick combo.
Shego ducked under the first kick, knew what was about to follow and sensed the opportunity to put an end to the fight. Rising upwards, she caught Kimmie's hook-kick with a fierce outward sweeping forearm-block.
The force of the blow sent Kim's kicking leg spiralling to the ground and destabilised her planted foot. Unfortunately, the split second it took her to prevent herself from falling over, gave her opponent the perfect opening. Everything then happened in a heartbeat.
Kimmie's guard in limbo, Shego sent a vicious turning-kick directed at the hero's right-hand ribs
Kim saw the kick whiz in towards the sight of her latest injury but was helpless to stop it. A thought of, OH SHIT! flew through her mind as she tried to brace herself for impact; for the torrent of pain she knew was about to be unleashed upon her the instant Shego's foot made contact. Involuntarily, her eyes screwed up slightly, OH SHIT… but the blow never came. She gazed, frozen to the spot as she saw her rival's foot mere millimetres from her ribs.
To say it was uncharacteristic for Shego to have pulled her kick at the last second would be like saying both she and her opponent were mildly stubborn. She'd known that Kimmie would be carrying an injury in that exact spot, having been the one to inflict it upon her in the first place and that a fierce kick would probably break the girl's remaining ribs and put an end to the fight. But, while it had been slight, she had seen the girl flinch. Knew that Princess was well aware of the pain headed her way. And so, for some reason that she wasn't really aware of, she had pulled the kick at the last possible moment. Unfortunately, one look at Kimmie's face told her that the girl would rather have taken the full force of the blow.
Kim's eyes gazed at her rival's foot as a torrent of thoughts and emotions exploded inside her. Why did she stop? I can't believe that she pulled that kick. A wave of outrage burst through everything, how dare she! I screwed up and should be in a heap on the floor, writhing in agony right now. She met Shego's emerald eyes and could see what she knew could only be some screwed up form of sympathy. Who does she think she is, showing me mercy like I'm some wounded animal! I don't want her pity! The anger that coursed through Kim then exploded in a savage outburst. "YOU BITCH!"
The next series of movements occurred in another heartbeat. Kim grabbed the leg Shego had kicked with and instantly twisted her body. With all the force she could muster, the hero brought her other elbow through the air and down towards the green-skinned woman's knee. The blow would have unquestionably shattered Shego's joint had she not been prepared for this eventuality. In one swift movement, she swept Kim's elbow up and out, just before it made contact. The red-haired vixen's guard blown wide open; she delivered a palm-heel to her sternum with her other hand. The strike was powerful enough that Kim was forced to release her rival's foot. She staggered and could do nothing to stop Shego from catching her legs with a foot sweep. Falling backwards, Kim's butt hit the asphalt as she landed on her back. And before she could even move, Shego's foot had found her throat.
"It's over, Princess," the green-skinned woman said firmly, applying light pressure the moment she saw her opponent's hands move.
Kim gasped and allowed her hands to fall to the ground, knowing that Shego could crush her windpipe in a heartbeat. A wave of embarrassment and humiliation crashed down upon her at how easily she had been defeated. In hindsight, it had been downright idiotic to engage her rival in a fight so soon after having suffered the injury to her ribs. Unfortunately, Shego could get under her skin in a way no-one else could.
Shego took Kimmie's hands falling to her sides as a sign that the girl had done the smart thing and yielded. Good thing she hasn't figured out that I won't actually kill her. She then locked onto the girl's olive-green eyes with a piercing stare. She took absolutely zero pleasure at having beaten her opponent in this fashion. Princess was still carrying a not-insignificant injury from their last bout and so it had been easy. A victory against Kim Possible was only worthwhile if she managed it with the hero at full strength. "Go home, Kimmie," Shego then said firmly. "Go home and actually think about how awkward your little make-out session was. And how much you prefer spending time with me. Who knows, you might actually manage to pull yourself out of denial."
"Fuck… you," Kim spat with difficulty. "I… like… boys!" Suddenly the pressure on her throat vanished as Shego backflipped out of view. With great effort, owing to the rapidly ebbing adrenaline and the pain radiating from her ribs, she picked herself up. Yet despite all this, like a dog with a bone, she still had every intention of going after her rival. She cast her gaze over the lot and caught sight of the green-skinned woman climbing aboard a motorbike. "SHEGO!" she yelled as she made to break into a run, only a stab of pain from her ribs turned it into more of a stumble.
"Go home, Kimmie," Shego called out as she turned the ignition and the bike roared into life. Wasting no time, she selected first gear, kicked up the stand and zoomed past the hero and out of the lot. She caught the look of outrage form on the girl's face and her own lips morphed into a thin smile. Wind rushing through her raven hair, a final thought crossed her mind as she sped off into the night, welcome to stage two, Kimmie; anger.
Ribs hurting like hell and a Molotov cocktail of anger, rage and infuriation coursing through her, Kim staggered off in the direction that Shego had gone and out of the parking lot. Unlike her rival, a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions crashed around inside her. However, a particularly vicious one managed to rise above the others. I'm going to get you for this, Shego. The second you spring up somewhere, I'm going to tear you down. You can count on it.
##
Author's note:
Oh dear, Kimmie. Seems like you bit off a little more than you could chew this time around. However, I suspect you'll get a shot at vengeance at a later point in the story.
While I know some of you were probably hoping that Killigan was going to get himself some serious plasma burns or bitten by Ru-Ru, I needed to use that scene for an alternate purpose, namely to get the ball rolling in Shego's head that she might have been a bit harsh on Kim.
In terms of the last chapter, while the events and the outcome didn't change too much from my initial plan, the motivations did and even required further tweaking after I wrote the first two chapters of the next update. However, I'm quite happy with how it turned out and with how I wove the two subplots I generated in the last update back into the main plot. I really do think it's helped to further deepen the story as we move towards the event I alluded to in my final endnote of the last update, which we are still on course for. But again, I'm giving no timescales.
For the next update, I'm going to say that there will definitely be three chapters (I've written two already), but it might be four. It'll all just depend on where I think we're at once I've written the next chapter and how many chunks are left between there and said big event.
Anyway, thank you all again for taking the time to read this story and for all your wonderful support, I can't thank all of you enough. Stay safe and I should hopefully see you all next week for our next dose of And You And I.
Warmest regards
K1G0