A/N: Sorry it took so long, the next one shouldn't... but at least it's a long one. Enjoy!
Villain Retreat Part 2
To say it was awkward was an understatement, and Shego was wondering if she should just plasma blast everyone at the table as breakfast got cold and Ed and Drakken kept shooting each other glares. She'd given up glaring at Cleopatra because she had decided to awkwardly pick apart her toast and not look up. She knew Drakken had only done this to challenge Ed and she really couldn't fault him for that no matter how awkward. Now it was a matter of who would cave first and she wasn't going to be the one and she hoped it wouldn't be Drakken... but of coarse, she rolled her eyes, it was.
"So when did you get sprung?" asked Drakken, attempting to sound casual.
"Last weekend," said Ed, chewing his food.
"Got sick of the company you had?" asked Shego at Cleopatra, who put her fork down, "Let me guess, Misty ran off with the painting you tried to screw us over for and banked on it?"
"She may have," said Cleopatra, "Or I may have given it to her."
"Doubtful," said Shego, "I mean, you were willing to back-stab everyone for it, and risk lives for it... so I doubt that."
"I was not a part of that plan," said Cleopatra, she put her food down and made, for the first time, solid eye contract, "I gave her the painting."
"Why, find out the curse was real and wanted to pass it on?" asked Shego, she could see the color change in Cleopatra's face and her eyes narrowed.
"So, what brings you two here? Seriously," asked Ed, and Shego watched his arm drape over her chair as he tried to distract from the green glow Shego has started to have under the table and the fact Cleopatra's fingers was tapping the knife next to her.
"Vacation," said Drakken, "What's with the suite? This place hardly seems your mug of beer."
"Nice one Cuz, real funny. I imagine, same as you two," said Ed, Cleopatra looked at him with a raised brow, "Seriously, we told them we were celebrating an anniversary for an upgrade. Man, its interesting why you two would lie a bout a honeymoon to share a room. I mean, honestly Green, the view isn't that good to have to bunk with my Cuz, seriously."
"Less costly," said Drakken, and Shego saw his eyes narrow as Ed, especially as a smirk danced across his cousin's face.
"You know, for the price you're probably paying... you could have afforded to buy far more agreeable company, seriously, with some more exciting benefits then Green Babe's blasts, no offense, seriously," said Ed as he ate his eggs, "You know, maybe get laid for once."
"Some of us have more ambitions then worrying about nightly conquests," said Drakken, his eyes narrowed and Shego could tell there was more implied behind that, but it only increased Ed's cocky smirk.
"Ha, coming from a loser college drop out who plays damsel in distress to Green, that's a riot, Cuz, seriously," snorted Ed, and Shego could see Drakken was about to lose it.
"You know what, Motor Mouth, that's a lot coming from someone who got busted out of prison by the Queen of Damsal's," said Shego, shooting a look at Cleopatra as she stabbed her fruit.
"At least someone's more reliable then family or partners," said Ed and Shego saw his eyes narrowed, she could make a point that he'd not spring Drakken but that was still a touchy subjects.
"I never did get to ask, how was that police ride? Clearly the kick didn't do anything to help with your brain damage from inhaling fumes," said Shego, and the snort of laughter from Drakken mirrored the irritation level on Ed's face.
"Well, this has been a lovely morning," said Cleopatra tossing down her napkin, "But we have other plans this morning then to be insulted by hypocritical losers."
"Hypocritical?" asked Shego, she stood up with Shego, "Big word, for such a small, delicate, brain."
"Unlike some of this company, I actually completed college... and actually maintained a level in that field," she smirked at Shego, "Tell me, I know Drakken was a drop out, but what have you ever done with that degree of yours other then use it to deal with the overgrown child you work for."
"That's it," said Shego, her hands flared and Cleopatra yelped as she avoided the blast.
"Whoa, Whoa!" yelled Ed, blocking Cleopatra, "Seriously, Green, if you can't handle the heat, don't turn up the fire, seriously. Cuz, do something."
"Shego, do you want more Champlain in your Mimosa?" asked Drakken as he held the bottle.
"Yes, thank you," said Shego as her hands heated up again, she tossed a green blast, "As I was saying."
"Whoa! Hey!" yelled Ed as he jumped and gave a half-hearted smirk, "Hey, it's all in good fun. You know... friendly banter. Put the flames down, Shego."
"You know, you really should find a better way to relieve all that tension and jealousy other then violence and sabotage," snapped Cleopatra, her eyes narrowed, her eyes darted around the room, "Why anyone would choose your company is beyond me."
