A/N: Hey! Okay sorry for the lack of speedy content. Summer is a very busy time for me and there might be a small lag until late September. Just a heads up!
ALSO: All my reviewers love you! I just want to give a shout out to my Anons. How I wish I could communicate with you but thank you so very much.
For those NOT aware. RTD is a prequel and I do have many other KP stores and Drakgo stories that continue this exact world. You can find them in the sequels. Things Change, Adventures in Babysitting, Bloodlines... Some shorts in Lipsky Family Tales... AND Draktober Tales. Plus some others.
If you are unaware I do mostly illustrated RTD and my stories on my tumblr blog. Gothicthundra over there and the RTD art blog with fanart even. RTDragko. ON tumblr. In case anyone was wondering I know a few of you guys have found it already.
Morale Moral
The tapping sound of Drakken's pen rapidly hitting his desk was the only sound in the lab. He dropped his pen and slumped back into his chair letting air vibrate past his lips as he did so. Drakken was bored, very bored. He leaned against his palm and hunched back over his desk. All his projects were as far as he could go, and his own designs weren't looking as inciting in the daytime as they had the nights prior. Like the month prior, this was seemed to be racing through and with it, he'd apparently found more focus than he'd thought on checking off his to do lists.
"Why did villainy make it seem like I was taking forever," grumbled Drakken.
He sighed and scanned his empty lab to where gears and springs sat in a cluster at the feet of the partially restored Automaton. He rolled his eyes at it, the old blueprints he'd found when he and Shego had gone back through the old office... had little help in restoring the thing completely. He knew he would have to reconfigure a more modern version of its power source, but at the moment... it was only a small tinker project.
The offices cabinets had been mostly empty and the papers that remained were damaged or useless... it appeared the only real items of interest had been the dancing metal and wood ancient child's toy and a few letters and sketches. Shego has pointed out that based on the time of the last dates she's found, that the room had probably been hastily hidden and emptied during the fall of the The Company. His mind mused on it before he physically shook his thoughts.
Drakken didn't want to think about that, or have the slightest curiosity for it at all. He had devoted a majority of his life distancing himself from everything and anything to do with it. Everything he knew about it was pulling at certain parts of his mind and emotions that he was content not dealing with. With narrowed eyes he went back to finishing up the supply order he needed, slightly cursing Shego in his head.
She's the one who infected me with these thoughts.
"I never even cared..." he grumbled.
But she knows something I don't...
"I still don't care," he angrily wrote down sheet metals.
It has to do with my family... that's why she asked after Tibet.
"Yes, from over forty years ago... isn't relevant," he continued.
But Dr. Botox is... and Dollmaker... and-
"Enough," Drakken snapped at himself.
"Uh, boss?"
Drakken knocked over his tool holder at the sudden sound.
"What?" snapped Drakken as he looked up to see his henchmen looking startled. Drakken took a calming breath, "I mean... What, Williams?"
"Ohm, us and the guys had a question while we were putting away your giant robot thing-" Before Williams could finished Drakken jumped in.
"I already told both Walters and Davis. The Robotic Optimum Security System is not called ROSS because of Pals," sighed Drakken.
"Actually-"
"Okay. Fine! It is named after the character, okay?" snapped Drakken, "Honestly he was the only real Pal on that show and he got far too much hate!"
"Okay," nodded Williams, "But-"
"I already had this argument with Shego the other day when those two asked, I am not having it again!" yelled Drakken.
"That wasn't the question, Boss," Williams quickly spoke, "It's actually about social situations."
Drakken closed his still open mouth and looked around him to see if this was a set up from Shego. He cleared his throat and smiled.
"Ah, yes forget I said anything... what's the situation?" asked Drakken.
"Well now that we're legit with contracts and stuff... is there a limitation about social hangouts," said Williams as he pulled out his contract from his suite, "Because all it says is no criminal activity while under direct employment-"
"As was disused. If you need to be temporarily 'let go' for some reason or another," Drakken continued, "You simply have to let Shego or I know with at least a weeks advanced notice. After one month, this being after your resignation pre-date and, or... after serving your time. You can then 'reapply' for your position."
