Chapter 8
Kim thought she was going to die as Mr. Barkin glared at her. She had gone against the Holy Grail. Kim Possible had been late to Mr. Barkin’s class. Apparently saving the world, or in this case, people’s money wasn’t a good enough excuse for being late to English class.
“Chasing the bad guys just isn’t good enough Possible! It’s not like you’re in a war or something…” he said, standing in front of Kim’s desk.
Bonnie snickered in the back. Kim could hear Monique stifling a laugh. “Chasing” the bad guys. Riiight. Kim’s face flushed crimson. Barkin gave her an odd look and left her alone for the rest of class.
Finally the bell rang and Kim ran out the door like her backside was on fire. She fled to her locker. Kim only had four classes left and then she was free. Well…after cheerleading practice anyway.
“Hey KP!” Ron yelled as he bounded up to her. He slung an arm over her shoulders.
Kim frowned. “Get off of me,” she shrugged her shoulders to make her point. Monique came up behind the two friends.
“You wouldn’t be cheating on Shego, now would you Kim?” she said and tried to keep a straight face at Kim’s expression.
Kim was speechless with her mouth hanging open.
“You made me a happy, happy man today Kim,” Ron put his head on Kim’s shoulder and wiped away an imaginary tear.
Kim finally regained her senses. “I-wha…it’s not like that!” she protested.
Monique and Ron stared at her.
“I-er, uh…we’re not girlfriends or anything…” Kim muttered.
The staring continued.
Kim slumped. “Okay, I give up. Let’s go to class.”
The rest of the day went by uneventful. Kim almost wished Wade would call her with a mission. Come to think of it, all her missions lately have been with Shego. What ever happened to Monkey Fist, Killigan or the Seniors? Or DNAmy and Dementor for that matter? All the villains seemed to vanish. Kim didn’t feel half as worried as she should. Did she believe Shego would tell her if something was up? No, Shego doesn’t work that way. Kim would have to find it out herself. Kim had a thought. What if Shego’s just trying to divert my attention? Kim had to admit, it DID fit.
The last bell of the day rang, signaling the end of school. Kim met up with Ron on his way out.
“Hey KP, wanna go to the mall?” he asked immediately.
Kim sighed. “Sorry, I have cheerleading practice.”
“Monique keeps telling me she’s tired of my clothes, so she’s going to purify me through new outfits.” Ron shrugged. “Meet us afterwards?”
“I…can’t. I gotta go somewhere with Shego later,” she said, looking at the floor.
Ron’s eyebrows went up to his hairline. “Where are you going?”
Kim blinked. “I don’t know.”
“Uh…okay, well, I’ll call you later then,” he said as they parted ways.
Kim didn’t even think to ask where Shego was taking her. Where the hell were they going? Kim decided then and there that she was going to keep her head around Shego. She was going to get answers. Kim felt warm arms wrap around her waist from behind. She turned around in the arms and gazed into a pair of beautiful emerald eyes. Her resolve failed her.
“Hi,” Kim said the first thing that popped in her head.
Shego grinned. “Hi.”
“Not here, okay?” Kim said and grabbed the older girl’s wrists, pulling them away from her.
Shego blinked. “Why not?”
“Because there’s people around,” Kim thought it was obvious. But apparently Shego didn’t get it.
“So…?”
“I…have a reputation,” Kim said softly.
“Okay.” Shego shrugged. But the tension in her body betrayed her. “Where’s practice held?”
“The gym,” she replied and they walked off, Shego slightly behind Kim, allowing her to lead. They parted ways, Kim went to the locker room and Shego went to sit at the top of the bleachers.
Practice went by as the pace of a snail. At least to Kim it did. She kept looking over at the dark haired woman watching her. If someone would have told her two weeks ago that the super villain SHEGO would be sitting in her high school watching Kim at cheerleading practice waiting for her to be done to take her out somewhere that Kim didn’t even know…Kim would have sent them to a mental institute.