"Funny, could say the same about you," said Shego, her hands flared again.
"Alright, Drew, seriously," said Ed as Shego's hand pulled back ans she blocked their exit.
"Shego," said Drakken, and she raised a brow, ready to blast him if he so much as tried to tell her to calm down, "Are we going on the nature walk this morning?"
"Oh, yes," said Shego as she fired another blast and stepped away from the exit, "It's in an hour, right?"
"Come on," said Ed and Shego watched as the two darted out the door, by the look on both their faces, the argument was far from over.
"You know there going to try and ruin our vacation," said Drakken after a minute of silence.
"And by doing so, ruin their and make our interesting," smirked Shego, Drakken grinned, "This vacation just got more interesting."
"You're not worried about the rumors and your image then?" asked Drakken with a raised brow, "Or are you saving those threats for later."
"Oh please, that would be not update to Cleo's gossip, especially with her banging Motor Mouth Ed... and honestly, do you think Ed's going to be keen on telling people any gossip that paints him as a rejected loser. Doubtful," smirked Shego, Drakken raised his brow as she flopped in her chair and sipped her Mimosa, "There not going to be a problem."
"What about him?" asked Drakken with a cringe.
"Vell, if it isn't Dr. Wannabe and Shego," said Dementor, Shego groaned and pulled her hat down, "Vhat are the odds, we'd find you two crawling out of your normal hole in ze wall and at a retreat?"
"Dementor," hissed Drakken, "What was that supposed to mean?"
"He means, this isn't exactly where one might find both of you," said Camille from behind them, so far this nature walk was a complete bust, "Like, your more the Villain's Inn, and this is more... not... so whose identity did you swipe to afford this, Shego."
"You're one to talk," said Shego with a glare behind her glasses, "Daddy pay for this one, I see your not morphed into someone else for once."
"I paid, for her," said Dementor, giving a warm smile at Camille.
"Ew," said Shego, Drakken gagged.
"She's a child..." shuttered Drakken, Dementor's eyes shot open.
"Nein, no," he waved his hands frantically and Camille's eyes shot open, "Nothing like that."
"Uhg, like no way, no offense Prof," said Camille with wide eyes, "We're both Sphinx enthusiasts, and I gave him pick of the litter. Ew."
"That's a relief," said Drakken, he cringed and shared a disturbed look with Shego.
The moment seemed to make Dementor and Camille decide it was best not to push them, which as Drakken glanced at Shego... they both didn't mind, but had hoped for more banter. Luckily as they made their way to a waterfall, they were rewarded with both banter and yet another regret to this whole trip. Apparently there was a guided tour and just a freelance once, which meant two groups. The other group held copius amounts of people that neither.. okay Drakken didn't know, but a few that they clearly both knew too well. Far too well.
"Of all the places and people," muttered Drakken under his breath and she took a side step away from Shego, the same time she did him.
"ShheeGoo, Drakken, what a fun coincidence," came the sing-song voice of Carmella, an obnoxious hat her latest accessory, as well as a slender man on her arm.
"Ah, more familiar faces," came the forced pleasant smile of Jack Hench, his brows furrowed, "Write another bad check?"
"Is everyone we know at this thing," grumbled Drakken, he felt his stomach twist, and a flashback to the last time he'd seen either people.
"I, Drakken, Shego!" came the accented voice of Duff, "Look who got to one of these. About time, this is my second one!"
"Killigan," said Drakken, with honest relief, at least there was one friendly face.
"Okay, is every villain at this thing?" asked Shego, she practically growled to Drakken.
Apparently, a mass majority were. There had been a group special months prior and a few villains had opted to get a group rate. This all came to topic as they sat around a campfire, or rather elegant stone benches, and an elaborate circular fireplace made of metal. Shego would have relished in the luxury of the whole thing, if she wasn't currently trying not to notice her fellow Villainess' shooting looks her way. Namely a particular blonde with an affinity for candy who was whispering with Cleopatra. She was contemplating bolting and leaving this week on Drakken, but the mental flashback of the last time, the Villains Inn, and a series of montages plagued her. She glanced next to her where Duff sat, chatting with Drakken about something Monkey Fist was doing. She rolled her eyes, honestly, they were like the Villain stooges on the rare occasion they got together and she was glad the monkey obsessed man wasn't here.
"Want some?" asked Ed as he came over with a bag of marshmellows, Shego automatically went to stop Drakken but she didn't have too.
