A/N: It seems I have decided to embark on a quest of, "how many fics can I write for a single piece of art?" Thus, this is the THIRD unique one-shot inspired by the stunning art drawn by split-n-splice the other day. Two chapters ago is when it started, if you're not reading all of these. Reminder of a soft Mature rating. Enjoy!

Burn Away

The morning was gray and cloudy by the view out the window which was cracked open to let in fresh air, all of which Drakken only took in briefly before letting his eyelids droop again as his feet hit the floor. It was fitting, the small gusts of wind that whistled and howled with incongruous cacophony matching the swirling of thoughts in his mind that had kept him from perfect sleep, despite the very encouraging comfort of Shego curled into his side.

She had dropped a metaphorical bombshell on him the night before that prevented his mind from fully quieting despite how much he longed to sink into oblivion. His mind had been spinning with questions ever since her news that had riding a roller-coaster of emotions, everything from thrilled to terrified and other feelings he'd not even known he could have and thus couldn't name.

As the chill of the gray morning's wind caused goosebumps to rise over his bare flesh, another new thought brought him a measure of stability. She had chosen to tell him as they were being intimate, so it had to mean that her thoughts toward the circumstance were all positive.

As if in agreement, a small ray of sunlight broke through the rain-laden clouds to send a small touch of warmth into the privacy of their domain. And a second touch of warmth—that of Shego's nose nuzzling into his cheek—caused Drakken to smile.

He silently took in the feel of her moving nearer to him: a hand on his thigh to support her weight, her hair tickling his arm as she shifted closer, the faintest brushing of her bare chest against his when he shifted reflexively to move his arm around her waist, and then the loose trailing of fingers from his jaw down to his chest where her hand finally rested.

He let his fingers weave into her hair over her back as she stayed semi-reclined on the bed, but pressing smiling lips against his jaw, her smile tight as if she was barely withholding a secret. The last bubbles of insecurity wafted up out of his mind and popped as he let go the confusion of thoughts that had plagued his sleep. Shego was clearly happy, and he could be nothing else in return.

"So," she began softly, humor in her tone, "old man—"

He read her implication instantly and cut her off.

"Don't give the baby any ideas by calling me that!"

Shego nuzzled further into his cheek, her words broken by kisses.

"By the time he's old enough to understand the phrase, you'll be gray," she retorted.

"Even more reason not to encourage it," Drakken scolded lightly.

Shego's only reply was to laugh in between more kisses placed over his jaw, his ear, and finally his neck as she brushed back his sleep-tousled hair.

A warmth was building in Drakken's heart, both for how casually they were talking about the idea of being parents, and for how purely happy Shego seemed to be. It wasn't something he'd ever expected, but her joy did more for his confidence than any potential research on child rearing could do.

He impulsively took her in his arms and then lie back down, the pair of them a tangle of limbs and her dark hair on the bed as he stretched an arm down for the sheets to cover them against the dawn chill, even though more sunlight was breaking through.

"I'm so relieved," he blurted out, earning him a blinking look of confusion he could only see peripherally as Shego stared at him.

"What?" she asked as she tried to extract her hair from their impromptu flop so they could cuddle more comfortably.

Drakken helped her with her hair as he tried to think of how to explain.

"I thought...that you might be scared. That's all," he said, sucking in a breath once the words were out.

Shego shifted to mold her flesh against his, and he put his arms around her as she fairly clung to him, making it clear he wasn't getting up to work in the lab any time soon. He listened as she drew in a deep breath and then released it just as slowly.

"Maybe I am."

He turned his face toward where hers rested on his shoulder, his brow rising in surprise.

"But maybe...I don't want to think about that part right now. Maybe I just want to think about...all the reasons to be happy. Old man."

Drakken blinked again as he stared into her green eyes, seeing the truth of her words and the uncertainty behind the mirth she had brought up to conceal it. The small, warm flame in his chest grew into a wildfire as love for her overtook all of his senses. He was hardly aware of his actions when he gently moved her hair aside and then shifted his body to cover hers, kissing her ardently as he gathered her as closely to himself as possible.

He kissed her breathless, and when he pulled back to her gasping in surprise and watching him in awe he offered her an affectionate smirk.

"Me too. Old lady."

Shego's brow rose, but then she laughed and hit his arm with her fist before wrapping arms and legs around him as they melted into each other's touch.

And outside, the gray clouds were burning away to reveal a beautiful sunrise.