Dinners and Flames

Drakken may have taken things a bit too far. Why? He didn't know. He reasoned it was because of guilt, and the other part because if the dinner was to Shego's liking, then the whole week would be over and come the next morning he could return to scheming... Particularly, the plan. There was a thought that perhaps he should share his plan with her, but he shook his head. If Shego couldn't figure it out, that meant Possible didn't have a chance, and he wasn't going to risk it. As he turned off the oven and turned around, Shego sat at the table with a cocky grin.

"Nice apron, Dr. D.," smirked Shego. "You know, if we got you a maid's costume..."

"Shego, we're here to talk about this week, not any secret kinks you have," said Drakken. Her eyes shot wide and she snorted.

"Well, perhaps that can be a topic," said Shego, giving him a serious look. Drakken backtracked.

"Let's not, the week's been weird enough," said Drakken. He really didn't want to know what that topic may include.

It wasn't long before the two sat at the dining table in their shared kitchen. Drakken had made sure all the doors were closed. The last thing he or Shego wanted was for more jokes and ideas for the henchmen to run with. He already knew the moment Lucius got back, the gossip...contract or not...would start. As he looked across the table, he gulped. It was too similar to the other day; he and Shego, alone, eating dinner. He suddenly wished the henchmen were there, sitting in the distance. It was quiet again, and it felt off. Drakken shrugged. Might as well get it over with.

"So, that jacket..." said Drakken, attempting to start a light conversation.

"Yeah, no, that is not a topic for this evening," said Shego, pointing her fork at him. "This is about the awkward situation that occurred for two days, not a questionable keepsake."

"I found it to be a key awkward moment," said Drakken. "It made me question what else is in your wardrobe."

"Fine, it was a gag gift from Mego," said Shego. "Ages ago, mind you. No idea why I kept it. It's gone now."

"Is it?" asked Drakken. He gave her a devious look. "Did you throw it out, or burn it?"

"...If that thing is somewhere in the lair...I will strangle you with it," said Shego, giving a menacing glare. Drakken gulped, but he could tell she was bluffing. He shrugged, and her eyes narrowed. "Drakken I swear..."

"I'm not saying I did anything with it, just that... you really wanted it gone, you have fire at your fingertips," shrugged Drakken again. Suddenly something came back. "There was a burned tree in the park."

"All right, so before that... I remember nearly all of it now, but there's still a few patches. Do I remember you sitting in a fetal position?" asked Shego. Drakken sighed.

"I did that a lot this week," said Drakken. He shrugged and gave her a strong stare. "Wasn't the first... Doubtful it's the last."

"Yeah, I can see that," said Shego. She looked at her dinner plate and then back at Drakken. Drakken was playing with his food as well.

Shego looked at the food before her. Filet mignon. He hadn't skimped out either; they were prime meats. Seasoned garlic potatoes, and a hefty helping of her favorite vegetables. She watched him spin his fork a few times. He was searching for a way to continue the conversation without it being awkward. She'd shut down the little jacket joke he'd been trying, and honestly she should have went with it, but it was silent again. Judging by his expressions, he didn't like the awkward feeling either. They both needed to suck it up and just get it over with.

"So, when did you notice I was acting off?" asked Shego. It was a simple question, but Drakken's eyes shot wide as he stared at his unmoving fork. She'd hit the nerve right at its source. "Or...did you not?"

"Ohm, of course I noticed," said Drakken. He looked nervous and his eyes shifted. Shego put down her fork and raised a brow. He sighed. "I didn't... Not until after I used the EMA on the little device. I thought it would only affect Possible. As I said, I had no idea anything was effecting you."

"Really? So...me crawling across a table at you, busting your lip with my face, and pretty much assaulting you... No red flags?" asked Shego. She felt her chest tighten. "Me acting that violent and sexually charged...came off as normal?"

"Well, honestly...at first I thought you were kidding because of what we'd talked about on the way to get the device," said Drakken. He looked a little defensive now. "You said yourself, the conversation wasn't over...even when Possible and Stoppable were there."

"What made you think that I'd act out a dramatic and violent flirtation?" said Shego. She stabbed her potatoes.

"Well, I thought you were still mad about whatever date I missed, then the thing about the boyfriend... I just went along with it because I thought you were joking... And then when I thought you were serious...well... There is a spoon," said Drakken, indicating to her fork in the potatoes.