"Yeah, right. We know that," smiled Williams, "Also Davis will be stopping in later this week to give you a letter."
Drakken nodded and wrote it on a piece of paper to make up a termination letter.
"But this is more like," continued Williams, "The Villains Inn is having a huge costume party social and we want to go."
"Most of the clients already wear costumes," Drakken raised a brow. William's shrugged, "Long way to go for a Halloween costume party... but that is an interesting question... I'll have to get back to you on that."
"Okay, thanks... we just wanted to know if we should hold off on buying costumes," chuckled Williams. The both looked as the door opened and Davis walked in.
"I'll have your letter by tomorrow," said Drakken simply and Davis nodded and walked back out, "Is that all then?"
"No... well actually," said Williams, there was a smirk on his face.
"If this is any question pertaining to Shego or I or our relationship... the rule still stands," glared Drakken, "So as I said before, 'Get out our Biz, yo'... now leave."
"Got it, boss," nodded Williams as he started to leave, "Hey, ohm just one think about you and Shego-"
"No."
"But-"
"I am writing a termination letter already, do not test me," snapped Drakken. Williams shrugged and continued his exit silently.
Drakken sighed and pushed away from his table to slide over to the computer and logged in to view his notes on neutrality... it was mainly a list he'd made reading various legal notes and a regrettable email exchange with Kim Possible's computer friend.
"He did make half the list," grumbled Drakken to himself.
Drakken tented his fingers and rested his chin on his thumbs and began thinking about the ramifications of his 'staff' being in a villain setting. His mind ran along the very delicate lines of what could be crossed and not... the simple question now making a series of other concerns as to whom he or Shego spent time with as well.
"I wonder who Hench consults on this?" asked Drakken as he let his mind wander.
It took him nearly twenty minutes and two alarm ignores before Shego had intercommunicated him angrily over the computer. Having already told the henchmen to remind him of their date that evening.
Curse you Williams.
The calm atmosphere of the restaurant was slowly becoming muddled for Shego by Drakken's choice in topic. Halfway through her lobster and the subject had not changed from the moment they go into the hovercar. She rolled her eyes and tried to tune back in with hopes of a window.
"You see, we have both been around former villain colleagues and I didn't really consider the possible implications," Drakken hadn't even touched his food yet, "Obviously when around them majority of the time there is minor to major legal issues involved."
"Your steak is cold," sighed Shego as she touched it, "Eat."
"But location," Drakken continued as he picked up his fork and knife at least, "Places like the Villain's Inn is exactly what it is... a villain space. Is knowingly going there infringement on neutrality?"
"Good question," hummed Shego as she sipped her wine, "You should eat your food while I mull it over in thought."
"At the same time... could it be seen as any other establishment where legal and illegal things might be occurring. Should one be held in legal ramifications simply by having a drink in a public domain?" Drakken continued. His knife touched the meta for only a second.
Shego took in a deep inhale of breath before she took her own silverware and grabbed Drakken's plate.
"I've gone through the legal documents-" she cut Drakken off.
"I know I was in the hover-car with you during that," grumbled Shego as she shoved his plate back over to him.
"Yes, well... that's the thing. I don't know what to do... because if I say 'No' then that means our own companionship's in the villain world is up for question," Drakken's rambling didn't lessen as Shego made his fork holding hand stab a piece of meat, "If I say 'Yes' there is a possible chance I am condoning illicit behavior."
"That is a dilemma," Shego rubbed her temples, "Plush the added morale of the henchmen- Will you eat the food?"
"Yes its a moral one- I didn't even think og the morale of the men," Drakken sighed as he shoved a piece of his food in his mouth, "This is cold."
Shego restrained herself from tossing her hand up in frustration before she took another deep breath.
"That's because someone has spent most of the evening talking about moral morale versus eating and enjoying their company," said Shego.
Drakken looked at her and then her plate and then his.
"Well if you'd contribute more than a few words then you could enjoy my company," shrugged Drakken as he took another bite of food, "Why did I cut this in large pieces."
Shego tapped her nails frantically on the table.
