A/N: This was inspired by a conversation with bcbdrums.

Testing Theories

Drakken hurried off the stage in a mixture of embarrassment and panic. He'd barely gotten through his speech without sputtering, had nearly knocked over two guards in his haste to exit the room full of cheering people. All his excitement over this medal and the recognition he'd gained took a back burner to the heat rising in his face and the image of Shego's wide eyes looking at him. He knew Shego was behind him... somewhere. He needed to get away quicker and try and avoid what had happened on stage.

"Cuz!" came Ed's voice as he snuck through the door to the audience.

Drakken looked at him, a small hope that perhaps his cousin could annoy he and Shego enough they would avoid even thinking about the stage. Unfortunately the giddy glint in his cousin's eyes and his broad grin knew there was nothing more then juvenile amusement headed his way. The smug nod he gave Drakken only meant it was the very instance he cared to avoid.

"Did you get a nice view, seriously?" laughed Ed. Drakken glared, "I had to get the camera dude to replay it... You seriously motor boated Green on stage."

"That was not what happened!" snapped Drakken. He felt his face growing warmer, "That was a complete accident!"

"Seriously? Are you going to tell me those... what the hell are they," Ed paused to try and look down Drakken's jacket.

"Get off, Eddie," hissed Drakken as he swatted his hand away, "It's an annoying mutation... you know... I don't have to listen to this."

"Ooo, big hero doesn't need to talk to the peon," snorted Ed with an eye roll, "Seriously Cuz... Relax! So you motor boated Shego in front of millions... I'd seriously do the same... death warranted."

"I did not... Shego," Drakken's anger fell as Shego stood a few feet away, "Shego... I-"

Drakken could see the embarrassment in her own face turn to fury as she looked at a laughing Ed. Shego growled and before Ed could make further comment. A green blast sent him down the opposite stairwell. Drakken cringed and waited for the glowing hand to turn but it faded. He watched as Shego's arms wrapped tightly around her upper torso and he quickly looked away. It was silent save for the few groans from Ed floors below. They both spoke at the same time.

"I'm sorry about-"

"What was that-"

Drakken bit his tongue and waited for Shego to continue. Her arms wrapped tighter and she cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes at him.

"What was that all about? The flower vine thing... are you trying to start more rumors," she scoffed. Drakken sighed.

"I didn't do it intentionally, Shego... I just-" Drakken let her cut him off.

"So you have no control over your own flowers?" her eyes went wide and she took a step back.

"No! I do," hastened Drakken. He shook his head, "I mean they act on my subconscious..."

"So your subconscious thought it appropriate to drag me across stage and..." she gestured towards the wall separating them from the media, "And make a very awkward situation embarrassing."

Drakken felt his shoulder's drop at the idea she being on stage with him was awkward. He let that thought fade and he shook his head to force focus on the current topic.

"I... I was feeling overwhelmed," he sighed, "And then I looked at you and I felt better... the flowers simply... acted on that."

Shego shifted slightly and looked at him with a soft yet unreadable expression. Drakken sputtered slightly as he continued.

"Trust me, I didn't mean to... ohm... touch you in that way..." he gestured his face and her general direction, "That was... again, sorry."

There was a silent moment and Shego sighed and let her arms fall and she casually walked towards him with an eye roll.

"Yeah, well... tell you're flowers to not be so handsy. The press is going to have a field day," she scoffed, "Our so-called friends are going to be unbearable."

"I can tell the press-" Drakken began and Shego let out a loud laugh.

"Oh, that will just work so well," she snorted, "You have a lot to learn Mr. Big Shot... that's not how the press work... Let's just hope no one noticed."

"Eddie pointed it out to a cameraman," whispered Drakken. Shego's eyes shot open as she heard walking up the stairs.

He watched her shoot another blast and heard his cousin yell again and then another thud of the metal steps. Drakken cringed again but gave a forced smile as Shego looked at him.

"If it... If it makes you feel better," said Drakken, "I gained no pleasure from that."

He expected relief but Shego's face fell back to unreadable and she tilted her head for second. Drakken saw her brows slightly narrow.

"You had zero enjoyment touching me?" asked Shego. Drakken felt the trap, he could taste it even.

He swallowed hard.

"I meant... that wasn't... none of that on stage... that was not planned... and there was... it was embarrassing," finished Drakken, "I did not enjoy any of that."

"So... had we not been on stage in front of millions... you would have enjoyed that?" asked Shego. Drakken saw the glint in her eye as she found a new button to push.

"I... ohm... this," Drakken felt flustered for a second before annoyed, "There is no correct way to answer that and you know it."

"Yes there is," said Shego confidently, "You either did or didn't like being that physically close to... ohm... me."

Drakken shifted as he leaned against a pillar.

"I... well it wasn't not pleasant... I mean I am human-" muttered Drakken.

"Hybrid," muttered Shego. Drakken glared, "I'm not letting that plant thing go... ever."

"As I was saying... it was just... I would have probably found it more pleasant in a different circumstance," finished Drakken. He let out a deep sigh and watched as Shego looked away from him.

"With me?" asked Shego. Her voice was quite.

"What?" asked Drakken. His face felt warm again.

"With me? Would have been better if it wasn't me?" she asked confidently, "Or just a different setting with me."

Drakken felt backed into a corner again. His mind was a swirl of emotions at her words... this was supposed to be his big day and moment after moment it was a disaster. From the cameras and press attacking him, the ungraceful exit from his hover car, to the awkward speech, the stage incident, his plants being insufferable, Ed as a general being, and now this. He told himself to ignore it, to stop talking before he ended up on the bottom of the stairwell. He looked at his medal for a second and chose to focus on it with a shrug as he continued.

