Author's Note: The holidays are a time when we share our joy with the ones we love so stop reading and go get with them. Those who want to continue with the story, ENJOY!
Read and Green for Christmas, Blue and Green for Love
By Lil' Slugger24
Chapter Three
Shego sat cross-legged on an arm chair in the lair's living room. She stared out of the window as she had been multiple times earlier that season. For some reason, she was intrigued by the falling snow. She could sit in the same spot for hours and never tire of watching the small, crystal-like substance glide to its inevitable doom until it melts or is made into a snow-man.
Drakken had made himself scarce to Shego. Avoiding her eye sight at all costs, but still watching the woman. He was, in a sense, studying her. Although he had drawn a different name, he still wanted to get Shego something she would never forget. Granted, he only would give it to her, not reveal his name to her. This was an odd decision when he first considered it, but it had since grown on him as a good idea. Shego obviously thought of him as a freak, he didn't want to increase the favor of the opinion. Receiving a gift of affection from your boss usually raised in the conclusion of 'freak.'
He figured that if he saw something Shego liked to do or how she reacted to something, he might get an idea for a gift. The studying had so far been inconclusive with Shego simply staring out of the lair's windows. However, he did not complain about the prolonged search. He loved Shego, even though his mind was trying to disprove that fact. His heart was his strongest muscle and often the most neglected. Why else would he be observing Shego's likes and dislikes so severely?
At this particular point and time, the doctor was stationed behind the sofa, watching his unknown love. He took note in his mind how lovely she looked with her head resting on her hands. Her eyes were fixed on the falling white specks outside.
"There's no need to hide, Dr D… I know you're there…" Shego said, her stare never changing, eyes half-closed.
Drakken jumped upon the mention of his name and he stood for the villainess to see him as he was. "How did you-."
"I've been trained excruciatingly to hear the smallest sounds." Shego interrupted. "But I don't need it to hear your stomping…"
Drakken slumped his shoulders and walked around to the other side of the couch to sit down. Shego never once stopped observing the snow to look at him. Drakken watched as her face never changed, always with her eyes half-closed and her head resting in her hands.
"Shego," Drakken paused, "Are you alright?"
Shego turned toward him with a look of hurt in her eyes. "What do you mean by that?" she said, allowing none of the look's emotion to show in her tone.
Drakken couldn't look at her at that moment. "I mean, are you feeling okay?"
Shego looked to the floor and grumbled something before her voice was audible. "Yeah, I'm fine…"
Drakken was still unconvinced but pressed no further. He had a bad feeling about what his employee had mumbled. "That's… that's good to hear…"
Shego stood and engulfed her hands in the familiar green flame that haunted many of her victims. "That's it, Drakken! I don't know if you think it's 'okay' to spy on me, but I don't like it! Leave me alone! First last night when you snuck into my room and now this? Back off or I'll hurt you so bad you won't even be able to feel it!"
Shego stormed off to her room, leaving a stunned Dr. Drakken waiting on the lair's sofa.
Shego flopped down onto her bed and growled, tearing up the sheet with her flamed hands. She pounded her fists into the soft mattress, causing it to leap from its spot and eventually fall from the bed.
Shego sat in silence for a short time following and began to meditate. This had always helped her relieve anger before, however, with this being the holiday season, she found something burn inside her other than fury. Guilt. An emotion she had few encounters with.
"Ugh!" Shego snapped. "Christmas is even getting to me! Drakken deserved what he got!" But deep down, Shego knew she was a little harsh on the doctor. Sure, the stalking thing wasn't good but the visit he gave her the night previous, maybe he didn't deserve grief for that.
Shego stood from the spot on the floor and walked to the door. "I should say I'm… well… sor… ry… Forget it!" Shego stood in front of the door and breathed deeply. The cold steel stayed stationary as she did not wish to open the exit.
'Why am I doing this?' she thought. 'Any other time of the year and there would be no question about it. He's wrong and I'm right. End of story. But there is something in the air this year. Something is pulling me away from my usual self…'
Shego sat back down and began to meditate. This time, however, she was reviewing over current events in her head.
The night before, after Drakken had left, Shego couldn't sleep. She had had the same guilt feeling as she was experiencing now. She lay in bed for a long while, recollecting her thoughts and thinking a lot about Drakken.
'He makes me laugh,' thought the past Shego. 'He is good to me. I mean, he could be a tight wad like all the other criminals but instead he takes good care of me. When I took in Kim's dopey sidekick after he became evil, he treated me like dirt. I realized that Drakken wasn't as bad as I thought he was. I like working for him. I get to use my many talents…'
Shego thought long and hard about the two criminal's relationship with one another. She came to the conclusion that it couldn't be. She and Drakken would always stay as evil cohorts and nothing more. Still, there were other times when she wondered what it would be like, going steady with Drakken that is.
She thought about this when she snapped at the doctor recently in the living room. Maybe that was why she felt guilty. She and Drakken had lived together for a long while and he often thought of them as a family, not just acquaintances. Maybe Shego was falling for the family thing now. She hadn't been part of a family since she fought along side her brothers in Go City, those many years ago.
Shego stood after what seemed like and eternity and left the room, and her thoughts of relationships, behind. She would neglect the event that happened that afternoon. She and Drakken would go back to regular business and all would be back to normal. At least when this holiday was over.
Drakken laid down to sleep that night, all the while thinking of his green cohort. There were only five days until Christmas. He would have to get Shego a gift before that time. That meant that his time was running out and he had to step on it if he wanted to make Shego happy for the season.
He had an idea and would seek out the opportunity when it came. He couldn't wait until he finally had a chance to make his love happy. For now, however, he'd have to wait…