Warm and clear the night, fair breezes caressing the trees and houses and street lights with equal abandon, windows open and being lulled to sleep by fragrant lullaby’s from a flowerbox on the sill. The bedroom was a haven of peace and of silence this night; sleep a welcome balm against the fickle world outside.
Welded tight against each other, bonded in soul, heart and body, two lovers lay side by side in their marriage bed and sought the ultimate refuge in nothing simpler than the very existence of each other.
Brought into waking in these dead hours by either a distant sound or a shifting of the air, Shego let gravity hold her weary head down onto the soft downy pillow and reveled in the feeling of the sheets against her pale green skin, naked in the warm night and secure in the comfort of a life filled with love. This love had a name, several in fact, but was best personified by the younger woman sleeping next to her.
Flat on her back and turning her head slightly, Shego watched the face of her lover, her partner and ultimately her source of redemption, Kimberly Ann Possible. The redhead was turned on her left side, facing the retired criminal and forcing her body directly against the taller, more voluptuous form. Kim was bent a little, legs crossed at the ankles as she lay on her side, arms drawn up to her chest and mouth open slightly; there was likely a dampness in the sheet beneath Kim’s chin from drool, and this amused the drowsy villain.
There was a faint whimper from the slender body, and a flexing of the knees.
Shego’s right arm was already under the head and around the back of the slumbering young woman, so she gently pulled Kim closer and held her tight to her own supple body.
“Shh, Princess. It’s Ok. Go to sleep.”
What are you dreaming about, Kimmie? Saving the world? Casing a bad guy?
Fighting me?
Receptive to the touch and the contact, Kim snuggled even closer to Shego, grasping weakly in sleep with her own tender hands, lips moving to brush against bare skin. As Shego began to fall back to sleep, the far away tinkle of a neighbor’s wind chime could be heard playing its melodic love song back to the night wind.
A memory was stirred and replayed itself for Shego in her dreams…
“Kimmie?”
The armload of books, mail and a sack of groceries made shutting the front door in a conventional way impossible; Shego was tempted to leave it open but turned to kick it shut with her foot instead.
“Kimmie, are you home?”
That little twit had damn well better be home! This had been a hard day, VERY hard and difficult with her current schedule, and tonight had been promised as being a VERY special night for her. Shego’s birthday had been that week and she was doing everyone the great favor of letting them celebrate it for her.
Like a very small child that is just becoming old enough to appreciate how special a birthday can be, Shego was relearning to enjoy this event. Because she had a woman who loved her and a larger circle of friends and acquaintances than she had ever had before, she told herself that it was good for everyone else to get this out of their systems, and not that she would ever have wanted the level of attention she’d been receiving. The entire week had been filled with events and little parties and trips all over town; the extended time frame meant that there would be less hassle in arranging so many different schedules.
In reality, Shego loved every second of it, but would be loath to admit it to anyone. Those who loved her could see it in her eyes, and that was enough for them. Tonight, however, was the last official night of her birthday week, and she had been promised something that she had wanted to have for a very long time.
Shego wanted romance.
Too long wasting her days in the company of siblings that never understood her, years of having no real friends and employers that were sure to have her running away from an explosion every few weeks didn’t allow for much in the way of a social life, let alone a relationship. So, in accordance with a plan she had outlined some time ago, Kim was going to give her the kind of experience that she had once only read about in her books and magazines.
“Damn it, Kimmie, where the HELL are you?” The house was silent and no one seemed to be about. It was planned that their daughters would be cared for by others, so that was one important item already taken care of.
Impatient to get the special evening off to the perfect start, Shego let the mail and the books drop and carried the sack to the kitchen. She glanced in the various places where notes and message would be placed for the casual observer; she saw nothing while putting the food away and there were no messages on the answering machine.
“Possible, you’d better be lying in a ditch somewhere! If you’re not, you damn well will be!”
Anger fueling her words, she stomped back out of the kitchen and only made it as far as the hallway when her pace slowed and she found herself stalled in the hallway.
I didn’t mean that.
Her nose caught a scent not usual for this house; she turned towards the stairs and followed a trail of lavender up to the second floor and glanced into all of the rooms. Still finding no one, she was encouraged by the sight of disorder in her own bedroom. Evidence of their closet having been rifled seemed to lend credence that her Princess was somewhere waiting to start their romantic evening.
“KIIIIMMMIEEEE! WHAT THE HELL…?” Shego was starting to whine a little, stamping her feet and turning in a lazy circle like a child would have.
Seeing that nothing was to be gained upstairs, she walked back to the steps in a slouch and returned to the first floor only to find a small envelope on the newel post. She had apparently missed it when she first climbed the stairs and Shego could tell that the lavender scent was definitely coming from the envelope.
