A/N: I may have taken my own route with this prompt... But it will be followed up with the next one!

Also, as I'm sure it is clear now, this is one continuing story rather than random one-shots. It was necessary to make it one single story for that contest I'm going to enter it in. I'm enjoying the challenge of connecting all the prompts and finding a direction for the tale. Enjoy "The Gift part2"!

9. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth (finding fault with a gift or favor)

December, 2005

"Just want to make sure I have this straight. Tell me again why you open one gift a week early?" Shego asked as she shuffled ahead of Drakken into the living room of the lair. It was clear by her crossed arms and tense posture she wasn't remotely happy about his idea. Why though, he had yet to discern.

When they reached the room where Drakken had set up an elaborate Christmas tree—which Shego mocked at every opportunity—she sat in the very center of the couch and crossed one ankle across her knee while the fingers of one hand played with the threads of a cushion.

Drakken's excitement over opening a gift faded slightly. She was sending a very clear message, whether consciously or not, and he moved to sit across from her in one of the armchairs rather than next to her as he'd hoped. But at least this way, he could see her reaction when she opened his gift.

"Because..." he finally answered with a sigh, "I got in trouble for peeking at my presents when I was six."

Shego snickered. Drakken knew she was about to make a snarky comment, and he quickly continued.

"My mother explained later that letting me have one a week early was her way of preventing me from peeking, but then it just...became our special tradition," Drakken said with a soft smile.

Shego's smirk grew thoughtful, and then faded. Not into disdain, but...something Drakken couldn't quite identify. If he didn't know Shego better, he'd think she was sad. Feeling an awkwardness settle, Drakken cleared his throat and glanced at the Christmas tree. There were numerous gifts he had bought for Shego, his mother, Commodore Puddles, and the henchmen. But the gift he had chosen to give her that night wasn't under the tree.

"And now you're sucking me into it," Shego said, re-crossing her legs and arms and tensing again.

Drakken's grin faltered as he suddenly questioned trying to make the tradition theirs as well. What place did a special gift exchange have between boss and side-kick anyway? Except...

"But you...you wanted to come to my family Thanksgiving and...nyeh!" he spluttered as Shego's smirk returned. "Oh, here!"

He pulled a nearly flat rectangular wrapped box from his coat and leaned across the gap between them. Shego lifted her brow and broadened her grin, and Drakken rolled his eyes and stood up to go hand the gift to her.

She chuckled and studied the gift that Drakken had probably wrapped far too elaborately for what it was. He realized it might invite further mocking, but after a moment Shego began tearing into the paper. His nerves rose as she started pulling out the frame wrapped neatly in tissue paper and her brow furrowed deeply.

"It, uhm... Well you seemed so interested in my mother's photo albums..." Drakken began as he second-guessed his present, and Shego looked up at him with a start. "So I...I found this."

Shego suddenly appeared to be nervous as she looked back down and finished pulling the wrapping and tissue paper from the gift. Drakken could tell she was biting her cheeks to prevent some expression from appearing on her face, though she couldn't hide the creasing of her brow and a look in her eyes he couldn't quite read, but which was deeply worrying.

"Do...do you remember that?" he asked almost shakily, as he feared he'd gravely miscalculated with his gift. "It took asking all of the henchmen, and...it was really a shot in the dark, I didn't know if it even existed... But I remembered that day and so I'd hoped... Shego...? Why...aren't you saying anything? Do you like it?"

Something about her expression had darkened, and she looked to be trying to withhold some emotion. But what, Drakken didn't know.

"It was the best one I could find! And I...I know if I'd just told you in advance we could have come up with something better, but... Well, I wanted to surprise you. If...you... Do you...even like surprises? Shego?"

Drakken knew he was rambling, but it was easier trying to find a safe question, or any topic that would bring her back from the dark, worried, and utterly still expression on her face. But nothing seemed to be moving her. Had he actually gotten it that wrong?

When she finally looked up from the gift and at him, her eyes were wide and uncertain, and most definitely upset.

Drakken swallowed nervously, not sure what was about to happen, but his heart sank for the one thing he did know—she hated the gift.