One Leap Forward

The sound of energy waves pulled Shego from her restless sleep before the sun was even up. She growled into her pillow and pulled herself out of bed. She should have expected it, it had been the standard the last three days since her birthday. Drakken, in what she assumed was an attempt at avoiding an awkward conversation, had busied himself in the lab. At first she had welcomed it, but she would have much rather a more dismissive tactic like normal then this distraction method.

She didn't even bother putting on her slippers or robe as the cool air hit her as she threw her blankets off. This new schedule of annoyance needed to come to an end before it become the permanent normal. It was even shocking to her how fast she'd made it down to the lab, but when the doors opened for the elevator she had to assess herself as she walked onto the platform. Shaking off the unreasonable anger from being woken up and just focusing on the irritation at Drakken being... Drakken.

"What are you doing?" she yelled from over the banister.

"Gah!" yelled Drakken as he fumbled a remote before hurriedly clicking it. The sound faded, "Shego! What are you doing up?"

He yanked off his goggles and put the remote down as she stalked down the stairs.

"Gee, I wonder why?" she indicated to the dwindling sound fading to silence, "Anyone with in a mile radius is probably up. What are you doing?"

She crossed her arms and sighed. Drakken was silent as she looked at her for a few seconds. His fingers tapping against each other as he found the words he was looking for. There was a clearing of his throat as he turned away from her and moved towards the source of the sound. A cylindrical device with a dish like form on top. It took a moment for her to notice a frame above it that looked haphazardly put together.

"It's a second version of my ozone patch ray... but I'm attempting to find a way to use sound and light waves to essentially not just patch but strengthen," he said swiftly, "I need to make a better ozone sample but I have to go out an pick up a new welder..."

He indicated to the trash-bin.

"In an attempt at creating a stronger heat... things did not go well," he grumbled.

Shego looked from the trash-bin to the invention Drakken was circling around and felt her irritation melt away. He wasn't working on tedious commissioned projects but his own... and in three days he'd built as much as he had used to in villainy. Despite his fidgety motions, clearly waiting for her to still snap at him or brush it off, looked jovial at his own progress. She glanced back at the bin and snorted.

"So you're trying to blow up the lair and break out the windows with sound waves?" she teased.

"Go big or go home," she shrugged. There was a pause, "Probably a better phrase if this wasn't where we lived."

"I was going to let it go," said Shego as she walked towards where he stood tinkering with the brace on the dish part, "But you said it."

She rested her hand on his shoulder.

"I can help-"

The dish fell off and Drakken swiftly went to pick it up.

"Came loose," he muttered quickly and ducked around her and back to his desk.

Shego looked at the wobbling frame structure above his device and followed him to his desk. She leaned against it as he began scrapping off loose residue. He was focusing all his energy on it. For a moment she wondered if he was avoiding her before dismissing it as him being typically engrossed in his work. She sighed and pulled off the goggles still on his head, causing him to begin chipping away quicker at the residue and frowning. Shego pulled the dish out of his hands, his frown deepening.

"Shego, I need to get that off before it re-hardens," he said quickly and pulled it back towards himself.

She rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Uhg, fine. I was going to say lets have breakfast and I'll help you reinforce some stuff," she smirked and held up her glowing hand, "A helping hand if you will."

He watched her pause and look at her hand. She pushed off the desk.

"But I'll bring something down... I know I'm not going to get anymore sleep this morning, might as well start the day before you take out the whole lair," she pushed the hair out of his eyes and shoved his goggles back on.

"You don't have-" she cut him off.

"It's too dark to lounge out right now and my movie partner is scraping junk off a dish... not a lot one can do at this hour," she rolled her eyes again and headed up the stairs to the elevator.

She gave him a small smile as she hit the button to close the door. Her smile faltered as for a second Drakken looked annoyed rather then grateful. She chalked it up to his device needing assembly and let it go.