"What are you playing at, Eddie?" glared Drakken as she looked at the bag and then to his cousin.
"I'm offering you stuff for s'mores... seriously, what's your beef, Cuz," scoffed Eddie, Shego never could tell if he was being sincere of conniving, she glanced at Drakken.
"Again, what are you playing at," Drakken's eyes narrowed.
"Uhg, seriously. Listen, Cuz, sorry about this morning. You too, Green. Listen, seriously, we're on vacation. This things going to last a week... and you know where I sleep... so, can we all just let it slide," sighed Ed, Shego smirked.
"Like you did off the hood of the cop car," said Shego, she saw Drakken fight a grin as he looked at her.
"Haha, real cute, Green," aid Ed with an eye roll, "Listen, you want the s'mores stuff or not. I'm trying to be the bigger person here."
"Since when?" asked Drakken, he sighed and took a marshmallow, "Fine, but only because in ten years when I attend another family function, I need help escaping the twins."
"Oh man," sighed Ed with a groan, "How about we just never go to one, again."
"Seeing as your with Cleopatra again, I'm surprised your not going this year. I'm sure Aunt Michelle would be thrilled," said Drakken, and Shego glanced over to the brunette still talking to Carmella.
"Cleo? Ha, nah, she's more a casual fling. I mean, she'd go I'm sure, but you know Cleopatra, she's not exactly the ride or die type, seriously," chuckled Ed, Shego glanced over at Cleopatra who was now looking towards Ed with Carmella as they whispered.
"Her reputation does proceed her," said Duff as he grabbed some marshmallows, he looked between the two, and held out a hand, "Duff Killigan."
"Motor Ed," said Eddie as he shook Duff's hand, "Hey, your the one with the killer clubs, right?"
"One in the same, say I've heard of you," said Duff, the two began to chat and Shego was zoning out until she felt a shift next to her as Drakken had decided to move on the other side of Duff to avoid the conversation.
"What are the odds, the one time we go on a trip together, everyone we know is at the same place," sighed Drakken, she watched as he tapped his foot, and his fingers tapped his knee, "Shego... if..."
"This is too much," groaned Shego as she caught sight of the last to join them.
"I figured," sighed Drakken, "I know how you value your reputation..."
"Could this be more humiliating..." continued Shego.
"I understand," sighed Drakken, "I'll head out tonight, I mean I have the laser..."
"Can you believe... wait, what?" asked Shego, she looked at Drakken in confusion, "What? Your leaving me with all these idiots, I think not."
"Well if one of us doesn't leave, they'll think we're here together," said Drakken, he rolled his eyes and she thought she saw a glare, "Wouldn't want that spreading around, would we?"
"Well... No," said Shego, she looked around the group and an idea struck her, she ducked over to Camille, "Hey..."
"Shego," said Camille, a bit of a sour note to her voice.
"Listen, you know everyone's going to think your here with Dementor, right," said Shego, Camille's eyes flared, "I mean Drakken and I thought so, and that was just from a few minutes.. imagine a whole weekend."
"Oh my god, ew," said Camille, her eyes shot open, "I'm bunking with Adrena when she gets here tomorrow."
"Well, my suggestion.. wait, she'd going to be here... holy.. alright. My suggestion is to make sure it's clear to everyone tonight," said Shego, confidently.
"How? I don't want to seem ungrateful and ruin future jobs," said Camille, she whispered, "I'm running low on Henchman funds."
"Been there, I got you," said Shego as she stood up, "Alright, let's all get this out in the open. Whose all here with someone just for the discount?"
"Discount?" asked Jack Hench with wide eyes, "Not all of us are cheap skates, you know."
"Cut the crap," said Shego with an eye roll, she raised her hand, "I wasn't paying full price."
"Hell no," said Dementor quickly, and he raised his hand, Shego smirked as nearly everyone raised theirs after.
"Well then, now that's cleared," said Shego as she went and sat next to Drakken as he lowered his hand "We're all a bunch of single cheap skates."
"We're not," came a familiar voice, Shego and Drakken looked to see Pandora and Hermes join the circle, Shego cringed as Pandora put her crutches down, "Nice to see you, Shego."
"Pandora," said Shego, she suddenly felt tense, "That's a nice... lavender cast."
"You like it? What about you, Cleopatra, nice color," said Pandora, her eyes turned to Cleopatra, who looked as uncomfortable as Shego felt, this made her smirk a little.