“Ohhh!” Tearing the paper and smiling like a little girl, Shego read the card within. On it was written a short note.
‘Tonight there is One Rule: you do not know Kim Possible. Be at Au Petit Paris by 7:30 PM.’
Shego was bouncing on her heels as she finished the note. She didn’t entirely understand this ‘one rule’ crap, but now the game was afoot. She vaulted back up the steps to locate her best dress.
The Au Petit Paris was an old French restaurant that had been established sixty odd years ago by a local family in a storefront building on the main street of town. Not originally built to house a restaurant, the inner walls had been left intact and the meandering path through the various small dining areas gave the place an air of intimacy and charm.
Shego and Kim had been to the place many times and the thief could already taste the varied menu of masterpieces that she had oft seen borne from kitchen to table by a staff of experienced waiters. The atmosphere would be extravagant and the wine smooth and delicious and she and her angel would have a perfect night and Shego would remember it for many birthdays to come!
Wanting to be free of inhibitions tonight, Shego was not driving to the restaurant. Instead, she called a taxi from the upstairs telephone and finished getting dressed. She would leave the car at home so that they could make merry and still be safe. Apparently Kim had arranged her own transportation if she was meeting Shego there.
There was still plenty of daylight in the sky when Shego met the taxi at the curb, and the driver did more than a double take at the sight of his latest fare.
The dress was cut from a fabric so black as to be almost a void to the eyes, falling just to her ankles and cut high up either side to occasionally reveal long, pale legs. The dress was tight and slinky and strapless, held firmly by her full bosom, and complimented by a dark green mini jacket that stopped at her upper arms and fell no lower than the middle of her back. Shego had decided to wear her hair down for the evening; its long and lustrous mass interwoven with a broad ribbon of the same color as the jacket, as was the color of her high-heeled shoes.
“Whoa… Uh, where to, lady?”
“Main Street, the Au Petit Paris!” Giddy with expectation, it was hard for her to remain as dignified as she looked.
The drive was over in minutes and there was an empty table outside on the sidewalk; Shego opted to wait for Kimmie there and enjoy the warm evening. Taking a chair and sitting with her back to the setting sun, she felt a waiter at her side and ordered a sparkling water. It was just 7:20 PM and plenty of time to wait for her angel; Shego passed the time envisioning how the date would unfold.
When it was 7:57 PM, the waiter had already threatened to quit if the manager ordered him to ask the angry green woman at the outside table one more time if she wanted to come inside for a meal. Shego was fuming, her visions of a romantic dinner and night of dancing spoiled and the promises and assurances of that vapid, immature little cheerleader rotting on the sidewalk like all of the other broken promises she’d heard in her life.
Kim was always telling Shego how much she loved her, and meant it, but love had to be proved from time to time and she felt that the little cheerleader was often taking their relationship for granted.
Hmm, that’s what I get for falling in love with a kid.
To the relief of the restaurant staff, Shego stood and walked away; she left the outside tables behind her as the sun was just dropping below the horizon and illuminating the façade behind her. She glowered and clenched her fists in disappointment.
“Say, can you tell me if that’s a good place to eat?”
Turning, she saw the first and last person that she wanted to see right now, both packed into a lithe, slender body and painted into a skintight silver dress with a light pink sweater draped across her shoulders. The red hair was worn in an uncharacteristic pony tail, pulled back to expose a soft pink face and huge green eyes so much like Shego’s own.
Refusing to acknowledge her, Shego walked further down the street to find a taxi.
“Excuse me, miss? I wanted to know if this was a good place to eat?”
The tone made the tall woman pause; what was Kim playing at? Surely it was obvious that Shego was pissed, right? I’ll just go home and forget that we’d ever planned anything and…
‘Tonight there is One Rule: you do not know Kim Possible.’
She recalled the first part of the note from the newel post and stopped in her tracks. Her Princess was smart when she wanted to be and a quick thinker, at least when she could force herself to slow down enough not to outrun the present. Still angry but becoming curious, she turned around, keeping her distance.
“Yeah, it’s a good place to eat.”
Kim glanced at the building with an appraising look, eyebrows raised and nodding.
“Looks pretty fancy.”
“Um, yeah, they are. So?”
Kim ambled along the sidewalk as if she had all the time in the world.
“I’m sorry if I’m interrupting your evening.” She extended a slender hand. “My name’s Kim!”
The redhead beamed and Shego was starting to see a pattern to her wife’s behavior. Ok, I’ll bite, but this had better be good. Kim was standing right in front of her now, her hand close enough to accept if that was what Shego chose to do; she took it in her own strong grip.
