I swear I know where this is going, I just gotta get my Drakgo kicks in in the meantime and have my fun.
I indulge with greed, thus I have cavities.
Reviews are surprisingly motivational, so don't be shy.
Enjoy the chapter perhaps, and anticipate an update next week~

46. Whose Side – 9

It was during the ride back to the lair that Shego swore off drinking or doing anything ever again. Drakken scoffed at her, not buying it for a moment. She didn't believe herself either. The one good thing that had come of her endeavors that night was having the audacity to ask what she'd needed to – and find out he may have the same concern. It had been reassuring.

Despite how easily the night could have ended terribly, Shego found herself smiling contentedly to herself in her bathroom mirror, pulling the drawstrings tight on a pair of cotton pajama pants that weren't her own. The tee she pulled on hung loose around her and she wore it triumphantly, pleased with herself for once again bringing out the rogue's hospitality. So long as it was in her favor, she didn't mind a soft side.

She tried not to consider how far the man would get in the villain game if he kept up the niceness though.

When she left the washroom and crossed paths with a henchman on cleaning duty, she held her head high and ignored the raised brow at her unprofessional attire. Upon rounding the corner into the lab, she broke into a quiet sprint on her tiptoes, reaching the door to Drakken's quarters in record time. She considered she could have used his own bathroom or just changed in his closet but – she shook her head at the idea of stripping down in his domain again. She was too sober for that now.

Drakken was found slouched on the couch, channel surfing.

She sat down at the far end and couldn't help noticing him tense or the way he kept tabs on her in his peripheral. A minute or two passed before she sighed, "Relax. I'm not going to jump you again." Her face heated at the recent memory, but she still lacked the added tingle of her glow to turn the situation precarious.

"I wasn't worried about that," he blurted quickly in defense. He tossed the remote over to her as commercials droned on the late-night programming. "Do you need a pillow? I'll grab you a pillow."

"Or I can just use you, you big softie," she jibed, and watched him jump up as if he'd sat on something hot.

A pillow and blanket were soon dropped in her lap. Instead of depositing the bedding and leaving, Drakken leaned back against the spine of the couch. Shego watched him linger from the corner of her eye as she situated herself to nestle in for the night, and only after she'd flopped down comfortably with a huff did she turn to look back up to him.

He noticed. He'd been peeking at her too, it seemed. "So that headhunter woman…she was interested in you and your friends?" he wondered reluctantly.

Shego sighed. "Isn't it, like, two in the morning?" she said, stifling a yawn.

"It's only—"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I don't think she's dragging me back with Chester just yet. I haven't proven my worth, I guess." She adjusted her pillow. "Working for Global Justice and Buckley got me points for being able to take orders, but without you to vouch for me, I don't think they're gonna let me in."

There was a long pause. Shego thought he'd been about to leave when he asked instead, "Do you want to go?" He sounded a little sad.

Her eyes had fallen shut. Shego gave a small shrug. "Let me sleep on it." The thought of going away to endure more rigorous training and an impossibly full schedule wasn't appealing, but it was his idea she have a contingency plan in the first place. College would be no walk in the park, but if she were to go to any, it might as well be one appropriate for her chosen path.

She heard him shift. The room went dark – a welcoming kind of dark, with a dim lamp on near Drakken's recliner to shed a little light. It was enough to bring her a sense of peace and comfort despite the day she'd had. She could have dozed off right then and there, but after a long moment just when she'd thought she'd fallen asleep, she heard Drakken's door as he finally left the room.

++X++

Too soon, the room was well-lit with the bright lights that kept Drakken's houseplants thriving. Though green as well, Shego on the other hand was not thriving. She pulled the blanket up over her head and groaned, her own skull welcoming her back to the waking world with each painful throb.

Announcing a nice sunny week as if dry weather was just what Nevada needed, the voice of the weatherman alerted her that it was morning. She could hear Drakken humming happily from the kitchen.

She hadn't realized she'd groaned to give away her state until Drakken fell silent, if only briefly.

"Ah, you're awake," he called from the kitchen. Before she knew it, he was at the couch, pulling off the blanket she failed to keep hold of. "Rise and shine."

Shego covered her face with her hands and curled up, giving him the finger as she lay there. She let out a muffled groan. "Can I call in sick?"

"I only have so much to bribe Buckley with," said Drakken, sounding a little disappointed himself by the fact. "So no. Up and at 'em, Shego."

When she didn't budge, he came for her pillow next. She was willing to fight for it, first clinging to it with all her might, but soon grappling with his hands and arms to fend them off. Despite the pounding of a headache, a laugh crackled out of her. It felt childish but that didn't stop her.