"Vhat happened to your hand, heir Hermes?" came Dementor's voice and Shego saw Hermes hand and whist were still wrapped tightly, Shego looked at Drakken, who was looking at his own hands with extreme focus.
"So, we're just supposed to sit out her all night and star gaze?" asked Duff after an hour and the snacks dwindling down, "I could do this back at me own lair."
"I think it's supposed to be a campfire feel," said Hench, "tell stories and relax."
"I have a story about being shot twice and a stipper," said Ed, Drakken and Shego glared at him, "Nah, a different one."
"Motor Ed, how many times, have you been shot?" asked Carmella, with a raised brow.
"... ten times," said Ed, he looked to be in thought.
"I think your supposed to tell scary stories," said Camille as she put her phone down, "That's what it says online."
"I have a story," said Pandora as she drank her mixed drink, the redness to her face showing she'd had a bit now, she giggled, "An ex told me this one. It's a real doozy."
"Is it a real scary story?" asked Carmella from where she sat next to Cleopatra, her head on her shoulder.
"You decide," said Pandora, Cleopatra grabbed Ed's arm, who dropped his s'more and looked torn between making another one or putting his arm around Cleopatra and Carmella, he shrugged and did the latter, Shego and Drakken shared a look and shook their head.
"I hope Cleopatra cuts him off," muttered Shego, Drakken smirked.
"He better watch it, or Carmella might cut something off," said Drakken and Shego snorted and elbowed him as Pandora began.
"This is going to be..." Shego fell silent as Pandora looked at her.
"It's called Happy Sweet Sixteen," said Pandora, and Shego felt her her chest tighten and her nails dug into the bench.
"It was dark and stormy night," there were groans, "Oh, but that's why this story happened. It wasn't just a typical night, no, it was the sixteenth birthday of a girl who was too cool to celebrate it. She had other things to worry about, other than how many candles would be on her cake. She had an image to maintain, and that didn't fit into it. In fact, if it wasn't for this rainy night, she might now have even known what day it was. But someone did."
"Oo, this is going to be good," said Dementor, offering a cracker to Hench, who took it, fixated on Pandora, Shego swallowed hard.
"You see, there was someone who knew her, better than anyone it seemed. Always knew where she was, what she was doing, and was always one step next to her. This person knew more about anyone then a person should. This person found the girl fascinating, because she wasn't like other girls, she kept to herself, even her own family never seemed to notice how off she seemed. As if she was a square peg pretending to be a circle. So she put on a little scavenger hunt for her birthday. A very thoughtful one, really," continued Pandora, Hermes brow furrowed as he looked only at Pandora, whose eyes kept glancing at Shego, "They took the things that the girl took for granted and scattered them through out the city. Each one in a far more harder spot then the next... one in a mud puddle, two under cement, and a final one where she'd never thought to go that day."
"This doesn't seem that scary," muttered Duff, he was elbowed by Drakken, "Ow."
"So when she found the note that spoke in riddles, she was at first confused... until she found the first one... covered in mood and barely breathing," said Pandora, there were murmurs, as she took another drink and Hermes swiped for it, "So, covered in mud, as the rain poured down, she and her... friend.. went to look for the others... the clock was ticking, they only had till midnight you see... and there was still three more missing. Just as a cement truck began to pour, they made it, and pulled out two small kids from the buried pine boxes..."
"That's fucked up," said Ed with a gulp, his eyes wide.
"The minutes ticked... still one to go, but where too. You see there was one place, she never went... once place she just avoided... and she knew.. on this night, what should be her night... of coarse that's where they were. So she ran, and sprinted, and slipped all the way to the spot... and he clawed at the ground and in the mud until she found them. Barely alive, clinging to what little strength they had... she found her brother... nearly buried alive in her families graves... a message in blood written across the tomb. Happy Sweet Sixteen," finished Pandora.
"I'm not okay," said Carmella, Cleopatra and Camille clung to her.
"Vhat kind of snuff style..." Dementor looked wide eyed, Hench was frozen with a cracker in his mouth.
"That's can't have been real, right?" asked Hench.
Shego didn't hear the rest of the commentary, her skin was crawling and her head was spinning as flashes burst behind her eyes. She jumped over the bench and walked off, she didn't run, though she wanted to. She could have blasted Pandora, but then the questions would start. Her nails dug so hard into her hands as the glow flickered, she might have drawn blood, but she didn't care. The red she was seeing was making way to hot liquid as her own mind began pulling the story back together.