"You know if you didn't want to go to dinner and dink around the lab instead, then you could have just said so," growled Shego.
"I did," said Drakken, "I said I was trying to figure out an issue and then you kissed me and started the hovercar and told me not to worry about it."
Shego could feel her eye twitch as she suppressed her anger.
"Interesting how that wasn't conveyed and my statement was ignored," Shego took the napkin off her lap and stood up, "I am going to the restroom and let you process this evening before I loose it."
Shego got as far as a few inches before Drakken's hand grabbed hers.
"Wait!" Drakken said quickly. Shego raised a brow, "Just so I know... the subject is the reason your angry, correct?"
Shego groaned and pulled her hand away.
"Is it more than one thing!?" yelled Drakken after her.
Shego restrained the anger boiling in her as she rounded the corner towards the women's restroom.
You can't un-kill someone so get it together, Shego.
The flight home was very silent, mainly because the three times Drakken had started talking Shego had cut him off. Drakken glared at the dashboard, securely on autopilot. There was a part of him that felt he should simply apologize for monopolizing the evening, some insecure part of him to be specific. He knew that if all he did was apologize, the evening would resume and Shego would let it go.
She ignored what I wanted to discuss all evening.
He knew he was about to make it worse, but the spiraling thoughts outweighed any logic.
"That was rude," stated Drakken.
"Yah think?" scoffed Shego, "You spent three hours on the same topic-"
"That you barely participated in," scoffed Drakken even louder.
"So you're not apologizing?" asked Shego. Drakken glared at her.
"No." he said firmly, "I was talking about something that I deem important. My only apologies being issued was that it was not a mutually important topic."
"You spent our entire evening rambling about something tedious instead of paying attention to me in the slightest... and you're mad?" snapped Shego. Drakken's glare faltered but came back.
"Had you engaged in the conversation with me, we could have hashed it out and moved on to anything else... but you chose to give me unhelpful acknowledgments, kick me with your foot under the table, and then lecture me about not eating my food," said Drakken. He crossed his arms and looked over the side of the hovercar.
"I was eluding to a subject change, making sure you ate your food... and that was not kicking," glared Shego as she mirrored him and looked over her own side, "It was also a topic we need a full day to discuss like I don't know... tomorrow? Not on our date."
The silence continued as the sun setting into the horizon gave the sky a purple hue. Drakken watched the water below them as his mind raced with her current agitation and the concern from earlier. He glanced at Shego who had turned her whole body to face the side of the hovercar. Her arms still firmly crossed as she kept the farthest distance from him. His glare fell slightly, aware of bother her anger at the topic and the fact they had cut their evening very short. He wanted to discuss his topic, but she had been correct it would make more sense to do so in the morning when they could possibly get legal advice if needed.
She could have just said something instead of being subtle.
"Why didn't you just say subject change?" asked Drakken. Shego didn't turn towards him as she answered.
"It's called subtlety," she grumbled.
"Yes, well... I prefer your normal direct approach," he muttered back, "I thought it was fine."
"I was trying to be sweet and charming... You want me to tell you to 'Zip it and choose a new topic' instead?" asked Shego. She looked over her shoulder at him.
"It's what you used to do," glared Drakken, "Would have saved me trying to think why you stormed off to go to the bathroom when you didn't have too."
"Fine, I will... and I did have to go to the bathroom," scoffed Shego.
"Good, because its part of that using words conversation we had-" Shego narrowed her eyes, "I'm sensing the topic ends now."
"There you go... didn't even have to say it this time," snorted Shego as she uncrossed her arms. There was silence again as the hovercar landed, "It's early."
"Mhmm," hummed Drakken. Shego looked at him as she climbed out of the hovercar.
She rolled her eyes.
"Plenty of time for you to go dig around contracts and legal garbage," sighed Shego, "I'm gonna call it a night."
She made it nearly to the door before Drakken registered her words. He opened his mouth the inquire about any movie plans or if she would hold it against him if he did look over legal papers, but he closed it. It was abundantly she was upset and logically he wondered if there was some other reason besides this evening, as she's been off for the last few days... but he let it go.