“You can call me Shego.”
Kim grinned and gave the hand a quick shake. The contact was broken far sooner than Shego had expected and there was nothing sensual about it. It was simply a friendly handshake. Looking the tall woman over as if finally able to see her clearly, Kim’s face opened up with blatant wonder.
“Wow, that’s a really beautiful dress! You look great wearing it, if you don’t mind my saying so!” A wave of realization passed over her expression. “Say, were you waiting for someone?”
“Waiting? I’ll say I was waiting! You know da…” Shego had felt the anger flare but quickly reminded herself of the note and slowly counted to ten before she dared continue.
“Yes, I was waiting for my date.”
Kim didn’t miss a beat, ignoring the aborted outburst.
“They stood you up, huh?”
“… yes…”
“That stinks, and you look really, really nice.” Looking glum, Kim sighed deeply as if depressed at the thought. This lasted only a moment before she raised her head and looked at Shego with a smile on her face.
“Say, I, um, don’t mean to sound forward, but it’s a beautiful evening and you are a very beautiful woman and it’s a shame to waste either. Would you care to have dinner with me?” The redhead looked hopeful, but not overtly eager; the question was both honest and sincere. “I’m all alone tonight and would really appreciate the company.”
This was a Kim that Shego had not seen in a long time; finally getting a bearing on the game being staged before her, the pale green woman guessed what Kim was up to. The act seemed genuine and her Princess was behaving as if they had no history between them, as if they had first met not as combatants but as regular people all those years ago.
Lowering her eyes, the warrior acquiesced.
“Sure, why not?”
“Great! It’ll be fun!”
Shego mirrored Kim’s grin and she walked back towards the door of the Au Petit Paris. Kim let her walk on and continued on her original path that took her further down the sidewalk and away from the restaurant.
“Uh, Kim?”
Slowing but not stopping, Kim looked back without turning fully around.
“Yes, Shego?”
“Where are you going?”
“Well, this place looks nice and all, but I thought we’d take a short walk first.”
“But Prin… But Kim, I’m just a little bit hungry!”
Kim nodded, her smile wide.
“Me too! Come on, I’ll treat you to an ice when we get to the park.” Kim resumed walking at a measured pace. Shego watched her move off, baffled, before hurrying to catch up.
The park was only three blocks away and Kim had slowed to let her date reach her side without having to run. They passed several shops and business, all closed for the evening, one of them being a travel agency.
“Oh, I just love to travel!”
“Um, me too.”
“I’ve been to a few places, but I was born here in Middleton. Were you?”
“No, I was born in Go City.”
“Where else have you traveled to, Shego?”
Oddly enough, Shego found herself discussing the various places she’d visited and traveled to for purposes both nefarious and innocent, some of which she’d never thought to tell Kim about before. The three blocks passed under their feet in no time at all. Upon reaching the park, there was a vendor there with a large handcart and he offered flavored ices of all kinds, water ices and sherbets in more than fifty styles.
“What would you like?” Kim looked expectantly at Shego. “I’ll get you any kind that you want!”
Shego glanced at the impressive list of flavors, both common and exotic.
“Surprise me!”
She actually turned away and closed her eyes, with Kim behind her presumably advising the vender of her selection. A gentle tap on her arm was apparently the signal that a choice had been made. Shego reached for the small paper cone but it was retracted and slowly held up to the pale woman’s mouth. Seeing no duplicity in the face of the younger girl, a long tongue sampled the treat.
“Lemon?” Out of all those flavors, Kim asked for lemon?
“It’ll cleanse our palettes; we still have dinner waiting, right?”
Walking through the park, they were momentarily startled when the ornate street lamps flashed on to illuminate the gravel path under their feet. Kim giggled at Shego after they saw that there was no danger.
“Ha, that caught me by surprise!” They were walking in synch now, but not too close; Kim seemed to sidle away when Shego would shift near her.
“I guess it did me, also.” Shego grinned in spite of herself.
“You really do look lovely in that dress, Shego.”
“Thanks.”
Looking towards her date, the warrior was amazed to see that Kim was sizing her up, clearly looking her over from head to toe. As soon as the slender redhead knew that she’d been noticed, she looked away quickly.
“I’m sorry that your date stood you up, I really am. If you had been my date, I’d have never left you waiting.”
“Thanks, I… huh?” So sincere and lovingly was the statement made that Shego had missed the fact that this was exactly what had happened; this was all still an elaborate game orchestrated by Kim. The redhead didn’t give Shego much time to think about it though.
“You… you really are a beautiful woman. Has anyone ever told you that?”
Cheeks and ears becoming hot, Shego was mortified to realize that she was blushing.