"I think it was the setting mostly," responded Drakken. He cleared his throat, "Can we let this go... I apologized and..."

Drakken froze as Shego got close to him. There was that playful glint in her eye again and he waited for the joke or sarcastic snap.

"You think?" she asked with a smirk.

"Well... I don't know do I... because that's what happened... where it happened," grumbled Drakken,. Shego grabbed his wrist and pulled him off the pillar, "What are you doing?"

"I think we need to talk about this more privately," she nodded towards the stairwell as she pulled him with her down a hallway.

"Can we not," whined Drakken, "Shego... I already told you it was an accident, it was awkward, I took no pleasure in it and... is this a closet?"

Drakken looked around the room Shego had pulled them into. Shego closed the door behind them as only the dim single light illuminated the small space. Drakken was both confused and scared. Shego's expression was still mischievous and now they were in a secluded room.

"Shego-"

His words were cut off as Shego's lips touched his. It was simple and soft... something that he rarely associated with her. His mind screamed trap and felt it was simply fuel for whatever sarcastic statement she had... Flower didn't listen to this. He felt them wrap around both of them tightly and yank them closer. Drakken broke the kiss only because he's lost balance. Shego fellt against the corner and he did his best not to land on her. Unfortunately, like this whole night, it was not in his favor. He found his face in a very familiar position to on the stage. Only this one took longer to try and remove himself from.

"Sorry... I'm sorry," he repeated as he braced his arms on the wall and tried to regain footing to get off her. The vines did not help.

Shego let out a slightly chuckle and Drakken looked at her expression. There was no anger or malice in it, the glint still in her eyes. A slight tint to her face showed she was at least slightly embarrassed unlike his own. She was making zero efforts to move but only blushed harder and looked away.

"Looks like Flower's helping me test that theory," she snorted. Drakken's brow rose and he felt the vines finally vanish, "You were wrong."

"What?" asked Drakken as he finally stood and Shego followed him, "About what?"

"It wasn't the situation," she sighed. The glint was fading, "It was just me."

Drakken blinked in confusion as Shego's smile held a sad hint to it as she reached for the door. Drakken still processing there location, isolated away from everyone... purposely just he and Shego... where she'd kissed him. His wave of confusion wasn't done processing as his hand grabbed hers. She looked at his hand and then to him. There was annoyance in her blush tinted face now. He hadn't said anything but pulled her back towards him. She didn't fight the motion which she could have easily done as his grip was barely there.

"Drakken-" Shego began but it was Drakken's turn to cut her off.

He mustered up every ounce of his courage and self-preservation as he kissed her. It wasn't sweet and chaste as hers was. There was more force and hunger behind it. Encase she blasted him into oblivion he would have had a good reason for it. His arms snaked around her waist to pull her tighter against him. Her motions did not follow his and with a sinking pit in his stomach he pulled back.

"You... you just kissed me?" she asked as his arms began to slack from her, "You kissed me?"

"I'm sorry," he breathed for what felt like a hundred time that night.

He wanted to argue that she'd been the one to drag them there and fuel whatever mischief button she was planning on pushing later. Wanted to just let the embarrassment flood him and go back to his lair and forget his so called night. He realized he didn't feel embarrassed by his action, only disappointed in its result. He could easily turn sarcasm on her like she'd clearly planned... but his heart wasn't in it. He gave a half smile and took a step back from her.

"I was... just testing a theory of my own," he shrugged. Shego's hand slid over his cheek and he paused.

"Since we're both testing theories," she rolled her eyes and sighed, "We uh... should collaborate, wouldn't you say Doc?"

Drakken felt the grin slide across his face slowly before he own devious one smashed into his. Her arms slid around his neck and this time it wasn't the vines that made them fall into the corner.

–

The UN was slowly dwindling down and the press had started to fade away assuming the guests of honors had already snuck away. The villains all waited in the back part of the stage, waiting for a clear exit without police interference. Ed leaned against the pillar now and rubbed his aching back.

"How did they get out unnoticed," scoffed Dementor, "You would have thought they could have let us know."

"I'm sure it was devious and brilliant," grinned Lucre, "Dr. Drakken always is."

Duff leaned against a door and paused to listen. He snickered.

"Aye, they ain't left," he whispered and nodded towards the closet.

"They fighting?" asked Junior in shock, "It was the stage situation, was it not."

Duff smirked.

"They ain't fighting the way you think, lad," snickered Duff.

"Oh, ew!" said Camille, "How tacky... closets are so High School."

"I knew there was more between them," giggled DNAmy as she patted the Monkey Fist statue, "We right, Monte."

"Anyone know a therapist villain?" whispered Dementor.

"Alright, the cost is clear," came Senior near the exit he'd been watching.

"Awesome," smirked Ed, "Seriously, get ready to run."

"Why... the coast is clear," said Adrena.

Motor Ed pounded on the closet door loudly.

"Seriously, alright cuz!" laughed Ed as he booked it from the door.

"Eddie!" came the loud angry yell of Drakken.

"Run, what are you lot waiting for," said Duff as they all followed after Ed.

The villains made a mad dash to the exit as the sound of hurried movement in the closet gave burst to childish snickers and laughter among them. All dodging a series of green blasts being shot from the cracked open door, only to fuel and confirm the chatter of evil fleeing the scene.

END