Shego grabbed at his sleeves, grappling for purchase, for a secure grip on anything, and instead of fighting him off she turned the tables to tug him down. Drakken was caught off guard, yanked down to brace against the couch, and whether it was swift moves to get the best of him or if he'd gone willingly, he was soon joining her, resting awkwardly in the tight quarters the cushions had to offer, though still teetering on the edge of the couch.

Her grip rumpling his shirt loosened and she let go of his belt as though burned when she realized she'd used it to rein him in. It did nothing to treat a hangover, but Shego now held her breath as she considered what she'd gotten herself into. She warmed over, the heat in her hands back and barely contained as she squeezed them together, tucked against her chest.

Drakken shifted cautiously. She snuck a breath and held completely still, as though breathing alone would give her alien fire oxygen to burn. She almost wished he hadn't simply made himself more comfortable, but was glad he didn't run away either. The silent worry in her head that he was still carefully braced with his hands pressed to anything but her resounded in her head until he moved again. She stared at his throat as he gulped and she waited to combust as a hand settled harmlessly on her shoulder.

So far, so good.

After a long moment, he cleared his throat lightly. "This is nice," he muttered whimsically against her hair, a note of confusion and surprise in his voice. It was enough to spark a reaction in her, and very nearly a dangerous one.

"Villains aren't supposed to be nice," she mumbled back in reminder.

His hand came to a rest at her waist and he sighed, oblivious to the live wires of her nerves reacting. Shego squeezed her eyes shut and saved back the rising heat. She couldn't blow it now. "Good – because I'm not forfeiting another recipe." It wasn't a very evil threat, though it did promise they'd have to leave soon.

Or maybe they wouldn't. He was making no move to disengage. She contemplated handling Buckley on her own. The woman wouldn't be happy with her, but so what? It was no big deal. She'd faced worse.

Shego shrugged at the prospect as nonchalantly as she could.

Finally unfrozen, she tried to convince herself to rest her hands on Drakken in turn, but she almost couldn't unfold them. She was aware the medication had worn off and her touch was warm as she tried to find a place to set her hands, daring herself to experiment and push her limits while she had the chance. She swallowed and fidgeted with his tie instead, just in case she got too hot. She was already pushing her luck.

"I slept on it," said Drakken after a moment. "Well, I didn't really sleep – but – I don't want you to go."

"I don't wanna go either," Shego mumbled, resigning herself to burying her face in the crook of his neck to block out the accursed light. Her hands finally spread over his chest. She felt his breath hitch and his body tense. She liked that feeling. And she liked how he smelled too. She might even like to stay in place all day if she could, even if she was barely keeping her fire in check.

"You don't?" He sounded confused. "But last night…"

It clicked then that they weren't on the same page. "You don't mean to Buckley's, do you?" she groaned in defeat. Of course he'd still make her go. He wouldn't get buttered up that easily…would he? She realized that was exactly what she was doing as she snuck a hand around to rub his back and stopped herself.

Drakken drew a deep breath through his nose – she knew he was sniffing her hair, he wasn't that slick – and she sensed as well he was steeling himself to say something tough. She suspected it had to do with LHU. He deflated, asking apathetically instead, "How long do I have to stay cute and cuddly?"

A laugh she herself wasn't ready for burst out of her. It was better than plasmic flames at least. Nails digging into his back, she squeezed him tight in reflex to stifle her laughter and ignored his displeased harrumph. "Is that what this is?" she chortled into his shoulder. She found herself hoping there was more to his actions than appeasing her. Was he trying to butter her up to sway her into staying?

Her not-very-evil rogue doctor recoiled and started to sputter in a nervous fluster. His incoherent sounds grew impatient. He shoved away suddenly, loudly complaining of burnt toast as he sprinted back to the kitchen, the source of the smell suddenly permeating the air.

Undeniably awake now, Shego sat up and smoothed her hair as she peered back at him over the spine of the couch. Her face was warm and she found squeezing her hands between her knees didn't help a new heat that had arisen in her. She couldn't say she objected to it, but it was hardly the time to poke at that kindled fire. There'd be chances to stoke fires and test her limits later, she decided as she approached the kitchen island, watching Drakken's back.

She tried not to think about the faint marks the inadvertent release of her alien fire had left in the fabric of his shirt when she'd cracked up moments ago. He knew he'd been taking a risk by cozying up to her – he could have taken caution and gotten up whenever he wanted – so she tried not to feel too bad for the scorch marks. She noted the tinge of his ears now and wondered if he'd been blushing and nervous too. She liked to think so.