"Couldn't just brood internally, could you?" he grumbled to himself as he walked towards the door after Shego had vanished into the lair.
He felt the tingle up his spine before Flower appeared in front of him and his hand rested on the handle.
"Well I shouldn't have to be the one apologizing most of the time," he glared at Flower.
Flower tapped the glass of the door.
"Yes, I am aware that she tried to politely change topic over seven times, okay," glared Drakken, "And since when is she polite about it?"
Flower darted towards the flowers along the wall and he watched them flutter about before Flower came back towards him. He felt unease by this, but he wasn't sure why. He wanted to glare at Flower but couldn't find a reason to do so, instead he watched the flowers motions of fluttering carry along the lairs walls. The concern that something else was bothering Shego intensified, with no source other than unease.
Is he-am I communicating with the flowers?
He looked at Flower before it vanished down the back of his coat, trying to process if he'd not noticed something he should have. He yanked his hand away from the door and messed his hair in frustration before turning to the outdoor elevator entrance to head to the lab.
Let's focus on one issue at a time, shall we.
The surge of fear lingered through her body as she shot up from her ill-rested sleep. Shego felt sticky from a cold sweat despite the summer breeze through her windows. She let out a deep breath and leaned against her headboard. The nightmares and racing thoughts had yet to dwindle since she and Drakken had opened the hidden door in the manor above. Despite this, she didn't regret opening it, nor trying to find other hidden room and treasures around the manor, spending more than two days just measuring walls to see if there might be space behind it unaccounted for. The only thing she might have regretted was the lack of information she could find in the one room, which only made what she already knew about the Company even more troubling.
Despite her lack of regret, the nightmares were fighting her statement about it. She found herself back in the lair of Dr. Botox, the echoing words of the past that they had been both forthcoming and vague about. Now dashed with images of a young child holding a robotic doll morphing into a mindless hench creature of the mad scientists. Faceless people hurrying to destroy and hide a lifetime of history at the death of their leader... her eyes narrowed. Shego had often wondered how exactly the Company had been structured, even in Team Go when she's spend days researching every villain to ever exist all in hopes of being more aware of any trickery Go City had to offer... and later all the knowledge one needed to find themselves immersed in that world flawlessly.
The Company was a mystery and had always been... a web of contracts and rules to keep villains from getting too out of hand. The corruptions of government bodies simply paying dues to keep it both a secret and in power. She'd often thought in her youth that it was something designed to prevent those wanting power over the world from obtaining it... because what would their use be if it happened. Dr. Botox had made it clear while there were many loyal to it, there had been an equal amount plotting against it.
Drakken.
She rolled her eyes as he came to mind. If anyone in the world should want to know every detail about what was in the manor above, it should have been him. There was no guessing as to why he had been abundantly woven in her nightmares. The reality that Dr. Botox had spoken about their personal involvement in taking out the Leviathan line... there was the fact that they had not succeeded... the very nightmare that they had found this out had been what had woken her.
She felt something touch the side of her face and her hand quickly ignited as she swing to look at the bug that was about to be dust and froze. The little blue flower on its makeshift vine of others recoiled from the green light. The green glow fell away as Shego turned on her bedside light and waited as the flower slowly returned towards her as if assessing her shyly. When she waved her hand it jetted towards her as she leaned back against the headboard.
"Don't worry, Perry, I'm not about to try and train a new henchflower," she chuckled as the flower wrapped around her wrist and leaned against her palm, "What are you all still doing up?"
Glancing at the flower around her window, now sliding in a little more that the blue one on her wrist had been welcomed. Shego shook her head and touched the soft petals of Perry as he thoughts slowly calmed. The nightmares were still there as if sitting on a ledge waiting, but her thoughts shifted to the fact Drakken was still up at this hour. Perry traveled up her arm to touch her cheek that it had been attempting to do before her reaction. She could never tell if it was affection or comfort but it was somehow soothing. The fact that they were connected to Drakken in a way she had since given up trying to understand, was reassuring that despite all his plans, work, and ignorance of her presence at times... she was on his mind.