Letting out a deep breath he wasn't aware he was holding, Drakken slumped in his chair. The last three days had been an accomplishment of work, but a constant state of walking on eggshells. He knew most of his drive was formatting from avoidance, which was at least one positive. The first day he'd thrown himself into work it had been a welcomed distraction and had worked. Shego had stirred clear of the lab and properly avoided him... day two had been a bit more complicated with her acting like nothing had shifted between them. If he wasn't honest he'd spent the previous night wondering if he'd imagined the whole argument... before agreeing with himself that he wasn't that mad... yet.

He was slightly startled as Flower came into view and began bopping a water bottle on his desk and rolled his eyes as he grabbed it. Flower spun on the discarded dish Drakken needed to repair. As he placed the water bottle, now empty, down... he picked up the dish and looked at the haphazard now removed glue residue and solder marks he needed to correct. He smirked with pride as he looked down at his notes and felt the renewed glee as the fact it might work with his new method.

He was still smirking as he heard the elevator open. Shego, now in her familiar suite had returned.

"Alright, what am I welding," she smirked as she darted to where there googles were stored.

Drakken paused his thoughts and felt the smirk broaden at Shego's enthusiasm in helping his project, especially given the hour.

She is establishing a new repour.

His smile faltered at the realization, but any momentary thoughts about this were pushed aside by the drive to complete his project. He pushed off from his chair as Flower vanished and grabbed his plans and headed towards Shego. Deciding that focusing on a working relationship and his current invention would be the perfect way to shove aside his feelings and move forward.

It's always worked before.

Drakken had never felt more wrong in his life... and that was truly saying something. One day. One blissful work fueled day had made way to the turmoil he was now in. He'd let his guard down after an entire day of working on his project... it had felt like old platonic times. Shego cracking sassy remarks, him faltering a rebuttal, a few nailing. They had spent the entire day in the lab, including having lunch in the lab while he working on miscalculations in his building... but as they had tested the new structure with success that evening... it had been like a lightening strike as Shego had gave him a rare praise and kissed his cheek.

It had not felt platonic.

He told himself it was as she had yawned and dismissed herself to bed that night. Had argued in mumbles and with Flower the whole night that he was reading too much into a simple gesture... but he had found himself unable to focus completely. For the two days that had followed, it had felt just like when they had first worked together... complete with him over-analyzing gestures and words far too much. Unlike being able to dismiss them as a petty crush... he knew much better now... and his imagination and memories of the past few months were more than a thorn in his side.

"Dr. D?"

Shego's voice cut through his brooding and he tore his eyes from where he had been staring off at his invention. He looked to where Shego sat on his desk and casually leaned back with a bored look on her face.

"You've been staring at that thing for ten minutes... do we need to adjust something or are you working on a speech?" she smirked, "Because I'm not staying if there's going to be a speech."

Drakken cleared his throat and placed down the tools he'd been holding for far too long.

"Actually I was..." he trailed off as Shego stretched.

His thoughts were a rush of unwanted and ill timed intuitions. Shego leaned towards him with an almost playful smile, which was of no help to his current situation. There was nothing casual in how his mind was perceiving Shego perched on his desk, her attention on him, and a playful slightly amused glint in her eyes. He had to stop himself from moving closer to her, perhaps making a suggestion for a movie... all while closing the distance between them.

Stop!

His brain obliged but he didn't know how long.

"You know... it is late... let's call it a night," he hastily stated as he began putting away items.

"About time," she yawned as she hopped off his desk.

The slight relief in Shego leaving fell away swiftly. Her hand drifted along his back as she walked to his other side and leaned against his shoulder. The pause in his thoughts from earlier was desperately trying to hit play as her voice came in a soft tone in his ear.

"I'm up for a movie if you are?" hummed Shego.