“Um, not in a long time.”
“Has anyone ever done anything about it?”
“No, not in an even longer time.”
Kim stopped at the end of the path and turned to stare at the pale green woman in the black dress with the dark green jacket and dark green ribbon in her flowing black hair. Shego felt the eyes upon her face and running up and down the length of her body, inspecting her form and seeing a look of satisfaction in Kim’s emerald gaze.
Shego was starting to become uncomfortable with the silence and lowered her own eyes to look into her empty paper cone.
“Kim, I…”
“Hey, look! We’re here!”
Shego looked around in confusion. She’d been to this park before but had never had cause to be at this end, most of the interesting attractions being at the end where they had entered. At first glance, this street looked dim and gloomy, not the place where she would have gone in search of a fancy meal.
“Where?”
Kim carefully started across the street, taking Shego’s hand and pulling the taller woman behind her. The destination was a tiny building, the façade dark with old and weather beaten shingles on the low roof, the windows tiny and covered from the inside with green and red curtains. An old and flickering neon sign announced that the name of this establishment was ‘Martini’s’.
“Huh? This is where you brought us to eat?”
“Yes, this place is the greatest.” They were at the door and Kim’s hand was on the knob. “Let’s see what the specials are for tonight!”
Feeling totally out of control, Shego let herself be pulled inside.
They were immediately assaulted with the heady aroma of spices and cheeses and the rich tangy smell of cooking meat in all varieties of sauces. The room was as small on the inside as Shego had suspected, the tables crowded together and covered with red and white checkered tablecloths. The furnishings were all coarsely fashioned from wood and the floor under their shoes, also of sanded and oiled hardwood, was stained but polished to a high gloss.
They seemed to be the only patrons, which made Shego feel doubtful of the quality of the place. There were two men across the room at a narrow bar, the younger of the two standing behind the bar cleaning glasses and a much older man seated at a stool; the thin figure turned and spotted his two customers and broke into an enormous smile.
“Ah, it’s my favorite customer in all the land! Kim, you finally make it down to see us again, eh?” Slightly stooped, the man was light on his feet as he quickly moved into give the redhead a hug.
“Hello, Mr. Martini! I hope we’re not too late for dinner?”
“You talk crazy! Please, have a seat here where there is room. I go tell Mama that you are here!” He clasped his wizened hands around Kim’s own, also moving to take one of Shego’s hands; she relinquished it hesitantly, never having been made to feel so welcomed anywhere before by strangers. The man walked away to the door that was presumably the source of the wonderful smells and Kim walked over to the bar, the younger man greeting her just as warmly.
“Hi ya’, Kim! What can I set up for you and your lady friend?”
“Hi, Nick! Well, do you still have any of that delicious Negro amaro?”
He reached under the bar and brought out a dusty bottle.
“Yep, sure do. From Mr. Martini’s own family stock, no less.”
The man poured them each a glass of the deep red wine and they excused themselves to return to their table. They sat and Shego noticed that Kim was stealing glances at her again, nothing too obvious, but Kim was avoiding direct eye contact as much as would be considered politely possible. Shego found it oddly pleasurable to have Kim looking at her so stealthily.
“Well, this place is certainly… different.”
The redhead set down her glass without drinking.
“Shego, I hope that you don’t mind that we came here. I know that we’ve only just met and don’t know enough about each other’s tastes, but if this is not what you want to do please say the word and we’re out of here.” The slender girl looked so earnest that Shego believed Kim would be the first to the door if her date gave the slightest indication of displeasure.
“No, this place looks fine. I’ve just never been here before.” She sipped her wine, the bitter taste an assault on her tongue at first, then expanding into an earthen spicy aftertaste that she found refreshingly unique.
“Mmm, this is good.”
“Just wait until you taste the food!”
As if on cue, Martini returned with a plump woman that was as robust as he was frail, but they complimented each other perfectly and were obviously overjoyed to be able to serve Kim and her friend.
“Kimmie, you going to dry up and blow away, you don’t eat more!” Mama spoke to Kim in an admonishing tone, but her eyes sparkled and belied her words. The older woman gave Shego a look that said that she felt the same way about the pale green stranger.
“What’s special tonight, Mama?”
A litany of delights was presented to them and there were far too many that sounded fantastic to Shego; ultimately they asked for a few small portions of several different items, not too great a request as the Martinis repeatedly assured them. Nick came out from around the bar after the older couple had bustled off to the kitchen and he refilled their glasses.
“I certainly hope that we’re not asking for anything too difficult, seeing that we’re the only one’s here.”