"Is he still up overthinking his new stupid morale dilemma?" sighed Shego.
Her mind fell back to the argument they'd had earlier. She was aware that if she had simply told him to change topic he would have, and that it was in fact out of normal for her to be subtle about being annoyed. She slide down into her bed and grumbled, Perry hovering for a moment before resuming it's spot next to her face. She blindly reached for the magazine she'd been reading the prior morning and opened up to the article about seduction.
Yeah. Subtlety can bite me.
She let it fall and she looked up at her ceiling. Thoughts falling back to why she'd been reading the magazines articles of flirting and romance. The experience she had in actual romantic flirting was more than lacking... in fact her attempts at flirting or being seductive with Drakken in the past, he's simply thought she was being obnoxious and annoying. While he'd gotten better at reading certain cues of hers, he spent most of the time missing the major flags she was waving at him.
You could just tell him.
She felt her face grow warm at the idea. Something about telling him outright when she was feeling the need for attention seemed desperate or needy. The very reason that even at her most desperate needs for physical contact... She'd simply shoved the needs aside and not picked up a phone to any willing participants she could have called.
"You'd think with all my excuses to be in his room he'd catch on," snorted Shego. She let out a loud sigh, "Might turn out the air conditioning and just show up naked at this point."
She felt her fact grow warmer even at her joke. She scoffed as Perry made a wild motion as if to encourage her antics. It might have been simply reacting to her increased heat on her cheek, as she was certain flowers didn't understand that meaning of her words. Another question she'd wondering of their connection to Drakken... how much did they actually understand and how much was just thermally deciphered.
"Uhg, I'm not getting into that tonight," huffed Shego as she slid out of bed, "Alright, let's go see whats keeping Drakken up this late."
Shego stretched as she stood and headed towards the door, only stopping when she heard a thump behind her. She looked over her shoulder and let out a snort of laughter as Perry had attempted to follow her, making the other flowers flop in through the window without warning. Shego sighed and opened the door.
"I meant I am going to go check on Drakken. You and the rest of the horde better clean up the mess you just made before I get back," Shego waved Perry off and closed the door behind her.
She walked over to Drakken door and knocked but not sound came from behind it. She waited a beat, half tempted to simply open the door until her idle threat while talking to Perry made her second guess herself. She raised her hand to knock again when she heard a commotion downstairs and the clear voice of Drakken from what sounded like the kitchen.
"Oh for the love of- Nghn!" was all she heard an yet another noise of the sink and then, "Flower! Stop that!"
The sound of water mad her snicker as she headed down the stairs.
"At least he's staying hydrated," she muttered to herself as she walked down the the darkened downstairs.
The only light seemed to be emitting from the dining room despite the clear movement of Drakken in the dark kitchen. She rolled her eyes, knowing whatever mess he'd made had been the direct result of not turning on a light. Shego walked into the kitchen and leaned against the refrigerator as Drakken tried to clean up the sink mess Flower had probably made. Muttering under his breath the whole time.
"Need a light?" smirked Shego as she ignited her hand.
Drakken yelled and jumped while Flower threw what looked like a glass of water in a general direction. Shego erupted with laughter as she hit the light switch and leaned against the doorway. Turning on the light only aided in the amusement of the scene. Flower was swinging wildly as Drakken glared at her and took a few deep breaths. There was an ice cream container spilled on the floor and several wet rags in the sink showing Drakken had been attempting to clean up his mess before Flower got carried away in the water... which was splashed all down the front of the sink and Drakken.
"Shego! How many times do I have to ask you not to do that!" yelled Drakken as he threw the damp cloth on the ground in annoyance.
"Every time I do it because I don't see a future where it isn't amusing to startle you," shrugged Shego. She looked at Flower, "That was a sad defensive attack-"
Flower tossed a cup of water on her.
"Hah!" snorted Drakken.
Shego glared at Flower who chose that moment to drop the cup and vanish behind Drakken. Shego crossed her arms and glared at Drakken who had a smug expression on his face as he cleaned up the mess on the floor from his spill. Shego shook her head as she grabbed a paper towel to wipe her face with and envisioned pruning sheers for a few seconds. She looked down at her shirt used her glow to dry it with a few hand waves, leaving it only mildly damp. She turned to see Drakken looking at her with a raised brow.