In truth, Drakken wasn't tired and a movie did sound appealing. He glanced at Shego and his stomach did icy flips in response. Her chin resting against his arm, hand on his beck while the other rested on his wrist. Her expression while he was sure was completely neutral was not connecting as such and the images flashing in his mind were nothing close to that. It threw him off where his mind had chosen to go at her simple suggestion, and it took him a beat to respond... enough time for Shego's brow to raise at his hesitation.

"I... I think I should get some sleep actually," he blurted out and pulled away from her grasp, "Rain-check?"

His chuckle sounded off even to his own voice as he began backing towards the stairs, abandoning his tools. He forced out a yawn and waved his hand as he turned around and locked eyes on the elevator. A moment of hesitation as he imagined being trapped in said elevator with Shego for even a minute got his heart racing even more.

"Shego, can you put the tools away," he said quickly, "Since you're not as tired."

He heard the scoff and grumble as he reached the stairs. He didn't look back until he reached the inside of the elevator. Looking to see Shego aggressively tossing his tools in the box without care. Something he would normally whine about or snap at... but at the moment it was a welcomed distraction to his solo escape. Letting out a sigh of relief as the door closed, he fell back against the wall. There was a silence in his thoughts as he managed to calm them down... only for one thought to make its way through.

I do want to watch a movie...

Was it smart to pay the henchmen to linger around to distract him? No. Did it aid in keeping inappropriate thoughts of Shego take over his mind? Also, no. It did make him feel slightly better than their constant presence in the lab and various places in the lair had helped slightly... by annoying him. They had also done a good job at being invasive, meaning he hadn't had a second alone with Shego in days... much to her clear annoyance.

"Why are they here on a Sunday?" asked Shego as she pulled goggles on, glaring at where said henchmen organized screws.

"Ohm... productivity," shrugged Drakken, "I mean, look how organized and clean the lair is?"

"Yeah... I noticed," said Shego, "I don't think Hector's cleaned the upstairs so often since this entire week."

"It is rather strange seeing my reflection in the floor," muttered Drakken, "Startled me really. Alright... everyone in here needs protective gear!"

He watched as everyone shifted to do so or hastily left the room. Drakken heard Shego flip the switch to turn on the atmosphere chamber to full capacity, turning the simulation of pressure accurately. Flipping the switch in his hand, he watched through tinted light as the machine roared to life and began a loud sharp hum. The light reflecting from the top began to glow and he glanced towards the computer where Shego was monitoring the controlled Dobson unit levels with the test levels they were trying to match. His fingers itched to turn up the dial to hurry up the process but he restrained himself.

"It's at 100," called Shego. Drakken's finger pulled away from the dial, "150 and climbing."

Drakken grinned at the box in front of him as the machine continued to hum louder. His grin faltered as the box began to shift and the machine began to wobble. It was working but the controlled atmosphere was becoming too much for the box.

"200," called out Shego.

His finger lingered over the kill switch as he watched a crack start to form in the panels and his device start to shake. He took a precautionary step backwards just as beeping began.

"It reached 230," called Shego.

The sound of the decompressing and fading humming, triggered Drakken put down the switch and walked towards the monitor. The device now being flipped off at the test level was hit and watching as the levels stabilized and held on the large screen. His mind racing with everything that could go wrong, but his chest aching if he'd managed to successfully create ozone stability. The monitor turned green as a little image of himself grinned across the screen, beeping indicating it was a success.

"It worked!" cheered Drakken in glee.

"I see that," smirked Shego, "This one's not even an accident- Eee!"

Drakken's gleeful dance had led to impulsively spinning Shego in his excitement. The success of his new large-scale invention was swirling through him. It was not an accident, or a fluke, or a last-minute thought. And another invention all his own creation, suddenly triggering ways to expand it and possibly other works he'd been pushing aside like images in a slide.

"A simple duplication on a larger scale and imagine the possibilities. Not repairing depletion and holes but thickening weakened areas," smiled Drakken.

"Look at you solving all the world problems now," snickered Shego. Her hands-on his shoulder.