"Shego?" asked Drakken as he walked towards where he'd seen her go after Pandora's story, she'd looked on edge and tesnse, "Shego?"
"What?" came Shego's reply from the dark, it wasn't as snappy as she'd probably intended.
"Well you stalked off and..."
"Which means, I want to be left alone," scoffed Shego and Drakken saw movement, he reached blindly and grabbed her hand, it glowed and held felt the sudden heat through his glove, "Drakken, I'm not in the mood."
"Please, you're always in a mood," said Drakken and he looked towards her face in the faint light, and though he only saw her chin, he knew what that story was, "Well, you are."
"Listen," sighed Shego, and the light disappeared, "It's getting late, I'm going to head in... stay out here so no one thinks were hooking up or something."
Drakken sighed, every fiber of his being said to simply do as she suggested and go listen to a few more stories. However, his logic wasn't always the winner in these situations... honestly.. it very rarely won at all. Instead he leaned forward and pulled Shego into a hug, well he hoped he had. It was dark after all and he'd let go of her hand. He waited for a plasma blast or a sharp hit to the head followed by an agitated growl from her. Instead, after a second, arms snaked around him and returned the hug just as he was about to let go. He wrapped his arms a little tighter to mirror hers. The scent of her shampoo was overwhelming and he felt his own shoulder's untense as he heard her let out a deep sigh. There was a feeling of comfort that began poking at him, well kicking him more than anything. His mind ran rapidly back to the last time he'd been this close to her in this sense. A flashback to the Moodulator and his lips on hers flooded his head. His attempt at comfort turned to a sudden awkward realization, he had been hugging her far too long and as his mind was pulling images, he was concerned her's might do the same. Resulting in a friendly hug turning into him being blasted into a tree for hugging her far too long. Her hand shifted to his shoulder and he took it as the cue that she was going to end the hug, so he let go and took a step back.
"I'm going to head back to the fire, want me to steal some chocolate for you?" asked Drakken quickly, he cleared his throat a bit.
".. sure," came the quite reply, and he nodded and sprinted off towards the ring.
His chest was pounding and he practically yelled at himself about what had he been thinking. The entire scene earlier was to make it clear there was nothing between them. The fact his own mind had decided to skip that page a few seconds ago made it very clear... he really needed to stay out here and give her space. He didn't want to sit back by the fire, but he didn't want her reputation questioned. She'll leave again. He glared, at himself really. He'd shoved that crush down for years, but every so often... it sprang up on him. He sat down at his spot and was hopeful he'd fixed his face to look blank.
"Where did Green go?" asked Ed as he chomped on a s'more, "I didn't think she'd scare so easily from a crummy story."
"She's fine," said Drakken, "She just decided to call it a night before someone attempted more lame stories... I had both the room keys."
"Oh," said Ed, Drakken glared over at Pandora, who sat alone now, "I thought she might have gotten annoyed like Hermes, he stalked off after you left, he looked pissed to me, but you know."
Shego took a deep breath as she closed the door behind her, she hadn't realized she'd been holding it. She wiped her face, angry at herself for letting Pandora get to her. For letting the memories swarm her like they did. She'd be dammed if they came back as nightmares, she couldn't let that happen. She glared, that's why she never told anybody, you couldn't trust people with those secrets. She'd made a young mistake and trusted Pandora once, and look now, thrown at her because of pettiness. She wasn't sure if it was the memory or the betrayal of such a dark secret that had caused her to run off. She'd hoped to gain some composure and come back, freaking Drakken. She glared and kicked the trashcan, of coarse he had to chase after her. The man was the king of oblivion any other day, any other time, but apparently not when she wanted him to be. He just had to try and comfort her, and not like they normally did with snark and pokes.. no, he had to be normal and brave and hug her. She growled and blasted the trashcan she'd kicked over. How pathetic! She suddenly felt like some sort of damsel in distress, and Drakken had come to her aid. She groaned, and felt her shoulder's slumped, she'd fallen into it even... Hugged him back? Why hadn't she blasted him? You wanted to do something else... She shook her head and her face felt suddenly warm as the fleeting thought from when they'd been hugging fell back. She'd put her hand on his shoulder and had started to lean in.
"Thank god he had the peace of mind to know when to end that hug," scoffed Shego, she messaged her neck, she needed a shower.
Sorry it took so long →
Side note for the actual story of Happy Sweet Sixteen, a very dark short... check out my profile page for links to my tumblr.