"All the times we've been caught in the rain and you've never done that?" he asked.
"Our clothes were water resistant," shrugged Shego as she opened the freezer.
"Maybe yours were," he muttered under his breath. Shego smirked to herself and pulled out another ice cream container.
" Besides, as many times as we ended up drenched or covered in water. I'd have fried my hair the first year we worked together," teased Shego as she handed him the container, "Try not to drop this one."
"It was not that many water issues the first year," snapped Drakken, "What happened to being polite?"
Shego raised a brow and snorted as she grabbed spoons.
"Well, tried it for several hours and it resulted in an argument... so I'm over it," she shrugged and headed to the dining room table. She turned out the kitchen light, "Watch your step."
"Hey!" yelled Drakken, "The floors wet."
"That's a you problem," said Shego as she sat down in what had clearly been Drakken's intended seat, "It wouldn't be if someone had turned the light on originally, I'm sure."
"Yes, and then you turn the light off," glared Drakken as he placed the container down, "I was sitting there."
"Yes, but now I am," she smiled and patted the seat next to her, "And think of the light as a lesson reminder."
"I didn't ask for a teaching lesson," said Drakken as he sat down.
"But I have so many things I could teach you," shrugged Shego.
She pulled the container away from him and opened it. Waiting for a snarky attempt from Drakken but he was silent. Shego glanced up at him to see him chewing on his lip and staring off at his spoon. She waited a second before waving her own spoon in his face causing him to jolt out of whatever thought process he was in.
"What were you thinking about?" asked Shego.
She watched his face flush, which confused Shego for a second. As he cleared his throat and grabbed a spoonful of ice cream, she assumed it was mild embarrassment at being called out on top of being teased. It was really the only logical conclusion she could come too.
"Just some mildly unimportant things," he waved off, "So, why are you up?"
"Why are you?" asked Shego as she took her own spoonful of ice cream.
"I asked you first."
"I'm choosing to go second," she smiled through a bite.
She watched his face contort in a clear fluctuation of wanting to argue and possible pouting before he sighed and took another bit of ice cream. Shego waited in silence, knowing eventually he would talk without her badgering him.
"At first it was dinner and the argument, but then it turned back into the issue about what gray area us and the henchmen have to stay in... then back to the restaurant ordeal... then went back to several projects I should be working on... which turned into how to fix up Gwen... then back-" Drakken ranted but Shego cut off.
"Gwen?" asked Shego, "Are you building another BeBe?"
"No. The Automaton- Oh yes, build another BeBe... because that went well," Drakken rolled his eyes, "Besides I have no need for one- but then I went back to what you said about being subtle and started wondering why and where that came from... then I wanted ice cream and here we are."
"So did you sleep at all?" asked Shego as she took his rambling in.
"There was a really good hour before I woke up in the lab and decided to go to bed," Drakken gestured around them, "Did not go well. So I was going to grab some ice cream and watch the movie we were supposed to watch tonight."
"Without me?" Shego acted affronted, "I'm hurt."
"You didn't even want to watching it," he rolled his eyes, "You complained when I picked it."
"Which is code for... pick something else," she shook her head.
"I didn't want too," he said firmly.
"Clearly," said Shego, "But excluding me... very rude."
"So why are you up?" asked Drakken, changing the subject.
"Your little morale issue," lied Shego. Drakken looked at her silently for a second.
"You're lying but I'll bite," he took another bite of ice cream, "Thoughts?"
"We are neutral... we can be around and go wherever we want so long as we are not planning on evil," shrugged Shego, "Same can be applied to the henchmen. I mean, unless we start leading by example... because we have so many friends outside villainy to spend time with."
"I didn't do anything villainous when I was with Killigan," shrugged Drakken. Shego looked at him, "I don't being partial party to picking up another villain to be a crime."
"Breaking and entering-"
"I don't think it counts if its a villain's lair... or Kim Possible would have a more lengthier rap-sheet then either of us had," shrugged Drakken.