Drakken buttered new slices of toast and finally turned to set breakfast before her. He didn't look at her, too busy frowning at the smiley face he'd made up with his bacon and eggs.

"A quarter till eight," Shego sighed with a glance to the clock. "I'm already late."

"Well, you're not lounging around my lab all day," chastised Drakken.

She chewed her toast slowly, a wry thought crossing her mind that brought a new flush to her face. "We could—," she choked on nerves and her toast, pausing to take a gulp of his coffee and clear her throat, ignoring his glare on her for helping herself to his mug. "We could, uhm. Pick up. Where we left off." Her voice cracked as she nodded back toward the couch. Her heart gave a nervous stutter, and she tried to tell herself it was only a joke. She wasn't even entirely sure what she was suggesting, but decided she'd cross that bridge when she got there.

Drakken's eyes darted from the couch and back to her – and then away just as quickly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh please," she scoffed. "As if you hadn't just been copping a feel."

"If I wanted to cop a feel, you'd know it."

"Why don't you show me then, huh?" she goaded before she could stop to consider her words.

Drakken barked a single bitter laugh. "And give you a reason to blast me?" he accused, sounding so sure of himself.

She was suddenly feeling awfully foolish. Her wily smirk faltered and she looked down to her plate. Maybe he had just been humoring her. "So you didn't want any part of that just now?"

"No," he said shortly, almost stubbornly, and scooped a bite of breakfast into his mouth.

"Wow. That does a number on the ego there, Doc." She leaned on her fist and poked at her scrambled eggs. "Real charmer, you are."

"I heard that," he groused unappreciatively. "I'm not trying to charm you."

"Yeah. You're right. You sure weren't laying on the charm when you took me from Go City either."

Drakken grunted, and she knew she'd struck a nerve when the cat got his tongue and he started sputtering again. "Shego, that's not – we – what do you want from—?" A loud noise of exasperation tore out of him and ruffled up his hair with fingers raking through it in frustration. "We're not having this conversation," he said firmly. By the evidence of the color in his cheeks, there was certainly a conversation left to be had, whether now as the time for it or not.

It would have to wait anyway.

A knock came at the door then. Drakken heaved a sigh and muttered his relief under his breath before calling across the room with a crabby tone, "What is it? Come in!"

The door cracked open and a henchman carefully stepped inside, one hand on the knob and ready to make a quick escape should anything be launched at him. "The van's all fixed up, boss," said Bobby. Shego narrowed her eyes on him as he seemed to be straining to keep his attention on Drakken. "Should run good as new this time."

"It should have run good as new the first time," spat Drakken, teeth bared in disdain. "Now get out!"

The scrawny messenger boy Bobby scrambled to hurry out the door, slamming it in his haste.

Shego rested her cheek back on her fist, admiring for a moment the ugly snarl that vanished as Drakken's features relaxed. She couldn't help smirking back at him. "Keep that up and maybe the rest of the crew will respect you, bad boy," she teased.

He grunted and inspected the remains of his coffee before knocking it back. "Then allow me to be the bad guy," he said, retaining the same coarse tone of voice as he stood and gestured to the door. "Hurry up and let's go."

Shego stuck her tongue out at him and quickly finished off her plate, though she wasn't too eager to start her day as Shilo.

After swinging by her own dismal apartment for a decent change of clothes up to Buckley's code that weren't borrowed, the scrappy van was coasting down Main Street, purring like a kitten. Drakken suggested picking her up at the usual time, but she snorted. She realized she was still salty about the last time when she suggested he'd be better off playing with his flowers. She could handle Priscilla on her own anyway. She didn't need to run and hide like Priss had done these past few years.

When she finally showed her face at the café, Abigail was abnormally pleased to see her. "About time," she greeted, her posture relaxing. "I thought something had happened to you last night." The warm welcome was quickly replaced with complaints for being tardy and leaving her to deal with customers alone. She did grumble once or twice that she'd rather be stuck with her than the new girl however.

From then on, all day at the café there had been whispers of the potential new recruit. Rumor was Miss Hatchet had taken a shining to the new girl for reasons even Buckley didn't know, and certainly none Priscilla herself would divulge. It had to be her special talent. Shilo learned the girl had been there earlier in the morning to press Buckley about any openings, which had concerned Chester and Gail at least when Shilo was late and unreachable. Maybe it was an instinctual judge of character that had them ill at ease around the new girl, but Shilo was just glad they trusted her even less than she did.