Bonnie, of course, had to make a comment. Kim tried to ignore her but something about Bonnie always got under her skin. She couldn’t explain it, it just did. Her snide comments, snippy remarks, the fact that she always tried to make Kim fail. Kim somehow managed to keep her tempter through practice. And then Bonnie did something to top off the day.
As Kim did a flip and landed, Bonnie stuck her foot out in Kim’s path and the red head went flying. She did a perfect face plant into the gym’s polished floor. It took a moment for Kim to finally get her bearings then she flipped over and glared fiery arrows of death at the brunette who was innocently looking at the ceiling. Shego half expected her to erupt into flames any second. Kim did a silent snarl and kept her mouth shut. She didn’t need a fight with Bonnie right now and Kim could get her back her own way.
“Aw Kim, if you couldn’t handle it, I’m sure I could do it,” Bonnie said sweetly.
“Not on your life, you scum sucking, scaly-” Kim growled under her breath.
“What was that?” Bonnie asked, leaning forward a little.
“Yeah, well this is all nice and sweet but practice is over now,” came a voice from behind Kim.
Bonnie sneered. “Oh great, the freak show decided to join in.”
Shego walked calmly up behind Kim and linked arms with the red head, steadily dragging her away before she could say anything. Shego’s face was completely impassive, whereas Kim looked like she had quite a retort.
“Yeah Kim, it looks like your clumsiness paid off, didn’t it?” Bonnie called out.
“I can handle her!” Kim nearly screeched at the older girl who wouldn’t be deterred from dragging Kim off.
“I know you can, but I’m getting bored,” Shego replied nonchantly.
“Hey Kim, that wouldn’t be your girlfriend, would it? Is there something you need to tell us because it sure looks like it,” Bonnie smirked.
Shego stopped dragging Kim and was stalking off back to Bonnie before Kim could respond. She ran after Shego. She could tell the raven-haired villainess was pissed by the way she was holding herself.
“Shego! Wait! You can’t kill her!” Kim hissed at her frantically.
“Why not?” she glared at the teen hero.
“Because you can’t! I hate Bonnie too, but I can’t let you kill her,” Kim said quickly.
“As if she could,” Bonnie said snidely with a flip of her hair.
Shego looked thoughtful for a second. “Would you settle for a simple lesson?” she asked Kim directly, ignoring the brunette cheerleader.
“So long as you don’t kill her,” Kim ordered firmly. Shego’s wicked grin made Kim worry.
Shego strolled over to Bonnie nonchantly. Bonnie watched Shego lazily circle her.
“So you’re in high school, right?” Shego inquired calmly, still circling.
“Like duh, check the place you’re standing in.” Bonnie put a hand on her hip and looked disinterested. Shego stopped in front of her.
“I think it’s a little odd that you haven’t realized that there are bigger people than you,” Shego said and trailed a fingernail down the side of Bonnie’s neck and past her collarbone to the center of her chest. At this point Bonnie must have seen something in Shego’s eyes because she looked like a cornered rabbit. “Stronger people,” Shego’s finger slowly ignited, burning Bonnie’s skin. Bonnie wasn’t about to back down though, not in public. “Scarier people,” Shego whispered. Steam rose from where Bonnie’s skin and Shego’s finger met. Bonnie leaped back, her eyes wide. She maintained her posture thought. Bonnie’s back straightened and she turned, walking out of the room. But not before Kim saw the burn Shego had left. The other cheerleaders stared; none dared to speak.
Shego walked calmly out the door and didn’t even look behind her to see if Kim was following. Which she was, of course. She didn’t really want to stick around and explain to everyone why she knew someone who controlled green fire powers. Hell no.
The moment the two of them were out the door Kim started yelling.
“Why did you do that?!” she screeched.
“Do what?” Shego checked her nails to make sure she didn’t chip any of the black nail polish.
“You hurt her!” Kim yelled.
“Yeah and?” Shego never stopped walking.
“I told you-”
“Not to kill her. I didn’t.” She stopped and looked at Kim. “And you want to know WHY you used that terminology? Because some part of you knew and WANTED me to hurt her.” She started walking again.