"I know there's a spoon... And you didn't forget anything, I just said you did," said Shego. She sighed. She wasn't trying to see his logic. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for her to try and annoy him with dramatic behavior but still, he hadn't noticed anything wrong?

"Wait, but the card...and the letter," said Drakken. He looked around. "My destroyed planner.."

"Dramatic effect. It was a 'get well' card to you," said Shego with a sigh. She froze. She had seemingly proved his point about her dramatic actions. She hoped he missed it.

"Why? I'm not sick," said Drakken. He looked perplexed, and she smiled. "Nice they sent a card though, but why?"

"I told them you were sick when they invited us to a dinner," said Shego, relieved Drakken had missed his window to counter.

"Well that sounds nice... I would have liked to go," said Drakken. Shego glared at him. "You're always telling me I need to meet more people."

"Yeah, preferably, no one I'm related to," said Shego. She glared at Drakken. "Back on topic... So what, when you thought I wasn't joking...you just...went with it?"

"In my defense, you're very aggressive and terrifying," said Drakken. Shego nodded, and smirked.

"You know, I saw us coming back from the park... Were you into it?" asked Shego. "I mean, you kissed me back... Or was that terror?"

"You may be an aggressive, insane, deviously neurotic gold digger, but..." Drakken shrugged, Shego's grin making him less tense.

"Are we back on the gold digger thing, because there is still expired milk in the fridge, and someone went to the store today and has yet...five notes later...to replace it," said Shego sharply, but Drakken's grin didn't fade. "So, what? You have a crush on me...seriously?"

"I did," said Drakken with a shrug, "but nothing to worry about."

"Oh no... You have a crush on me. I knew it... Wait, is that why you tried to make me nicer to you?" Shego glared. Drakken shifted, and she rolled her eyes. "You know...for future reference... If you have a crush on someone...you ask them out to dinner. Not use mind control devices. That should actually be your last instinct."

"I learned that, thanks," said Drakken. He cleared his throat. "Well, what about you? Anything you want to tell me?"

"There could be more garlic in this," said Shego with a shrug. Drakken raised his brow but went back to his food. "So, nothing to worry about, this crush then?"

"God no, that's officially gone. Not even an inkling, " laughed Drakken with relief. Shego felt a sharp pang.

"Wow, way to toss one to the gut," scoffed Shego. "I mean, I'm glad, but way to stab an ego."

"I didn't mean anything negative by it," said Drakken with a glare. "Shego, can we just discuss this so we can move on, without feeling like we're insulting each other?"

"Hey, I didn't insult you... I made a crack about garlic," said Shego. "But someone saying they were attracted to you but got over it after you kissed them... Well, that's a pretty tough pill to swallow...relief or not."

"For the record, that's not why I'm over my crush... Well it is, but..." Drakken sighed, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "Listen, Shego, I should have known something was wrong with you, and whatever residual feelings I had for you in that way... Well, they blinded me to what was happening. That bothered me enough, apparently, that those feelings are finally gone. It has nothing to do with you, it's me... No this is not a cliche 'it's not you, it's me' speech before you start."

"It totally is," said Shego, but the flip in her stomach couldn't choose how to feel as he glared. "I get it, but you didn't do anything wrong... Well, no more than usual. Subconsciously you obviously knew something wasn't right. You stopped anything from getting out of hand... And there is a dresser that tells a story that it could have easily gotten out of hand."

"I was never more glad for the henchmen," said Drakken with a deadpan look, and Shego snorted. "What?"

"You look like you're having a horrible flashback," said Shego, and Drakken shrugged. "I have the exact same feeling... Oh god, you bit me to try and stop my kissing."

"Which, you apparently liked, which is a questionable moment at best," said Drakken with a smirk.

"Let's just agree, the last few days were not our best moments," said Shego. Drakken nodded, and she looked at him. "The photo-booth wasn't too bad though."

"Yeah, well, the attendant didn't think so," said Drakken with a shrug. "Wish I knew where those photos went. I scoured the park..."

"You mean the ones where you look terrified and I look deranged before I pinned you?" asked Shego casually. Drakken looked at her, and she reached into her pocket. "These ones?"

"Wait? When did you..." Drakken stared at her for a second and rolled his eyes. "So what do we do with them? It's the last evidence, you know."

"Well, save for a few bruises," said Shego with a shrug. She looked at Drakken and smirked.

"The one part looks like bad Botox," said Drakken casually, and they both snickered. "So...destroy it?"