Drakken's grin faltered as he realized he was still holding Shego inappropriately close. Though she didn't seem upset, if anything she looked relaxed.

Kiss her.

Drakken released her swiftly and spun around to look at the monitor.

"Now to start working on the mathematics," he cleared his throat and glanced around at the henchmen standing there, "Nothing else to see, get back to work."

The henchmen all began busying themselves with tedious things to look busy and Drakken began looking over the data. His attempt to focus on his current task and the second prior didn't go well as he felt a hard shove in his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder to see Shego's narrowed eyes very close to him.

"Yes?" he gulped.

"You threw me," she growled.

Drakken's eyes went wide.

"I did not... I let you go-"

"You. Threw. Me," she stated firmly, "I barely caught my bearings when you dropped me."

"Dropping isn't throwing..." he trailed off as her eyes shot open, "I mean... perhaps I got carried away... but I didn't throw you."

Shego growled and turned angrily away from him and headed towards the stairs. He watched henchmen clear the way as she made her way out of the lab.

"You kind threw her, boss," came Mitchell.

Drakken glared at where he stood next to him.

"I mean maybe not... might have been the angle," grumbled Mitchell as he walked off.

"Can we go home?" sighed Davis from where he leaned against the wall.

Drakken opened his mouth to argue, but glancing around at his tired staff he sighed.

"Fine," he waved his hand and before he could say another word his lab had emptied out.

The moment silence overtook him and he looked down at the numbers he needed to adjust, Flower came into sight. He looked around him and then at Flower.

"Did I throw her?" asked Drakken in a frantic whisper.

Flower turned towards the stairs and then to Drakken and nodded. Drakken let out a frustrated groan as empty water bottles were shoved in front of him by Flower. He ignored Flower and looked around his lab and at his device.

"It worked!" he grinned at Flower who promptly tossed a bottle at him, "Can't I just have my moment!"

Flower remained inches from his face until he finally stood up.

Five minutes. Can't I have just five minutes?

Slamming the fridge door was not as cathartic as Shego had hoped. Perhaps the frozen yogurt would help, but she was doubtful. Angrily she flopped on the couch in the living area and stabbed at the frozen swirls with her spoon. The first bite did nothing, nor the second of the third. She tossed it on the coffee table with a growl of aggravation before her thoughts pushed forward.

Days had passed since the argument and Drakken had been seemingly focused on his invention for avoidance purposes... which she was more than content to accept versus talked about any of it. She'd suspected something more when he hadn't opted to join her for a movie, which was a him thing. The fact she'd seen his light on hours after while he'd said he was going to sleep... she'd let go. But she couldn't ignore the moment that had just occurred.

One moment he was spinning her around with delight at his work. The next moment had been a pause as if he realized he'd still been holding her. Henchmen there or not for a moment she'd expected a kiss, not to be dropped unceremoniously as he darted away from her.

He didn't really throw me.

Shego rolled her eyes at this thought. It had felt like it from how he'd dropped her so swiftly and retreated, but she may have exaggerated his action. She paused for a second on this before scoffing at caring about the difference. He'd avoided her for nearly a whole week and had literally dropped her. A year ago that would have felt normal, but not two weeks ago even would it had been off. Drakken had a tendency to forget himself in his work and ignore all others when he was in that mood... which she knew and accepted... had let it go... but he was clearly avoiding her now.

It was tempting to march back down to the lab an lay into him and demand or threaten an answer... but all it would do would be to create another argument and him to sputter out a series of excuses... which she would scoff at and then find herself sitting right back where she was again.

We could just talk...

It was a simple suggestion... and all their prior topics had dictated that was what they needed... but the argument kept creeping back. Drakken had tried just that. An open and honest talk where he'd let down even more walls. Her on edge mood reading far more into a single sentence than she knew had been implied. Derailing what might have been a big step forward and instead sending their communications steps back. The reality that all she had to do was admit herself wrong and ask him what was going on, felt like a tightening in her that caused her great discomfort.