“Nah! You know how big a family the Martini’s have; they’ve always got a dozen or so things on the stove at all times.” He excused himself and left the room, entering the kitchen to assist in the food preparation… or maybe to give the girls some privacy.
Shego had just set her glass down after taking another sip of the tasty wine when a soft hand found hers. Kim was leaning forward on the narrow table and looking her full in the face.
“Thank you for being my date tonight, Shego. I think that you are an amazingly beautiful woman and can think of no place that I’d rather be than here, right now, with you.”
So intent on anticipating Kim’s plans for the evening and obsessing over her special birthday treat, Shego had been ignoring the fact that she was also in the company of a gorgeous woman.
Just slightly different in age and absolutely nothing alike in appearance, Kim was stunning in her own dress and her skin and hair shone like they were fashioned by Hephaestus himself. With the red hair pulled back in a ponytail and the surreal game that Kim was playing, Shego was quickly finding herself drawn into this fantasy world where they truly had no history together.
“Thank you, Kimmie. I’m glad to hear it. I appreciate you asking me and I think that you are the most beautiful thing that I’ve ever seen in my life.” Shego turned her hand over so that her fingers playfully stroked her date’s smooth palm.
Kim’s face blushed rose and she looked down to the table.
“Thank you. It’s nice of you to say that.”
Remembering that there were to have been some signals that Kim was doing a good job, Shego slipped out of her heels and extended her feet to stroke the calves of the woman seated across from her. As soon as the clatter was heard of the shoes hitting the floor, Kim grinned and pulled back, standing up and walking around the table.
“Kimmie, what…?”
“I’ve got a great idea.” Kim was at her side and chastely touching a shoulder of the dark green jacket. She bent down and took Shego’s closest hand, guiding the woman up and out of her chair; Shego let herself be guided, puzzled but eager to see what Kim had in mind.
“Would you care to dance?”
Standing, her shoes still lying under the table, Shego was almost down to eye level with the girl.
“Dance?” There was no music, no band. How could they dance?
Kim kept her gaze locked onto the face of her date, raising herself just slightly so that what little height difference remained faded away and her rosy lips drew closer to Shego’s own black gloss, a tiny hand lifted to caress a strong pale cheek and cup itself behind a perfect ear buried within a mass of night black hair. The smell of her diminutive wife was strong in her nose as Shego moved to kiss those lips.
Kim suddenly pulled away and was holding something small and shiny in her fingers. It was a coin.
“What? Kim…?
“You know, dance!”
Kim backed off with a huge grin on her face, turning to walk around Shego and over to the wall opposite the bar at the other side of the room. She lifted a folded tablecloth from a bulky object that Shego hadn’t noticed when they first entered. It was a Wurlitzer jukebox, amazingly preserved and intact, and Kim carefully inspected the music selection before depositing her coin and returning to her baffled date.
Behind them, the machine made a few troublesome noises as the long-playing record was maneuvered into position. Kim was also maneuvering herself around Shego, standing before the other woman once more and taking a strong hand in her smaller one, reaching behind the muscular back to carefully position her hand.
Shego sighed as, for the first time that evening, they pulled each other close and she could feel the warmth of the younger woman against her body. The thief let Kim take the lead once the dulcet tones of the Savoy Hotel Orpheans flowed across their ears.
It had to be you
It had to be you
I wandered around and finally found
The somebody who
Could make me be true
Could make me be blue
And even be glad just to be sad thinking of you
Familiar with the tune but never having actually listened to the words before, Shego was struck at how appropriate that selection was. She closed her eyes and the crowded floor of the little eatery faded away. There was meager room to move around so they stayed in one spot, gently moving and turning to the music, every curve and recess of their bodies finding pleasure in the contact of the person holding them.
Kim’s lips were moving along Shego’s face again, this time to remain.
“You are an amazing dancer.” It came as a whisper. “I could stay here all night, pressing against you.”
Shego did not reply, relishing the feel of the other girl’s hair against her neck and the supple movements of the lithe form in her arms.
Some others I've seen
Might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss
But they wouldn't do
For nobody else gave me a thrill
With all your faults, I love you still
It had to be you, wonderful you
Had to be you
The song ended with many a pop and scratch of the needle across the surface of the phonograph, but when Shego opened her eyes to the cramped room with its coarse furnishings and dim lighting, she found that it was the most welcome thing that she could have asked for at that moment.
A flurry of motion and sound from the far corner of the room and the heady, overpowering aroma of food yanked the girls back to the here and now. Their hosts had returned and Nick quickly arranged two place settings while Mama placed bowls and platters in the little space remaining. Martini watched and saw that everything met his approval, leaving only to briefly overtake Nick’s job of refilling the wine glasses again.
