Evil Date

[complains_about_lemons]

She'd asked. And that meant he had to come through for her.

The idea was, admittedly, terrifying. He hadn't exactly been good at dates at...well, any point in his life. Really. He'd never managed to be charming, or frankly terribly handsome. His strengths had always lay in ideas, and planning, and...well, villainy.

But there was...a chance, now. Or something like it.

The thing about Shego. The really important thing. It had taken him years to realize just what her passion for villainy really meant to him. He'd fumbled in the dark from 'employee' to 'evil family' and then...well, to realization. That her passion meant so much more to him than he'd ever believed possible. The awkwardness, though, had been difficult. It was an unexpected change for them both, with little idea how to achieve it. This was her idea, a make or break. To either smash through the awkwardness or...well.

An Evil Date.

Friday night, she'd said, whatever he came up with.

He had probably rejected more plans than he had in his life.

But the answer had been right there in front of him the whole time, and it was so simple - that he nearly ran late getting the special platform built. He rushed from his room, fixing his tie for the ninth time. He'd gone for a suit, a simple, navy blue suit. No pinstripes or anything. He kept adjusting the tie, nervously as he approached her door.

Finally, it was time. He stopped, fishing out the list of tips he'd gotten himself. First? Breathe. Ok, he could do that. And once he had done that...he knocked.

Comments

[side_kicking]

She'd expected him to balk. Heck after they kissed once she'd expected him to freak out in typical Drakken fashion and go hide in another lair or something. But no, he'd actually acted thoughtfully. He'd seemed like he really wanted to consider things and it gave her hope.

Hope was dangerous for her, hope was one step away from hurt. It seemed like every time she had the former it only lead her to the latter. But for him, for him she was willing to give it another try.

So she'd spent the better part of the day arranging things, and trying hair styles and eyes the green velvet dress that she didn't dare put on too early for fear of wrinkles or stains or.. lava.. who knew? But sure enough the hours ticked away and she had her dark hair piled up into a messy but elegant looking assembly atop her head.

She pulled on the dress, more like wiggled into it and gave herself a very approving glance in the mirror. Whatever else might go wrong tonight it was not her look, she was definitely and 11 out of 10. She slipped on some flats incase he decided that walking would be involved in they mystery date and just as she was dabbing at her lipstick there was a knock at her door.

Shego took a deep breath, closed her eyes and exhaled to compose herself. No negativity! No snark. Don't mention the pinstripes!

She opened the door, and she looked surprised.

Very.

And pleasantly.

"You look really nice, Doc."

[complains_about_lemons]

If jaws truly could hit floors, his likely would be finding a sub-basement.

"Uhwhu-" he stopped, clearing his throat. "You, umm. Wow. You. You look fantastic," he managed, brightly. "Really, really fantastic."

She really was just...stunning. Unbelievably so. The dress highlighted the bright flash of her eyes, and that mass of black hair. He had, in his long career in villainy, probably never been so over his head. And he sure as hell wasn't going to stop now.

He never did!

"Right! So!" he began, offering an arm. If all else failed, in their world, you went big. "Evil date awaits!"

[side_kicking]

Well that response was worth the hours of prep she put into getting ready, already she was declaring this at least a partial success. Shego threaded her arm through his and grinned.

"I can't wait to see what you're mind has cooked up."

He really was an evil genius, even if she did occasionally pick on him about his plans. Well they couldn't all be winners could they? It was a numbers game really, and honestly if they hadn't been up against Possible and her resources most of them would have been pretty high yield.

Shego snuggled up a bit as they walked, her free hand reaching up to trace a finger softly along his ear lobe. "You really do look handsome, and you know how much I like blue." Which by now was as much an injoke as it was true.

[complains_about_lemons]

A slight movement that caused him to trip over his own feet.

"Oh, heh, um...thank you?" He wasn't at all sure it was the right response, but it was what he had. Her touch was very, very warming.

Whuf. Ok, you can do this. You practiced.

"But yes! It's a pretty decent plan, if I do say so myself. An evil date you asked for, so an evil date you shall have!"

And she might notice that the button he pressed on the elevator was for the roof - and normally all that was up there was whatever antennae and other things needed to test the latest equipment.

[side_kicking]

Yes, roof was Penthouse level evil, that's where the big stuff went down. She could only hope that the emphasis would be more the the date part of evil date, than the evil part. But well when you word thigns a certain way you have to expect people to take them at face value.

"Ok, so gimmie a hint. Is it weather control device? Orrrrr A giant Hypno ray? Maybe a flock of trained seagulls?"

She wouldn't put it past him, he had pulled off some crazy stunts in the past.

[complains_about_lemons]

"Hah! Not even close! Why th..."

He pauses, reaching into a jacket pocket to pull out a pad of paper, writing down 'Trained Seagull Army???' before putting it back. A good idea was a good idea, after all. He grinned at her.

"You've been my partner for, what, a week? And you're already coming up with world domination plans! You've got untapped talent for this!"

It's about the best compliment he can ever offer. At least, so far. And the look he gives her is the sort that she may not have much experience of - one of actual adoration.

"But let's just say that tonight involves going places without even trying."

[side_kicking]

"Uh, thank you." It was weird to get the compliment, not that he never said a kind word to her but when it came to his plans it was usually he made a plan and she nit picked it. Rarely did she offer input and even more rarely did he take it. This new working together thing, being partners was, well, it was exciting. It made her feel a little tingly, a little giddy.