Once the drudgery of smiling for customers was over with, Shilo was pleasantly surprised by who was waiting for her in the alley. Despite declining the ride offer earlier, Drakken was on time for a change. He must have been loitering awhile, because he shoved away from the wall as she stepped out. His displeased eyes darted to the cigarette she was ready to raise to her lips, and she found herself stowing away the coping mechanism for later when she needed it.

"What's the occasion?" she asked as they walked.

He grunted but otherwise didn't answer her.

They nearly reached the van without incident.

Shilo was just within reach of the passenger door when it happened.

After all day of seeing neither hide nor hair of the girl, Priscilla materialized beside the van, leaned casually against the metal. In the same moment, Shilo heard the blips and beeps of a GoBoy as Mickey wandered into sight from around the van as well.

"Look fast!" chirped Priscilla before Shilo could demand she get out of the way, and the next thing she knew a basketball was shot at her, losing its aura of invisibility the instant Priscilla released it.

Caught by surprise, it hit her point blank in the stomach and she grit her teeth as she dug her nails into the offending ball. "What was that for?" she barked over at the disowned friend snickering before her.

"You never were good at dodge ball," giggled Priscilla dismissively.

Shilo tossed the ball down the alley and shoved the girl out of her way. In her peripheral she noticed Drakken finally make a move to round the van to take his place behind the wheel. She was climbing in, but Priscilla caught the door.

"Oh, come on," she warbled. "Don't dodge me, Shi. What are you so afraid of?"

She kicked out at her with a foot to force her back, wishing she could have shot a ball of plasma at her instead. "Afraid? I'm not afraid of you. I just don't like you." She slammed the door and locked it.

Priscilla blew a raspberry. "Are you gonna hold that grudge forever? We had to break up, Shi! Do you think I wanted to be drug down with you? Look, I even brought Mickey all the way here to vouch for me," she said, tugging him over by an arm and gesturing at him as if he were living proof. He looked up from his game just long enough to give a small unconvincing nod. He shrugged away then and went to fetch the ball, clearly not keen to be caught between the two.

"Shego," growled Drakken, and Shilo didn't miss Priscilla's scoff at the name.

She wasn't sure who to snip at, but her attention turned to the man. "What?"

He didn't get the chance to answer her – not that his displeasure with her associations wasn't written across his face clearly enough.

Priscilla seized an opening. "C'mon, Shi!" she sang through the window, persistent as ever. "You're free to be Shilo again, so let's start over. What do you say?" While the passenger door might have been locked, it didn't stop Priscilla from reaching aside and popping open the other before Shilo could twist around to lock it too. The girl climbed in despite Drakken's bark for her to get out. "One round of basketball. Boys versus girls. There's a court at the park."

While she knew Drakken was something of a pushover for her, she didn't expect him to allow Priscilla to walk all over him as if she could do whatever she pleased. Shilo could say the same for herself, though. The man shot her a glare and a nod toward the intruder, ordering, "Get rid of her."

She rolled her eyes and exited the van. "One game and you leave me alone," she bargained, though she really ought to have fired at the girl. She could do that at the park, she decided, and not where a fight could draw undue attention to Buckley's Brew.

"Shego—"

"You wanna join me, Doc?" she challenged over her shoulder.

"Get back in the van." He flicked a glance toward Priscilla who made no move to leave. She didn't need him to say it. He didn't trust her alone with the chick. She didn't even trust herself alone with the chick – yet it was hard to heed his warning glare.

"Are we going to play?" wondered Mickey innocently as he returned, leaning into the back of the van to toss Priscilla the ball and peer curiously around.

Even being in close proximity, Shilo felt herself relax.

"How long is this going to take?" groused Drakken as the van shifted beneath Mickey's weight.

Shilo rolled her eyes and climbed back in as well. She leaned across toward Drakken, and he took his cue to lean toward her with a scowl shot back toward the uninvited passengers. "As soon as we get there, we throw the match and go home," she whispered.

"Oh no," interjected Prissy, butting in between them. "Don't flake out on me. I want a real game."

Drakken snorted. "We can't all have what we want."

Shilo was surprised he was swayed so easily. She had the sneaking suspicion Mickey's presence had something to do with his compliance, whether he intended to have an effect on them or not. She kept an eye turned back on the two nonetheless. Mickey sat holding the ball in his lap, looking especially reserved, and Shilo couldn't help noticing Priscilla reach for his arm to simply rest her hand atop it. What could she be scheming that required she keep her cool, Shilo wondered.

She didn't ask. Instead she noted, "It's been a long time."

"Yeah," agreed Priscilla, and jabbed a thumb toward Mickey. "Remember that time your brother gave him a bloody nose?"