Kim opened her mouth to protest but found that Shego wasn’t listening and had already opened the door to her car. The younger girl chased after her. Once in the car, she started up again. Kim was cut off rather abruptly when Shego held up a hand between the two of them and green fire engulfed her hand. Kim shut up but didn’t move away. She looked past the fire into a pair of emerald eyes.
“I know you won’t hurt me, so threatening me won’t work,” she said, staring boldly into Shego’s eyes.
She leaned towards Kim. “Are you sure of that, Princess?”
Kim moved closer to Shego, her eyes never leaving the older girl’s and gave her a quick kiss. An electric thrill ran through her body. Out of the corner of her eye, Kim saw the fire immediately evaporate as soon as their lips met. Shego had also unconsciously moved the hand to keep from burning Kim when she had leaned in.
The kiss seemed to mollify the villain for they didn’t argue any further. However, there was something that Kim had been wondering about all day…
“Where ARE we going?” Kim finally asked, breaking the silence.
“The mall,” Shego said.
Kim blinked. The mall? “Why?”
“You’ll see…”
“NO!” Kim stomped her foot.
“Why?” Shego asked and checked her nails. Kim was REALLY beginning to hate that word.
“Because it’s just not done! I’m a cheerleader!” Kim nearly screamed in frustration.
“So…?” That was another one Kim was beginning to hate.
“I CAN’T!”
“WHY?!” Shego shot back, mocking Kim.
“I CAN’T!”
“You’re making a big fuss over nothing,” Shego filed her nails.
“It’ll hurt,” Kim pouted.
“You can hold my hand if you want to,” Shego smiled sweetly at Kim.
“Okay, never EVER do that again,” Kim shuddered.
“So you’ll do it?” Shego looked up hopefully.
“Nope.” Shego went back to her nails.
Silence.
“Are you sure it’ll look good?” Kim asked, fidgeting.
“Yes.”
“Will it hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Will it make you happy?”
“Yes.”
Kim let out a breath she’d been holding. “Fine. I’ll get my belly button pierced.”
They stepped back into the little booth again. Kim first, Shego followed.
“She has no problem overthrowing an evil villain and saving the world, but one little piercing…” Shego muttered under her breath as she stepped through the doorway.
“Is she finally ready?” the owner inquired in a bored tone. They had been through this a couple times already. Shego placed a hand on Kim’s lower back. Kim nodded nervously.
Kim hesitantly sat down in a big chair in the center of the room, dragging Shego with her. The man didn’t even spare the two a second glance; he grabbed his tool and advanced on Kim. The red head steeled herself and snatched Shego’s hand. Shego blinked at her.
“I was just kidding, you know?” Shego attempted to tug her hand back.
Kim glared at her.
“Okay, okay, whatever. Don’t squeeze too hard or you’ll get burned,” she warned. Kim still held onto the hand for dear life.
The man put his tool on her stomach and asked Kim if she was ready. Kim squeezed Shego’s hand harder as Shego tried to shake her off.
“I feel like an expected father,” Shego said and wiped away an imaginary tear. The man laughed and tightened his fist around the tool, piercing Kim’s belly button while she wasn’t paying attention.
Kim bit her lip to keep from making a sound. Shego merely rolled her eyes, she still didn’t get what all the fuss was about. The man quickly slid a little piece of metal through the new hole. Now that she could see it, it was a little crouching dragon with green-jeweled eyes. Kim looked up at Shego, wondering briefly if she had picked it out. Shego watched Kim impassively, then she smiled and the solemn look was gone.
“It looks good,” she said. “Now can I have my hand back?”
“Sure,” Kim said sheepishly. She had forgotten she still had Shego’s hand clenched in her own. She got up out of the seat and started poking her stomach. A quick transaction between Shego and the man and the two women were out of the booth.
“It feels weird,” Kim complained, still playing with her new piercing.
“Quit poking it,” Shego ordered, exasperated. She smacked Kim’s hand away from her stomach.
Kim sighed. “Mom’s gonna kill me.”
“Quit worrying. Think about it when it happens,” Shego said, looking around.
“So what now?” Kim asked.
“Hm…food?” Shego suggested.