"I'm still convinced had you not been a cheap skate a decent lawyer would have thrown out half those charges," stated Shego. Drakken chocked on his ice cream.
"Me? That was a joint choice to get more status to knock out the top Most Wanted list," glared Drakken, "We couldn't keep conveniently having other people on the list above us find a way to be caught or turned in."
Shego smirked.
"I still think the anonymous tip offs to Kim's little tech guy was a flawless villain low," said Shego, "But something tells me the kids not that dense."
"I choose to think my excellent security kept him from tracing us," said Drakken confidently. Shego rolled her eyes again, "So what your saying is... just let the henchmen do whatever unless its like the contract states about leaving before they do villainous crimes?"
"Yeah, sure," shrugged Shego, "What people do in their off time is on them. Worst case they do something we can them."
"Hmm," Drakken fell into silence for a few beats, "And us?"
"What about us?" asked Shego. She swatted his hand away from the container, "Except I'm getting annoyed you keep taking all the chocolate swirls."
"Well... we haven't really gone to anything intentionally together," said Drakken slowly as he turned the container around for more swirls on her side, "And-"
"You want to go to a Halloween party at the Villains Inn?" asked Shego, "If your that eager to make others feel inferior in your success... just send out a mocking letter."
"That's not what..." Drakken trailed off, "Nevermind."
"What?" asked Shego. She kicked him under the table."
"Ow!" glared Drakken, "I thought it might be fun to go to a party together and not be in disguise for once."
"It's a costume party," Shego shook her head, "Uhg, but the Villains Inn, really?"
Shego shook her head and watched Drakken's expressions contort before falling on shock.
"Oh... I uh... neglected to note the location," said Drakken calmly, "Another time and place then."
Shego watched as he fixated on his ice cream and said nothing more. Shego tilted her head and watched him in confusion at his reaction. Disgust or disturbance would have been acceptable to remembering how trashy the Villains Inn was, not shock or unease. She was about to ask what his reaction meant when her own memories came rushing in to explain for her. Her last visit to the Villain's Inn had resulted in a nightmare fueling kidnapping from her former childhood tormentor and their family.
While rationally she knew that had just been a location of ease and convenience in plotting... she had not really associated it with the Villain's Inn on its own. Drakken's expression proved it had been his conclusion on her not wanting to go. As the thought occurred to her, she realized it was a far more greater reason to not attend the party... other than the busy staff, the noise, or the often questionable drinks.
This bothered her.
The thought of something or someone controlling her with a fear mongered memory made her eyes narrow.
"We're going," she said firmly as she took another bite.
Drakken looked at her in confusion.
"Shego, it's really not that important-"
"I want to go," she stated firmly, "It's been a while and who am I to deny either of us from rubbing good fortune in peoples faces who are down on their luck."
Drakken's eyes scanned her face and he gave a devious smirk before eating more of the ice cream. There was silence for a few moments before Drakken spoke.
"So, what has you up, really?" asked Drakken.
The irony that his question now had was not lost on Shego. Knowing full well that half the nightmares she'd been having were mingled and distorted because of the very event neither of them were talking about regarding the Villain's Inn.
"Just some bad dreams," shrugged Shego as she put down her spoon and crossed her arms, "Nothing worth talking about."
"The fact you don't want to talk about them... means its probably worth talking about," said Drakken as he put down his own spoon, "You've been off ever since we went into that office. For two days I thought you might be possessed or haunted even."
"That explain the incense," Shego rolled her eyes, "Sure, you notice I'm off but not a subject change."
"You did- Nope. No," Drakken pointed at her, "Nice try on a subject change."
"Oh, that you got," snorted Shego, "Are we seriously going to be that couple who talks about dreams?"
"I don't see why not. We were the coworkers and friends who did... seems like a strange thing to discontinue," shrugged Drakken, "I find these types of communications key... especially since I thought you wanted to be the couple who judges everyone from afar and make snide remarks."
"Fine," sighed Shego, "We can be both if its that important to you... The nightmares are mostly around a lack of information found in that room."