Dusting the bottle and leaving it on the table, the husband and wife seated the girls before disappearing once again into the kitchen, with Nick staying behind just long enough to turn off the outside lights and shutter the windows; from the outside, the eatery would appear closed for business.
“Are you still hungry? Did our dancing help to work up your appetite?” The question was simple and innocent, but elicited a reply that was not so innocent.
“Oh, yes, my appetites are definitely getting worked up.”
Apparently choosing to ignore the reply, Kim took the liberty of dispensing a small portion, only two or three mouthfuls, from each entrée onto their plates.
“You can see that Mama went overboard, but we just have to try a little bit of everything. She’ll never let me hear the end of it if we don’t.”
Shego was ravenous for food by this time and had already lifted her fork to skewer a succulent morsel when Kim had her own knife and fork over Shego’s plate. The pale woman watched in bemusement as Kim carefully sliced each and every piece of food into a small manageable bite.
“Take it slow and chew everything well. We’ll be able to enjoy it all that much better.”
Opening up to conversation, Kim made a few light comments intended to get Shego talking. The younger girl would mention some adventure that Shego had never heard of before, and Kim would them ask her date if she had ever experienced something similar. After all of the time that the two had been together, there were still so many things that they’d never thought to share about themselves or details of their lives that had never been mentioned.
And all the while, she noticed that Kimmie was inspecting every visible inch of Shego’s tall, lean body.
Everything that Shego ate, either from her own fork or from Kim’s when the younger girl demanded that she absolutely MUST try something particular at that instant, was delicious and rich. The sauces were mild and the cheeses were smooth and luxurious on her tongue. The meats were mostly lean and with just enough spices to enhance the flavors without overpowering them.
“Mmm… I don’t know that I should be eating this. To much of this and I won’t be able to fit into this dress!”
“Don’t let that stop you. What’s on the outside is to be enjoyed, it’s what’s inside that is to be loved.”
Shego stared at her date; the redhead looked embarrassed and smiled.
“I don’t mean to be forward. Please forgive me.” Kim reached for the bottle.
“More wine?”
“Yes, please. And it that’s the way you feel, I do believe that I’ll have a piece of this chicken.” Shego moved her hand towards a deep dish holding sliced chicken breasts in a thin, creamy cheese sauce and seasoned with dried tomatoes.
“Wait!”
The warrior froze.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, it’s just that cheese is very drippy and I’d hate for you get any on your gorgeous dress.” Kim caught a sliver of the tender meat on the tines of her fork and let the thin cheese slowly drip away. She held the fork over Shego’s plate but moved no closer; if Shego wanted it, she would have to take it herself.
With a sly smirk, the pale woman leaned in and plucked the meat off the utensil with her lips. She chewed until the meat was history and then rinsed her mouth clean with more of the Negro amaro. They continued to eat and talk and laugh their way through the evening, covering new ground together and not once breaking character to discuss shared knowledge.
Eventually, Shego sagged back into her chair and pushed away from the little table.
“Kim, this has been the best meal that I’ve had in a long time. Really.” She glanced around at the charming little eatery and soaked in the subtle ambiance and love that the Martini family had invested into the place. “I swear that if I eat another bite, I’ll bust through this dress!”
Rather carelessly, Shego raised a hand to massage her stomach, still lean and trim regardless of her protestations. Totally relaxed, she wiped at her mouth with a cloth napkin and looked across the table to see Kim staring at her with nothing less than arousal in the emerald eyes. The redhead had apparently lost herself while drinking in the image that she was watching from across the table.
“Kimmie?”
Shaking her head as if to clear it, the young woman in the silvery dress stood up
“Please dance with me one more time? Please?” There wasn’t even the hint of a pout, just hope.
“It will help settle our food.”
Shego nodded and stood, bringing her wine glass up with her and also reaching out to snag Kim’s from the table and hand it to the younger woman.
“To new friends.” She raised her wine in a toast.
“To new friends!”
Sipping her wine, Kim then set down her glass and produced another coin without the benefit this time of legerdemain. Walking over to the jukebox, she seemed oblivious to the way in which her date was appraising her. Still playing the role of an innocent, Kim was definitely moving with a grace and poise designed to arouse her date, there was no doubt about it.
The selection was made and the diminutive redhead was back at her side before the music started. Taking a strong green hand within a slender nimble one and another hand firmly set in the small of Shego’s back, they held each other in silence for a few more seconds. Their only movement was the expansion and contraction of their chests in the act of breathing, the flitting of their eyes over each other’s features and the beating of two hearts in sympathetic rhythms.
With the faint scratch of the needle the record began to play and Kim made the world move beneath their feet. Her cheek nestled in the hollow of Shego’s throat and the length of her body once again rested against that of the pale warrior.