“Mhm! Food for me!” came a voice from Kim’s waist.
“AHH!” Kim shrieked, surprised. Shego shook her head and pointed at the little naked mole rat hanging on the waistband of Kim’s pants.
“Rufus!” Kim scooped the pink rodent up. “Where’s Ron?”
“Dead, I hope,” Shego mumbled.
Rufus stood up on Kim’s palm pointed off to the left. Then he proceeded to blow a raspberry at the dark haired villain.
“Mmmm, naco!” Rufus rubbed his belly.
“Oh…the Bueno Nacho in the mall. Duh. Wait…what are you doing here then?” Kim asked, aware that Shego was behind her looking bored and checking her nails again.
Rufus pointed behind them. Monique walked up to the duo with her hands full of shopping bags. She practically glowed. Monique was always ecstatic when she got to shop. That was probably why she ate, breathed and practically lived in Club Banana.
“Hey Kim, what’s happening?” Monique greeted, juggling bags to get comfortable.
“Not much. How about you? Are those all for Ron?!”
“He needs new clothes,” Shego stated as she buffed her nails.
“See?! Totally! Hey Shego speaking of wardrobes…” Monique said slyly.
Shego’s hand that she’d been buffing erupted in green flames.
“Or…not,” Monique said, inching towards Kim.
“Food!” Rufus urged.
“All right!” Shego snarled at him. “We’re working on it!”
Rufus jumped into the bag Monique was holding.
“Oh don’t be all grouchy,” Kim grinned, stood on her tiptoes and kisses Shego’s cheek affectionately before the other girl could protest. She turned to say something to Monique but was foiled by a pale arm that snaked its way around her waist and pulled her back into a warm body.
“Can I help it if I have a lot of pent up frustration from this morning?” Shego purred in Kim’s ear making the teen blush fiercely. The hot breath tickled her ear making her think back to that mornings events. Monique snickered.
“I-uh…” Kim stumbled. Shego let her go and Kim felt a pang of loss where her warm body had been. Shego’s eyes glittered with mischief. Kim felt like she’d just been effectively cornered.
“Let’s go to Bueno Nacho, you two,” Monique said, giving Kim a way out. Kim looked at her gratefully.
Monique and Kim walked side by side while Shego stayed behind them. Kim and Monique chatted amiably the entire way, every now and then they’d ask Shego something and she would half answer.
“Look behind you,” Monique said.
Kim did. Shego was watching her – no, stalking her. Her eyes glowed a green brighter than usual and Kim recognized the look of lust on her face. Kim gulped.
“Looks like someone’s gonna be getting some tonight,” Monique grinned and did a little dance the best she could with all her bags.
“Whatever,” Kim growled.
“Back that thang up! I think she’s actually watching your bum, girl!” Monique teased.
“Shut up.”
“Do a little dance, make a little love…” Monique danced and Rufus crawled up to her shoulder and joined in.
“Shut. Up.”
Only when Shego walked past them did they realize that they had slowed down. She looked at Monique who had stopped mid-dance and shook her head.
“I don’t want to know,” was all she said and kept on walking. The two girls looked at each other then hurried to catch up.
Shego stopped suddenly causing Monique and Kim to run into her. Emerald eyes narrowed and scanned the environment around them. Kim’s skin crawled. Something was really, really wrong. Not only had Kim’s instincts picked up on it, but Shego’s had before her. Without even realizing it, Kim had moved so that Monique was safely between her and Shego.
“Hey, uh guys…should I be worried?” Monique murmured, looking around for the source of the actions of her friends.
“Kim,” Shego hissed under her breath.
“Yeah, I know, I feel it…” she whispered back.
“No…break off. You and Monique go back to shopping as if nothing’s happened, got it?”
“But Ron-” Kim protested.
The seriousness in Shego’s eyes silenced the red head. “Do it. I’ll get a message to him.”
Kim hesitated. Shego noticed it, but said nothing and strolled off like nothing was wrong. Monique tugged on Kim’s arm, urging her to walk in the other direction. Kim wasn’t sure why she didn’t want to leave, she should have no trouble with this. She trusted Shego…didn’t she? Should she?