I did apologize.

She told herself that... but it hadn't been a clear statement as more of a dismissal of her emotions tied to the argument.

Still an apology.

She grabbed the remote and flipped on the television, if only to stop herself from stewing and marching back down to the lab or taking off on a joyride... which she still might do. She flipped through he channels and frowned.

Nothing's on.

She paused.

It's Sunday... why are the henchmen even here?

Her frown deepened and she flipped off the television and glared off towards the lab.

They've been in the lab non-stop-

The sound of a large exploding sound shook the lair and Shego jumped up from her seat. She didn't stop to think about what had caused the sound, but rushed towards the lab. Taking the tiny hidden stairs versus waiting for the elevator. It's narrow passage a reminder of why she avoided the ridiculous space. She shoved the door open as she reached the ground area to the lab. The lab was iintactas she opened the door, but the desks were flipped over and the giant monitor was sparking as something lodged into it. There were no henchmen around and the container unit stood shattered from a clear internal pressure break. Drakken's invention lay mostly together tipped over in the middle of it and she realized a few of the upper windows had been blown out.

"Drakken?" yelled Shego as she looked around floating papers and debris, "You alive?"

She internally snapped at herself as she walked through the mess. The adrenaline of the action settling into concern for his whereabouts... the joke not lessening her own discomfort.

"At the moment?" came a grumbled from behind the overturned large desk.

The unease faded away as Shego moved around it quickly to see Flower unwinding from around Drakken to vanish. She raised a brow as she looked at his agitated expression as he stared at the ceiling.

"We're you just in a cocoon?" asked Shego as she shoved the desk back over.

"Apparently," he scoffed as he got up and brushed himself off.

Shego rolled her eyes and indicated around the lab.

"It's weird but useful... look at the lab," stated Shego, "I take it you forgot to finish the manual pressure release."

Drakken glared at her and the small tug of guilt she suddenly had disappeared quickly. She knew he was about to snap that she was supposed to do that... which was true. She waited to retort that he'd caused her to leave, but his argument never came. Instead, he simply rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Shouldn't have dismissed the henchmen," he stated instead, "I really should give them more specific duties rather than simple grunt work. There more than capable of pushing buttons and using our security systems... more lab duties..."

There was something about his words that made her uncomfortable.

"Gah!" yelled Drakken suddenly as a look of panic crossed his face, "My work!"

He practically leapt over an overturned smaller table to run towards where his invention was tipped over. Then watched him stand it upright only to start frantically racing about to try and find all his papers. With a deep sigh of acceptance, Shego began picking up items off the ground. Suddenly wishing that the henchmen were still here and not bothering to let herself dwell on what had made her leave the lab prior.

It was late when Drakken found himself wandering through the darkness of the lair. His mind was racing and his sleep was officially called off... and despite an entire evening dedicated to cleaning his lab... it was still in disarray. Not that he had much of a drive to do so at the moment. Despite spending at least two hours putting together the recovered papers, some papers had in fact been lost or destroyed. He would have to hope the hard drive kept his data despite the destruction of the computer. Which had to wait till the morning to have a repair done on it, so all the power to the lab was turned off until then.

His frustration with it all had made him nearly forget any awkwardness with he and Shego as they had sat on the floor going over papers. It had only been made aware when in his frustrated grumbling and near whining that his work was lost and his shoulder hurt... she'd begun rubbing his shoulders. It had helped for only a few moments until his thoughts had begun to wonder in directions he hadn't planned...resulting in the lab being chalked up a lost cause and eating some chips in his room.

Half due to his own grief at having to piece together his work and reconfigure it on a bigger scale, and partly because a week later and he was still not over Shego.