"Oh no, not teleportation, because I know when that Star Trek stuff was tried before bad things happened. I've seen The Fly, I don't want a Vincent Prince body and Bug eyes on my head!" She shuddered at the very idea.

[complains_about_lemons]

"Hah! That's why I don't have one, loved that movie. I mean, it's not Brain That Wouldn't Die, but still!"

He pressed the button for the elevator.

"So no teleportation, I promise. Besides, it's cheating. One simple portal and that's it? Where's the fun in that?"

Which was, really, Drakken all over. It's just not how it's done.

[side_kicking]

True, why make it simple when he could build a better mousetrap? But she had to admit that knowing there wasn't going to be some sort of freaky deeky transporter pod thing was comforting.

But curiosity was eating her alive, what could he have planned?

"It's gotta be about the artistry of it really. A win you fall into is never really worth it." Like the one she could have had against Team Go, yeah, sometimes you just knew that things weren't right that way.

"Ok, I admit, I'm dying of curiosity."

[complains_about_lemons]

"Good!" he replied, "Means for once I'm not being predictable."

The elevator dinged, and opened, and he was almost hopping from foot to foot as the doors shut. It meant he'd figured out something she couldn't guess right away. And she was really good at guessing.

"Well, you won't have to wait long, Shego. Good things come to those who wait, but...um...something about not needing that much patience."

[side_kicking]

"No, no Doc I think this time you are definitely not being same old same old." If anything this was a whole new side of him, from the clothes on down.

He looked practically giddy about it too, which was not a normal state for the bad doctor, he tended to run more to the maniacal end of the scale so this was kind of...fun?

"Hey Doc, you know what else comes to those who wait?" She knew that would have his attention because it was almost a puzzle and he could never resist those.

As soon as he gave her that questioning look she leaned in and kissed him, not on the cheek but and honest to god kiss right there on the mouth. A slow, not super passionate one but still, it was there. She didn't rush it or lean in hard but still it was a real kiss and she took her time.

When she pulled away she was grinning wide. "Been wanting to do that for a while."

[complains_about_lemons]

"What else c-" and as his attention turns she's suddenly kissing him and his brain practically explodes. Her lips are soft, and warm and...a black perfection.

When she slumps, he falls back against the side of the elevator, eyes wide and mouth frozen in an eager smile.

"I, uh, whu, fu-"

[side_kicking]

Seeing him like that was kind of cool. Ok it was pretty cool. She was grinning and snuggled right up to his shoulder.

"So... that went pretty well, right?"

[complains_about_lemons]

"Good lord yes," he replied.

He shook his head, taking her hand in his.

"I just wish I'd figured this out years ago."

And then, the elevator dinged.

"Umm. After you," he offered. In part because he wanted to see how she moved in the dress - he wanted to learn everything about Date Shego and in part to watch her reaction. The rooftop had been converted into a balcony, with an array of square projectors of some sort arrayed around it, eight in total.

"Ta-da!" he said, fishing in his pocket for a remote control. "Wait, hang on, I had it...aha!" He pulled it out and pressed a button. Nothing happened. He hit it a few times. Then, belatedly, turned around and quietly put the batteries back the right way around.

And then he pressed it again, and a beach appeared all around them - and the elegantly set table in the center. Not just any beach, but her favorite, the one she sought so frequently on vacation. And just when she thought that was all - the breeze would hit her. It was the right breeze, the right evening warmth - a perfect replication.

[side_kicking]

"Ok." She sounded just a hint dubious of whatever it was, his creations didn't have the most stellar track record of success even if he was an evil genius.

And sure enough Shego was underwhelmed at the nothing that happened when she stepped out to the open area of the roof. It looked like he'd set up a lot of stuff, and there was meant to be something and he was button pushing now and then turning away and-

"Son of a---beach" Her jaw almost hit the floor.

One moment she was standing there on the rooftop and the next they were transported to her beach, with that one wonky palm tree that leaned at just the right angle for a hammock and the perfectly curved shore that made the waves curl so beautifully when they broke. And then she could smell it!

Shego closed her eyes and inhaled, sea air, salty, briny that hint of vegetation and wet sand. And she could hear the gulls circling overhead but of course they weren't really there. If she imagined hard enough she could almost feel the sand under her toes and the warmth of the sun on her skin.

"Doc, you have really out done yourself this time."

[complains_about_lemons]

There was, usually, one crucial detail he'd forgotten in his excitement. This time, he'd gone all out and...well, had been a lot better about nervously double-checking things.

"I did? I mean, hah, of course! And just you wait until the temperature adjustment apparatus warms up! It takes a minute, but this is supposed to be immersive, y'know."

It'd been a vague idea for some sort of holo-environment to trap Possible in, years ago, that he'd shelved and forgotten about. It only worked if she didn't move around, and it wasn't like you could set it up in a pinch to put it in her way. But for this...for this it worked perfectly.

He'd figure out the feel of the sand part one day. For now, it just looked like it was there.

[side_kicking]

It was working as a trap though, one he couldn't even have imagined it had caught him one adoring green skinned evil doer. Shego was looking at him with complete amazement and no small bit of affection.

"I had you idea you could.. you would do anything like this. It's beautiful."

She leaned into him, her head resting on his shoulder and arms going around his waist. "You are full of surprises Doc."

[complains_about_lemons]

He grinned, thrilled in the moment.

"That's the first time you've ever said that," he replied, more in wonder than anything else. This really was the new world.

"Wait until you see the menu!"

Which had been stolen. Along with the kitchen ingredients and equipment - also from the region. Complete picture!