Chapter 12: Confession

The night after the mission was quiet. Too quiet.

Kevin lay on his back in his small, sparsely decorated apartment, staring at the ceiling. His body ached from the recent mission with Shego. Bruises littered his torso, a testament to Monkey Fist's assault, but those were minor compared to the emotional turmoil writhing inside him.

He'd always been good at suppressing his emotions—pushing them down, out of sight, so he could focus on the task at hand. But ever since Shego had entered his life, those defenses had begun to crumble. Tonight, however, something was different. The weight of everything he had done, everything he had sacrificed for her, pressed down on him like a stone.

His heart was heavy with the words he had been too afraid to say, but the fear was beginning to lose its grip. He had laid his soul bare during that mission when he confessed his love for her, but he still felt like he hadn't truly been heard. Shego's reaction had been tender but guarded, leaving him in limbo, teetering between hope and despair.

It had been only a few hours since they returned from Global Justice headquarters, but Kevin couldn't get Shego out of his mind. The way she had looked at him—anger, frustration, maybe even something like sadness behind those emerald eyes. The brief moment of vulnerability they had shared on the battlefield, when she had cradled his head and whispered that she knew he loved her—it had been real, hadn't it? Or had he imagined it?

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Kevin blinked, startled out of his thoughts. He wasn't expecting anyone. Slowly, he sat up, every muscle protesting in soreness, and made his way to the door.

When he opened it, there she was.

Shego.

She stood in the dim hallway, her arms crossed over her chest, her expression unreadable. Her black-and-green jumpsuit was gone, replaced by a simple leather jacket and dark jeans, which made her look more human than he had ever seen her. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and for once, her smirk was nowhere to be found.

Kevin's heart skipped a beat.

"Shego," he said, his voice rough with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Shego's eyes flicked up to meet his, and for a moment, she just stared at him, as if searching for something. Then, with a sigh, she brushed past him and walked into his apartment without saying a word.

Kevin closed the door behind her, his stomach twisting in nervous anticipation. Something was off. He could feel it in the air between them.

Shego walked over to the small window that overlooked the city and stood there for a long moment, her back to him. Kevin waited, his heart pounding in his chest, not daring to speak.

Finally, she turned around, leaning against the window sill, her arms still crossed. "We need to talk."

Kevin's stomach lurched. Those words were never good.

"Okay," he said carefully. "About what?"

Shego's eyes locked onto his, and for the first time in a long time, he saw a flicker of uncertainty in them. "About us."


There it was. The moment Kevin had been both dreading and hoping for.

He swallowed hard, his palms suddenly sweaty. "What about us?"

Shego shifted uncomfortably, her tough exterior faltering for a brief second. "I've been thinking about what you said. Back on that mission. About... loving me."

Kevin's heart hammered in his chest, and for a moment, he wasn't sure if he could trust his own voice. "Yeah?"

Shego uncrossed her arms, running a hand through her dark hair. She looked away, her jaw clenched as though she were fighting against her own thoughts. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

Kevin blinked, thrown off by the unexpected insult. "What?"

Shego's eyes snapped back to his, and this time, there was fire in them. "You're an idiot for putting yourself on the line like that. You almost got yourself killed, and for what? To prove something? To be a martyr?"

Kevin opened his mouth to protest, but Shego cut him off.

"I never asked you to do any of this for me," she said, her voice rising with frustration. "I never asked you to sacrifice yourself."

Kevin's throat tightened. "I didn't do it to prove anything, Shego. I did it because... because I care about you. I didn't want to lose you."

For a moment, silence hung between them, heavy and suffocating. Shego stared at him, her expression unreadable, and Kevin's chest tightened with fear. He had laid everything on the line, and now it felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for her to either pull him back or let him fall.

Finally, Shego let out a shaky breath, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Kevin, I don't need someone to protect me. I don't need someone to sacrifice everything for me. I've been alone for a long time, and I've always taken care of myself. I don't... I don't know how to need someone else."

Kevin's heart ached at the vulnerability in her voice. He stepped forward cautiously, closing the distance between them. "I'm not trying to protect you, Shego. I know you can take care of yourself. But... I want to be there for you. I want to be with you."

Shego's eyes flickered with something—fear, maybe even a hint of longing—but she quickly looked away, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

"I don't know how to do this," she muttered, almost to herself.

Kevin's chest tightened with empathy. He reached out, gently touching her arm. "You don't have to know how to do it. We'll figure it out. Together."

For a long moment, Shego didn't move. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, her body tense beneath his touch. Then, slowly, she looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for something—maybe reassurance, maybe hope.

"Why me?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why would you want to be with someone like me?"

Kevin's breath hitched in his throat. He had expected her to push him away, to lash out in anger like she always did. But this... this was different. This was raw and real, and it made his heart ache for her in ways he hadn't expected.

"Because I see you, Shego," he said softly. "I see the real you. Not just the villain, not just the tough exterior you put on for everyone else. I see the woman underneath all of that. The one who's strong and smart and brave, but also... vulnerable. The one who cares, even when she doesn't want to admit it."

Shego's eyes shimmered with something like emotion, but she quickly blinked it away, turning her head to hide the sudden moisture in her eyes.

"You don't know what you're asking for," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Kevin stepped closer, his hand still gently resting on her arm. "Maybe not. But I know what I want."

Shego let out a shaky breath, her head bowed as though she were trying to hold herself together. For a long moment, she didn't move, didn't speak. Then, slowly, she reached up and placed her hand over his, her grip firm but trembling.

"You're an idiot," she muttered again, though this time there was no malice in her voice. "But... I think I love you too."

Kevin's heart stopped. The words hung in the air between them, fragile and tentative, like the first fragile buds of spring pushing through the snow. He had been waiting for this moment for what felt like forever, and now that it was here, he didn't know what to say.

Before he could respond, Shego moved suddenly, pulling him toward her and crashing her lips against his. The kiss was fierce and desperate, full of all the emotions they had both been holding back for so long. It wasn't gentle or soft—it was raw, electric, a firestorm of pent-up desire and unspoken feelings.

Kevin wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as his heart raced in his chest. For a moment, everything else melted away. The pain, the fear, the uncertainty—it all disappeared, leaving only the two of them in the quiet stillness of the night.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting together as they struggled to catch their breath. Kevin's hands rested on Shego's waist, and for the first time in a long time, he felt like everything might just be okay.

Shego let out a small, shaky laugh, her eyes still closed as she leaned against him. "You're an idiot," she said for the third time, though this time there was a smile tugging at her lips. "But you're my idiot."

Kevin couldn't help but laugh softly, his heart swelling with affection for her. "I'll take that."

They stood there for a long time, wrapped in each other's arms, the weight of the world forgotten for just a little while.