The invention would simply mean more time and a lot of tedious trial and error again... it was doable. The Shego situation... was starting to seem impossible. He'd found his thoughts all week being skewed by not only awkward feelings that had led to keeping the henchmen around... but also other intrusive thoughts. It was as if them not being together had heightened his awareness of just how un-platonic their friendship might have been. As well as no matter what he was telling himself about being able to shove his feelings aside again... it was proving much harder since it wasn't simply something unattainable... instead he'd had it and lost it.

He'd found himself sitting on the couch in the dim light of a television he barely remembered turning on, let alone finding himself there. Drakken wanted to be angry that Shego was invading his thoughts more often than he normally allowed... wanted to focus on his work that needed to be redone... projects he had yet to finish. Instead, the sinking feeling in his stomach and the ache he was feeling as he thought over the week was overtaking him.

Working together on his invention, her snarky comments and poking fun at him... the moments played over in his head as he desperately tried to force himself to see it as nothing more than comradely and not romantic... and he couldn't. Even now as he sat watching the television play, he wanted nothing more than to have Shego leaning against him and snarking about his terrible choice in movies and television.

The reminder that he'd had a moment earlier in the lab... picking her up in jovial reaction and spinning her around. Her expression had not seemed annoyed or awkward... the softness in her features before he'd panicked made him wonder if he should have acted on instinct and simply kissed her.

You threw her...

He scoffed to himself and heard the crack in his own voice. The internal tirade he was about to unleash on himself for having some sort of emotional breakdown in the living area in the middle of the night... was interrupted.

"This animal recuse commercial isn't that sad," came Shego's voice from behind him.

Drakken jumped and on instinct spun around and glared.

"Shego! Stop doing that!" he barked. It didn't have its normal bite even to his own ears.

He suddenly became aware of the dampness on his face. He let his embarrassment at not being aware, and being caught having an emotional display... with anger.

"I was watching a sad movie- What's it to you," he tried to regain his tone but instead reached for the remote.

"Geesh, calm down," Shego retorted as she sat next to him, "Maybe you should watch something else."

Drakken tensed as Shego took the remote from him, he didn't even bother to try and argue or fight this. Shego began flipping channels as she shoved a bowl of popcorn in his lap. There was a second of wondering when she'd had time to make the bowl... He stared at her, the casual posture and expression... her perfectly content appearance. As if she hadn't just walked in on him crying... as if the last months had never happened... unbothered by ending their relationship... the same as when she'd waltzed back in after the fight. He felt his shoulders slump as he looked at the floor, trying to figure out at what point he'd thought she displayed signs of wanting what he'd wanted out of their relationship at all.

How could I have been that wrong...?

His thoughts were interrupted as her head leaned on his shoulder. It froze him completely. Thoughts stopped processing and he stiffened as she surveyed this. The sound of his own breathing seemed to pick up as he tried to keep his emotions in check. He wanted to yell at her antics and argue how she could be so casual and over what he'd thought had been perfect less than a week ago... but instead, he went to get off the couch.

"It's late-"

Her hand yanked his shoulder firmly back against the couch.

"Why are you avoiding me?" snapped Shego. Her eyes narrowed, "This is getting childish."

"It's two in the morning-" he was cut off.

"You've been doing this all week," she glared, "Listen, I'm not keen on having a sit-down talk either, but you avoiding me is getting old fast."

"I'm..." he trailed off. He sighed, "This is hard for me-"

"What is? So we had a fight. Get over it. I admit I overreacted... which is a major feet on my part," she scoffed, "Okay. So I caused a step back in us communicating... understood... but suddenly you've taken us feet back with whatever issue you are having."

Drakken glared at her.

"It's just going to take me a bit more than a week to fully accept a platonic setting," he snapped, "Excuse me!"

He grumbled under his breath as he stood up and moving to walk around the back of the couch. Shego's arm stopped him from walking too far. He sighed and looked at her readying for an argument he'd been attempting to avoid. Her face was unreadable and shifted between annoyance and confusion, which did little to diminish his thoughts she was going to yell. Her narrowed eyes shifted to an eyeroll as she shook her head and looked away from him. Her arm dropped and her hand gripped his coat.