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
There were no fights or battles; there was no doubt or angst, simply the warmth of the woman in her arms. A dozen failures and a thousand lonely nights of questions and fears were washed away. Any history between them wasn’t simply being ignored; it had ceased to be relevant.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
“I’ve always hoped to find a friend like you.” Kim was speaking to her now, the words sinking deep. “If you were mine, I would never let you go.”
“And if I gave myself to you?”
“Then I would love you more than anyone could ever love you.”
“What would you ask of me in return?” They continued to move together, as one, through eternity.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people goin' by
I see friends shakin' hands, saying “How do you do!”
They're really sayin' “I love you.
“Nothing… I would ask nothing of you.”
“Nothing at all? Not even love for yourself?”
The redhead lifted her face to look into twin emeralds, so like her own. She shook her head.
“Not for myself; love is to be given freely or not at all.” The hand at Shego’s back moved higher and pulled the tall woman closer. “I freely give you all of the love that I carry within me.”
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself
What a wonderful world
They stopped and Shego bent low, pulling up and lifting the slender woman up to her waiting mouth. She claimed soft lips, took the hot breath and gave her own life’s breath in return. No longer searching, no longer seeking, Shego had found what she wanted and would wait no longer. It was over a full minute before they parted.
“Oooh, yeah…”
Shego had fallen in love.
Kim had returned the impassioned kiss eagerly enough but it was she that first pulled away, the look on her face neutral. Shego stood alone while Kim walked over to the kitchen door and rapped on the sill, drawing out the Martinis who kept showing their appreciation for her patronage.
With no small amount of distress, Shego saw that they were preparing to leave.
Nick returned to the bar and adamantly refused to accept any payment for either the meal or the wine, relying on the will of Mama to not only back him up but to also force Kim to accept a small parcel as a token of their friendship.
Seeing that this was the end of their stay here, Shego was disappointed. She managed to return the waves and good wishes of their hosts but did not want the evening to end, an event that seemed to be drawing closer by their leaving this wonderful place. She let Kim pull her to the door and they bade a final good night before walking out onto the street.
“Wow, it’s getting really late! I never meant to keep you out so long.”
Shego looked at the darkened buildings and the streetlights and held her arms around herself. She almost felt like crying and she would have never admitted that to anyone upon pain of death.
“I, uh, had a really great time tonight.”
“You did?” Kim beamed at her, looking a little tired but not as disappointed as Shego felt. “I’m glad. I just hope it makes up for your date not showing up, even it was fortunate for me! I had a wonderful time, a magical time.”
Kim was looking up and down the street.
“There’s usually a taxi somewhere around here, even this late. I could get you a ride home, and…”
“Please… I don’t want the night to end just yet.” Shego reached out and turned the younger girl away from the curb. “Could you stay with me a while longer?”
Kim let herself be held, returning the embrace but not taking advantage of it for anything more intimate. Instead she smiled and nodded, pulling the taller woman with her.
“Sure, I guess that I’d like that, too. Do you live around here?”
“Not really; it’ll take us a while to walk it… if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all!” Kim let Shego lead the way.
No two ladies within a thousand miles would have been more capable of dealing with any adversity while walking so far at this time of the night, but nothing like that had occurred. Using hints and cues from old stories untold, Kim once again got Shego to talk about events and memories from her mysterious past; Kim never pried, but they talked and laughed and even danced one more time. There was no need for music that time.
The walk was a long one and the night had finally shaken of the warmth of the day; the air turned cool, making the jacket and sweater seem like good ideas. It was several blocks and residential streets before Shego came to the mailbox in front of her… their… house, but the walk had been safe and uneventful.
“This is where you live?”
“Yes.” The automatic timers had activated a few small lights around the porch so that the house was bathed in a pale glow, not enough to read by but enough to find one’s way around.
“You have a beautiful home.”
Shego turned and looked at the structure as if for the first time. It was beautiful; the home had been well built and all of the hard work since put into making it habitable made the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Shego noticed the finer touches here and there that made the place seem so… homey, and ruminated that maybe it was she that sometimes took things for granted.
“Thank you. It is, isn’t it.”
Shego turned as she was speaking, only to find that her date was no longer a few steps away anymore, but practically standing right on top of her. The diminutive redhead was so close that Shego should have felt her body heat, but must have been too distracted
The warrior closed the distance; she wanted Kim in her arms, wanted it so bad and had begun aching for this so badly during the long walk home that it was constantly on her mind now. While not having been an overt tease, Kim had made certain that any physical contact between them had been either fleeting or utilitarian or too public for Shego to just grab her and take what was desired. That was probably why Shego couldn’t feel the heat from Kim’s body; Shego was burning up all by herself.