"Like?" asked Drakken.
Shego opened her mouth to respond but closed as a sense of frustration began to slowly creep up her nerves. It was easy to tell him what was bothering her in the dreams... but that also meant explaining what he was adamant to avoid. She wondered if she prolonged her response long enough if Drakken would move onto something else so long as he wasn't fixated on her response. The thoughts of tossing out another teasing statement just to finish the track change played in her head.
"Is it the letters... the mystery of the original Dr. Drakken... because I have thought about that a lot, but its not nightmare inducing," said Drakken. Shego sighed.
"Fine," she took a deep breath, "It's the lack of information and the reality that by your own account... Dollmaker, Botox, and crew are still just out there-"
"We don't have to go to the Inn-"
"Oh please, we are definitely going," Shego dismissed him, "Especially since you reminded me of the prime snark and mockery we can get into while there- imagine the costumes. No, its the fact there's not telling if they'd show up... because..."
She trailed off as she looked at Drakken. She kept waiting for him to stop looking at her and fixate on anything, loose focus... something other than be focused on her. Moments like this she wished villainy was still an option because it would be an easy distraction.
Lie.
She nodded to herself and backed away from the words she'd been trying to find. Before she could, Drakken took her hand and had a serious look on his face.
"Shego... we talked about this before... You have nothing to worry about. Despite Flowers horrible defense system... we have security... guard flowers you trained... and I don't mean to brag but I and Flower are pretty skilled in crushing things... and throwing things. That chair I threw... elegant flight," said Drakken.
It took Shego less than a second to conclude that like their past conversation on the subject of Botox and Dollmaker... he thought she was worried about herself. She wanted to be irritated with his assumptions but it was an easier conversation topic than digging up his family history. The soft smile he gave her as his hand held hers firmly, made her irritation vanish. Despite how used to Drakken's sweet moments over his energetic and normal chaos or even his alluring devious tendencies... there was something she couldn't grasp about how his protective and reassurance affected her. If anyone else had said or done it, she would have felt hostile and defensive at someone thinking her scared or weak... but she knew that wasn't the case when Drakken said it.
"You think I need someone to protect or reassure me?" she couldn't help the soft smile on her own face at his slow head shake.
"Of course not," he said calmly.
"Because they're just nightmares," said Shego firmly, "If anyone needs protecting around here, its you."
"Well I don't know about that..." his smile remained as he stated it confidently, "I think I can hold my own."
"Oh yes, the scream and water throwing is a real threat," Shego nodded towards the kitchen.
"Well that was uncalled for," said Drakken as he retracted his hand and began to stand.
"Are you seriously about to go pout?" asked Shego as Drakken looked away from her and walked towards the living area.
"I'm about to go watch a movie and think about how mean my so called partner is," said Drakken from where she heard him flop on the couch.
"Here I thought you found that endearing about me," snorted Shego as she grabbed the empty ice cream container. She muttered under her breath. "Yah big baby."
She knew he was being dramatic about it but she hesitated to join him just to be asked too. Instead she found herself in the living room and wordlessly sitting next to him as the movie remained cued on the screen in anticipation for her arrival. She let the silence consume her in content and pushed away the actual nightmares she hadn't been able to share. Instead letting him draw his own conclusion in half truths.
What little remaining desire to tell him was interrupted by a coil wrapping around her waist and sliding her closer to Drakken on the couch. She glared at the retreating Flower but it was only a halfhearted one as her face felt slightly warm. Instead she rolled her eyes and leaned against Drakken where his arm replaced where Flower had been moments ago.
"You know you didn't need Flower to do that," she sighed.
"Are you complaining?" asked Drakken.
"No," she hummed as she snuggled closer.
There was silence as the movie played and Shego began to slowly doze off. Not knowing that half way into her sleep she would be woken up by Drakken's sudden concern about Halloween costumes that would result with a few choice pillow hits before she would finally be able to drift off into a proper dreamless sleep on the couch with a finally silent Drakken. Save for a few grumbles, but she fell asleep nonetheless.
I mean eventually someone's gotta say something... Just not tonight! Let's get SPOOKY!