She's going to throw me.

It was his only thought, but it was enough to trigger Flower shooting out to entangle Shego. It wasn't a conscious thought, but it was a response to a possible threat.

"Hey!" snapped Shego as Flower's vines held her in the air, "Are you kidding me! Drakken!"

"Flower, no!" yelled Drakken, swatting the vines.

It was clear Flower wasn't holding her tightly or threateningly, but at a distance. Flower placed her back down on the other side of the coffee table before hastily retreating.

"I didn't order that," Drakken said quickly, "I thought you were going to throw me... Flower simply reacted."

"You are making an awful lot of assumptions considering that's what started the entire argument before this," snapped Shego. Drakken closed his mouth and stood back at this, "Do you know how maddening you can be!? Because I do! I can't even understand at what point we presumably broke up- if that's what that whole 'platonic' comment meant. Then you avoid me like I have the plague- and if you tell me that you didn't ask the henchmen to hang around more... I wouldn't believe it. On top of those childish antics all week, you just used Flower against me!"

The couch pillow that flung at him hit the wall behind him in a rather deliberate miss. Shego growled and picked up another pillow, the threat of it actually hitting him since she'd cleared the distance making him walk back into the decorative table against the wall. Shego huffed and instead sat down on the couch and held the pillow to her.

Drakken's mind was racing as he watched her sit their stoically, her face turned away from him and no words or threats coming from her. He relaxed his stance and scratched lightly at his hand as he moved closer to the couch. He was replaying her questions and comments in this new resumed silence.

"Shego..." he cautioned. She shrugged. "So we are still dating?"

The pillow hit him.

"I'm thinking it over," she snapped. Her voice was less venomous as she continued, "You big blue dolt."

Despite the pillow hit, Drakken felt a string of stress fade away as he looked at her sitting in a brooding stance. The momentary relief may have aided in his lapse in timing as he quickly leaned over the couch to try and kiss her. The result was in fact him being shoved to the ground as her attempt to shove him away caused him to fall over the couch with some momentum. He looked up at her sitting on the couch with crossed arms and a slight shine to her eyes as she glared down to him.

"Do you think now is really the time for that?" snapped Shego.

Drakken nodded in agreement but his words didn't listen to his motion as he sat up.

"I was under the impression kissy-face was always welcome," stated Drakken.

He watched Shego's lips purse before she scoffed and looked away from him with a head shake. Drakken pulled himself off the ground to half lean on the couch next to her. Both were uncertain if she wanted his presence near her at all and not wanting to be away from her. The swimming thoughts in his mind at how he'd misread the entire thing and spent a week avoiding her without needing too... was a strange mix of delight and anger at himself. A continued emotional roller coaster that was topping off the week it seemed.

"Shego-"

"You know I had this whole speech prepared after the argument," she snapped, "But instead I decided to give us both time to sleep on the topic and wait to have a clear head... Then thinking you needed some more space- But no! You just assumed we broke up!"

Drakken wanted to argue but stopped himself, attempting to counter her statement calmly.

"Well, you said-"

"I know what I said!" she snapped. She let out an annoyed growl, "You know for a genius you really are dim-witted sometimes. A normal, stable-minded person, would have assumed it meant the argument that had just happened. Not an entire relationship. Had I known this had been the case I would have stayed up and continued an argument in the middle of the night!"

Drakken looked around them and couldn't help but gesture around them. He watched her eyes narrow and open and close her mouth. He waited, moving slightly closer to her as her shoulders relaxed and looked at him.

"We really need better communication tactics," she sighed. Drakken opened his mouth, "I said we."

"Did you... want to talk... now?" he asked cautiously.

She rolled her eyes, again.

"Tomorrow..." she sighed softly, "I think we need to stop having or attempting serious conversations in the middle of the night."