"Well, I suppose we have to," said Shego. She looked at her empty plate. "Remember, this isn't supposed to leave here."

"Never speak of it again," said Drakken with confidence.

"Right." Shego looked at the strip of photos. "You know..."

"Oh god," said Drakken. She smirked at his unease, almost wanting to laugh at her own idea. He continued warily. "What?"

"We have kissed four times now that we can clearly recall, because we're not counting that weekend with Motor Ed," said Shego. Drakken nodded.

"Still wonder where that tape ended up..." said Drakken. "Your point?"

"I think, minus the attack, this was our best one," said Shego confidently. "Seems a shame to destroy it. Could be our last one?"

"I seriously doubt that," said Drakken. His face darkened for a moment and he cleared his throat.

"Really? I thought you were over your crush... Yet...are there plans?" asked Shego. She poked him with her foot.

"No," said Drakken confidently, but he shrugged. "But it's always good to have a backup for New Year's."

"Oh, I'm having a date this year," said Shego sharply. "Call your bartender girlfriend or boyfriend."

"Well, he was a better kisser than you," shrugged Drakken. Shego gasped and he snorted. "So...bonfire and ice-cream?"

"Is it wine floats, perhaps?" asked Shego with a grin.

"Is there any other way to destroy photos and hang around a fire?" asked Drakken with an eye-roll as they grabbed their usual equipment.

"So...do we wake them?" asked Williams as he and Daniels stood on the roof.

"I think this is one of those...see something, say nothing things Dr. Drakken mentioned," said Daniels. He looked at the sunrise. "I say we just go clean up the kitchen and pretend we saw nothing."

"Man, Lucius is missing out on a lot of stuff," said Williams. "Are we going to tell him?"

"Uh, yeah. Dude just got married, we have to rub in all the gossip he missed. Guy lives for this shit... It'll kill him," smirked Daniels as the two closed the door and headed back into the lair.

Drakken heard the door close and opened his eyes, giving a slight yawn. He went to stretch but froze as he was unable to do so. He assessed the situation and his memory. Three bottles of wine, an empty container of frozen yogurt, the dwindling of what was once the rooftop fire-pit, the rising sun, and Shego.

They sat on the lawn chair normally reserved for Shego's sunbathing, Drakken's coat pulled over both of them. His memory danced back to them talking idly in the cool fall air. They must have fallen asleep. Shego's head was leaning on his shoulder. He shifted, trying not to wake her up, partly from knowing Shego wasn't a morning person. As he tried to move, he felt something poke him. He shifted and pulled out the photo-booth strip. He rolled his eyes. The whole reason they'd come up there and they hadn't even burned the thing. He looked to see papers in the ashes, wondering what on earth they had burned. He shook his head and went to crumple up the strip, but stopped. He looked at the one photo that looked normal: Shego laughing with her eyes closed and his attempt at making a silly face. Shego had been right about one thing under the Mood-u-lator... They didn't have nearly enough photos together. He glanced at Shego and slid the picture into his pocket.

"I saw that," mumbled Shego, head still on his shoulder. He froze, but she kept her eyes closed. "Better make me a copy, Drakken."

"Fine, but stop drooling on me, then," said Drakken with a sigh. He smiled, and Shego made a slurping noise. "You'd better not."

"Better not what?" asked Shego through a mouth full of liquid. He jumped up and she laughed. "Your face."

"Were you going to intentionally drool on me?" asked Drakken. He squirmed.

"Maybe," laughed Shego. Drakken cringed, and she rolled her eyes. "Please, your tongue has been in my mouth."

"Well, that's interesting."

They both turned to see Duff Killigan standing there, a smirk on his face. "Shall I come back later then?"

"Killigan? What are you doing here?" asked Drakken as he pulled his coat back on. "This is a surprise."

"I tried calling, but I can see why ye didn't answer," said Duff. He winked at Shego.

"Okay, I'm going to let you deal with this," said Shego. She shot daggers at Duff. "Because this isn't what it looks like."

"It's none of my business what happens in this lair," said Duff, putting his hands up. He turned to Drakken as Shego left. "I got a bit of a wee problem I could use some help with, Drakken."

"All right, let's talk about it inside... But first, just to clarify," began Drakken.

"I saw nothing. I heard nothing," said Duff. He scoffed, "I'm not Fist, I can keep a secret."

"It's not... This week just keeps getting longer," sighed Drakken as they entered the lair.

Onwards →