The two teens continued walking until they were at the opposite end of the mall, near the exit closest to the car. Once the trio had split, Kim felt the danger erase. Her entire body screamed at her to turn around and go back. Monique stayed silent mostly, asking questions only when she had to. She seemed agitated, but Kim was so wound up that she didn’t notice.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine, Kim. Shego can take care of herself,” Monique said quietly.
“True. But what about Ron?” Kim’s brow furrowed with worry. “I don’t know if he can take on something alone. And those two would rather die than work together…”
Meanwhile, shego was making her way to the Bueno Nacho. Stepping through the doors, she spotted Ron immediately. He noticed her as she passed him.
“Hey baby-” he started to say his regular hot babes pick up line, and then he recognized her and bit his tongue. Shego smiled at him evilly and Ron gulped in response. He sunk lower in his seat and desperately looked for Kim. Wasn’t she supposed to be with Shego? And where was Monique? And Rufus? He decided to ignore her.
Shego sat in the booth behind him and ordered a drink. She ignored him for the most part. Once she was done with her drink she rolled up the straw paper, stuck it in the straw and blew it at Ron’s head. It hit the target and bounced off to sit in front of Ron.
“Hey!” Ron yelled, more in startlement than outrage. Shego smirked at him and left, well rather sauntered out the door.
“I don’t know why she had to do that,” he grumbled and picked the paper up. It was only then that he noticed words scribbled on the paper. He unfolded it, eyes scanning what was wrote. Shoving the paper into his pocket, he stood and left, all traces of humor gone. He looked for Shego but found no traces of the black haired villain. He headed for the nearest exit.
At the other end of the mall, Kim and Monique feigned their shopping. Kim found a dark green tee shirt with underlying black fishnet over the stomach and arms. The word ‘Dangerous’ was scrawled in an interesting font over the chest. Immediately Kim knew Shego would love it. As if her thoughts had conjured the dark haired woman, she appeared at Kim’s elbow.
“We have to go,” Shego said instantly. Kim nearly jumped out of her skin. As if her nervousness wasn’t bad enough! Did the woman really have to sneak up on her all the time? How did she manage that? Kim’s senses had been on alert and Shego had still managed to sneak up on her.
When Kim didn’t move, Shego grabbed her and physically dragged her. Monique grabbed the other arm and they picked up speed. Shego skidded to a halt and noticed the shirt Kim had thought about buying her.
“Ooooh, nice!” she crowed and snatched it up, taking off running in one fluid motion.
“Shego!” Kim and Monique admonished in unison, running after her.
They were outside and in the car before anyone had time to yell. Kim and Shego were fine, whereas Monique was panting in the backseat. The hero and villain grinned at each other. Shego’s eyes sparkled; their intensity drove Kim breathless. This was Shego in her prime. She was never happier in life than when she was stealing. And it showed. Kim had to admit, she did enjoy the thrill, the exhilaration of the steal. But it was wrong.
“I’m coming, guys!” Ron yelled and flung open Shego’s door. “Come on, Shego!” Ron started doing odd marital arts poses and made some noises.
All three girls stared. Shego was the first to break of the startlement.
“Okay,” Shego said immediately, her hand igniting in green flame as she swiped at him.
“AHH!” he jumped back.
Monique opened her door and pulled him into the car as Kim jumped on Shego, effectively preventing her from killing her friend. In her haste, Kim had just blindly grabbed at Shego. Now, looking down at her hand, she regretted not thinking first. One hand cupped Shego’s left breast while the other was low on her stomach. Kim’s eyes drifted upwards to rest on Shego’s face. Emerald eyes bored into hers in a lustful expression Kim was beginning to recognize. Feeling rather playful, Kim pinched a nipple between her forefinger and thumb eliciting a growl from the super villain. Kim quickly removed her hands before she could provoke the older girl further. She could, with Monique and Ron in the car, but that would be mean. Wait… Monique and Ron wouldn’t be able to save her, Shego wouldn’t care if they were in the car!