Truth be told, she didn't. She'd barely twisted her face in confusion when Mickey spoke up, "Actually that was you," he noted down to Priscilla. "And it wasn't a bloody nose. My braces cut my lip."

Priscilla narrowed her eyes up at the gorilla beside her. "Well, whatever," she dismissed. "He totally deserved it for flirting with you that day."

Recollection ghosted across Shilo's face then and she nodded. "Wasn't I doing the flirting and you got jealous?" she shot back, grinning smugly to catch the girl's cheeks going rosy. And then it was her turn to blush, realizing what she'd admitted to.

The pink intruder took the opening. "You still got a thing for blonds, Shi?" she pried, leaning unnecessarily heavily against Mickey.

Scoffing in lieu of an answer, Shilo rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat with arms crossed. She flipped down her visor and the mirror with it to keep tabs on the passengers in the back.

Priscilla wasn't done pressing buttons however. "Hey, mister," she called up in her attempt to keep idle chitchat going. "What do you have a thing for?"

"I plead the fifth," said Drakken curtly, but Shilo didn't miss flick of his eyes as he glanced her way. She took a deep breath to shove down whatever feeling was trying to rise in her chest.

A few more crude attempts to reminisce and one assault in which the girl had tried to wrangle cigarettes from Shilo's pocket, and they finally arrived at the riverside park. Shilo could see the building tension in Drakken the whole way and finally the slight sign of relief when he unclenched his jaw. "Alright, everyone get out of my van," groused the man just as soon as he'd pulled up to the curb.

In her elation, Priscilla didn't see through the ruse. Even Shilo had been about to climb out, having unbuckled her seatbelt, when Drakken's hand shot out for her wrist to halt her. Priscilla had already flown out of the van, bouncing the ball hard on the sidewalk. Mickey on the other hand looked up to Shilo and then to Drakken before ducking out quickly as well. There wasn't a word exchanged.

Shilo felt a little bad to be leaving him with the girl who would soon be none too pleased to realize they'd been ditched.

Drakken gunned it almost before Mickey had courteously slammed the door shut. He looked especially cross as he glared at the road, his fingers drumming thoughtfully on the wheel.

Shego tried casting him a wily smirk and suggesting, "We could go burn down her new digs?" The man only curled his lip in displeasure at the notion. She deflated with a puff. "Look, I'm sorry she followed me here, but I can't get rid of her without really crossing some criminal lines here, Doc."

"That pain in the neck can ruin everything," he grumbled. "What if she goes back to them – your brothers – and tells them all about us? Nngh! I mean – about me? Me and my goings-on?" Shego almost reached over to silence his sputtering herself when he clammed up and ran a stop sign, much to the disapproval of those who honked at him. She could practically see gears turning in his head then, but couldn't speak up in time to stop them when he asked, "You say she's a candidate for LHU?"

"Y-yeah – but – what?" She blinked in a stupor when he cut the wheel and she realized they were turning around. They couldn't possibly be heading back to the park. What was he thinking?

"If we must keep up the charades to stay in her good favor until she leaves…" Drakken's lip curled again and he growled, scoring his nails across his scalp in frustration. Whatever he had in mind looked like it pained him.

"Drakken, no," snapped Shego, her heart starting to thud as she realized what he was suggesting. "I'm putting my foot down on this one. I'm not going to—"

"Neither of us will be alone with them," he said as if would be reassuring. "If it can be helped, anyway."

"What happened to just offing them, huh?" she argued, but he shot her a look as if it were too dirty a deed to sully his hands with. He wasn't wearing gloves anyway to hide his fingerprints. "You're insane if you think—"

"Ah-ah-ah," he chastised with a waggle of a finger, and tapped his noggin. "I prefer mad."

Associating with her foe for self preservation sounded so wrong, but she bit her tongue. She groaned in disgust and clutched her hands together between her knees to subdue the itch to let her loathing burn. The park was back in view and Priscilla was dribbling the ball into the street, hazel glare on the van.

"Yeah, yeah. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," Shego drawled as if she'd heard it a thousand times, though she'd never utilized it to her advantage in the hero business. But times had changed and so had her career.

She cast a look over to Drakken when he sighed. "At least there's a silver lining," he said, though he sounded unhappy. Shego arched an eyebrow in questioning as he cut the engine. "We get to play a game together."

"It's boys versus girls," she reminded.

His brow scrunched and he pouted briefly before grunting in acceptance and shrugging to himself. "Makes no difference to me. I'm still going to show you I'm better than that brute."

She couldn't help the small laugh of disbelief at his confidence.

Whatever moment of peace and reassurance she'd had while looking at him was quickly wiped away at the resounding ping of the ball dribbling closer.