"I can agree to that," said Drakken. He shifted closer still, "Would it help to apologize for avoiding you?"

She shrugged.

"And perhaps you could apologize-"

"Did I or did I not say I overreacted," she glared.

Drakken quickly nodded.

"Yes... yes you did," he gave a half smirk, "I am sorry I paid the henchmen to stick around or we could have figured this out sooner."

"Yeah, well that was stupid- You paid them?" asked Shego with wide eyes.

Drakken opened his mouth but instead closed it and nodded. It was met with a snort and head shake. There was silence for what felt like an uncomfortable amount of time, and Drakken had shifted to be in front of her and sitting at the edge of the couch seat. His fingers sliding to touch Shego's hand that rested on the couch cushion. She didn't yank her hand away and he relaxed slightly.

"Shego?" he asked into the silence.

"What?" she sighed.

He swallowed.

"Have you decided, yet?" he asked hopefully.

Shego looked at him with a raised brow and he gave a hopeful grin. He watched her features soften and her expression shift to pursed lips and a shrug.

"I haven't decided yet," she said casually. Drakken felt more relaxed and moved closer still, his hand sliding over hers completely.

"Is there a possible way I could persuade you?" asked Drakken.

Shego gave him a soft smirk and he felt her hand wrap around his. He took it as a clear opening and closed the distance between them. It was a soft and almost apologetic kiss, vastly different from his hasty one earlier. All the tension he felt melted away as she kissed back. When they pulled away from each other he felt like he should say something... but didn't. Instead, they shifted so they both sat on the couch. Shego's head on his shoulder as they silently watched whatever movie was on the television.

The silence broke after about ten minutes.

"Did you eat dinner?" asked Shego.

"No," said Shego, "I had some chips I had in my room... they weren't that good."

"We should probably eat," stated Shego.

There was silence for a few seconds.

"You want me to make something, don't you?" sighed Drakken.

"You paid henchmen to keep me away," she said firmly.

"... fair," said Drakken as he got up to head to the kitchen.

"Did you want help?" asked Shego as he paused at the end of the couch.

"Yes," he smiled.

"... you should probably ask the henchmen since you want to give them more specific duties," smirked Shego as she fell back against the couch and grabbed the remaining bowl of popcorn, "I mean you are paying them."

Drakken tossed a discarded pillow at her. He hadn't stopped to think about it and when Shego looked over her shoulder at him he debated on working on that time rewinder invention he'd shoved aside.

"Why?" asked Shego.

"Did you want fish or steak?" asked Drakken casually. He looked at his nails choosing to ignore it completely.

He glanced up to see the amusement flicker across her face. He watched as she got off the couch and put the popcorn down. For a moment he wondered if he needed to dodge a flying pillow but instead, Shego walked past him and headed towards the kitchen. Drakken felt a grin spread across his face as he followed her into the kitchen only for the sink sprayer to shoot him with water. Drakken sputtered as the water was turned off and he looked to see Shego smugly leaning against the counter.

"Do you feel better?" asked Drakken. Shego nodded, "Are we done?"

"Depends on your next move," said Shego.

Drakken walked past her and pulled out steak before walking out of the kitchen. He snickered as he heard Shego call after him as he reached the stairs.

"You better be going to change and come back down here," she called after him.

He made it a few steps before smugly retorting.

"I haven't decided yet," he called towards the kitchen.

It felt like he was pushing his luck but when he heard the snort from the kitchen he felt relief flood him. He knew he would head back downstairs, perhaps after taking much longer than needed... but he felt a strange need to make up for the week of misunderstanding... as if he needed to establish where they were supposed to be and perhaps a makeup for lost time... even if it was just teasing each other to push away the week altogether. With the tension gone, the stress of having to redo his invention notes with Shego the next week was almost exciting.

Maybe I do get to have it all...

*Deep Breath* ARCH ALERT!