“See?! She’s feral, she’ll go for your throat, Kim!” Ron yelled incoherently from the back. She might indeed go for the throat but Kim doubted it was the way Ron was thinking. Looking in the back, Ron was practically sitting in Monique’s lap. Monique’s eyebrow twitched. She wasn’t amused.
“Please tell me…WHY AM I DATING YOU?!?!” Monique exploded. “Why do I like you? What is the attraction??”
Silence.
Kim and Shego turned to stare at the two in the back. Monique covered her mouth. Ron’s eyes widened.
“Wait a minute…you two are DATING?!” Kim screeched at them, shattering the quiet.
“I-uh, yeah. I meant to tell you, but every time I tried…you ran away…” he said lamely.
“Whoa…you like MONIQUE?!” She turned an accusatory glare at her friend. “And you never told me? All my rambling and you never said anything?!”
“Well, Ron wanted to be the one to tell you first and…” Monique replied quietly.
“I don’t believe this!” Kim slammed her fist down on her leg, wincing as she did so.
Shego lay a hand on Kim’s wrist gently. Kim’s eyes followed where their connection was. She looked up into a pair of emerald eyes so beautiful they made her heart ache.
“Did you know?” Kim asked suddenly, afraid of the answer.
Shego never blinked instead she regarded Kim thoughtfully. Kim’s chin sunk to her chest as she took Shego’s hands and traced her fingers.
“Did you know? The entire time was this all a ruse? Did you?” Kim whispered.
The older girl hesitated. “I had guessed, but I didn’t know for certain,” she said finally. When she got no response, she added, “We have to go home. I don’t think it’s safe.”
Shego gently pulled her hand away from Kim so she could back out. Once they were on the road however, she held Kim’s hand the entire way home. The warmth of Shego’s hand in hers comforted Kim. She wasn’t sure why she felt so betrayed, but she did. Even though it was her own fault. Petty, but true.
Ron and Monique stayed silent the entire time. Upon dropping Ron off, Kim started feeling guilty. He looked like a little puppy dog that had been kicked.
“Look Ron,” Kim said, trying to swallow the knot in her throat. “I’m not mad at you. I- just…need time to think things through.”
He nodded. “I can understand that.” They said their good byes and then they went to Monique’s house.
“Kim,” Monique said seriously. “We’ve been friends all through high school. I don’t want this to break us up, girl. I mean, look at your main girl Shego here.” Shego raised an eyebrow at her being brought into the conversation. Monique winked at her. “When Shego told Ron that you and her were dating, don’t you think Ron felt the same way?”
Kim blinked. She was right. That’s the problem with Monique. She usually was right.
“Yeah…” Kim said finally.
“Friends?” Monique asked.
“Totally, I mean come on. Like a guy would come between us?” Kim thought back to Hirotaka and the way the two of them had fought tooth and nail over him.
Monique must have been following her train of thought. “Like Hirotaka. Unless you got some deep dark feelings for Ron that we need to talk about?” She wiggled her eyebrows.
Kim shook her head fervently.
“Didn’t think so. Catch ya later girls!” Monique said, getting out of the car.
As they backed out the driveway, Shego glanced at Kim. The red head had her knees up to her chest and was biting her lower lip. There was a slight glint from the emerald eyes of the dragon through her belly button. Shego smiled. They had gotten a lot done today. But…
“Hey Princess?” Shego said lightly. Kim looked at her.
“Why do you call me that?” she asked the dark haired woman next to her.
“Because I can,” she replied with a smirk. They finally reached Kim’s house.
“What were you going to say?” Kim inquired. Looking at the beautiful woman sitting next to her, Kim briefly wondered how the hell she’d gotten so lucky.
“Never mind,” Shego said and looked straight ahead.
Kim grinned and shot forward, placing a small kiss on the soft skin of Shego’s cheek. Then she was out of the car before Shego could use her powers on her.
“Hey!” Shego mumbled.
“See you tomorrow, Shego!” Kim waved and disappeared into the house.
Shego touched her cheek where Kim’s lips had been. She stared at the door through which Kim had just gone.
“Bye Kim,” she whispered.