“Well, thanks for an incredible evening!”
Huh? What did she just say to me?
“Good night…” Kim was walking off down the sidewalk.
“Hey!”
Casually pausing, Kim looked back curiously.
“Hm?”
What was she doing? Where did she think she was going?
“Um…”
She can’t just leave me like this!
“Would you want to come inside for a minute?”
“I don’t know; it’s late and you’d probably like to get some sleep.” Brows furrowed, Kim looked doubtful.
“No, please, it’s not all that late… uh, not for me. We could, um…” Desperate for something to use to keep the girl with her, her eyes darted all over the area.
“Yeah, hey, we could sit on the swing for a while, Ok? It’s not too cool for me.”
To Shego’s relief, Kim slowly ambled back to her.
“That sounds nice. Besides, I almost forgot dessert.” From behind her back she drew the parcel that Mama Martini had insisted she accept as they were leaving the restaurant. During the entire trek home, Kim had kept it down at her side and away from Shego; the taller woman had forgotten all about it.
“Oh! What’s in there?”
Kim pretended to feel the parcel carefully, as if divining when might lie beneath the paper and string.
“Beats me. Tell you what, I’ll wait out here while you see about getting us something to drink out of.” A slim finger tapped a delicate nail against the parcel; the faint ‘tink’ of glass was heard.
“Just in case?”
“Just in case.”
Shego kicked off her high-heeled shoes and pounded up the walkway to the porch and was through the door in a shot. Using all of her skills to not alert anyone else that might be asleep in the house at this time of the night, or morning, she opened the cabinet of choice and grabbed the first two cylinders that she could wrap her hands around. She spun around to run back to the open doorway but caught herself with a thought.
This is bullshit… I’m acting like some foolish teenager! Regardless, she ran back out to the front porch just as fast as she could in case her date had changed her mind!
There was nothing to fear about that; Kim had collected the dark green shoes from the walk and had made herself comfortable on the porch swing. She had removed her own shoes and Shego was surprised to see a pair of stockings wadded up beside the discarded footwear. Kim used her bare feet to keep the swing moving while she waited for her date to return.
“Look what they gave us!”
Kim displayed the bottle of Negro amaro that they had started at the restaurant. With a typical display of unladylike Kimmie behavior, the redhead pulled the cord from the bottle with her teeth and spit it out into the yard. Shego was speechless.
Kim knew that Shego had seen what she had done and blushed.
“Sorry about that! My other hand is full, so could you hold both glasses while I pour?” Shego took a seat on the swing beside Kim and held out the glasses. Kim took a close look at the glasses and grinned.
“Ok, now I think we’re even.”
Shego was blushing now because the glasses she had grabbed both had cartoon characters imprinted on them. Kim giggled as she filled both glasses but otherwise didn’t say a word.
Polishing off the last of her wine, the older woman took a peek at the remains of the parcel paper in her date’s other hand. There was something dark down in the shredded paper, two of them.
“What’ve you got there?”
“Dessert!” Holding the paper out into the faint porch lights, Shego could see two large pastries filled with dark cream.
“Cannoli?”
“Yep! Chocolate! Mama makes them herself and whipped these up special for the two of us.” The bottle empty, Kim reached back and set it down behind the swing. Taking her glass from Shego and placing the parcel between them on the seat, she lifted one of the treats and held it out to the pale woman.
“Take one small bite and tell me what you think.”
Knowing that there was a side to her Princess that might have smeared the cream across Shego’s face for a joke, she took the risk and leaned in for a taste. The anticipated prank never happened and Shego sampled the most delectable combination of chocolate and mascarpone that she had ever eaten in her life. She closed her eyes and savored it, letting the sweet flavor fill her mouth.
“Good?” Kim drained her glass after asking the question.
“Delicious!” Eyes open, Shego leaned in for another bite.
“You like me feeding you like this?” Kim set the empty glasses down on the porch beside them.
“It’s nice, yes.” She would do anything to get her closer to her Princess.
Kim smiled and held the rest of the pastry up to her face.
“Then take as much of this as you want.” She gingerly held the other half of the treat in her lips. No other invitation was necessary. Shego was upon her and claimed more than the remaining half of pastry, though it was the first victim to fall before her passion.
Strong pale green arms encircled the tiny form next to her, pulling her close and gripping her like a lifeline. Her black-glossed lips found Kim’s and the redhead was already returning the passion twofold. Seeking new treasures, hands roamed and caressed the perfect flesh, the tender flawless skin. Two slim hands held Shego’s neck while a mouth as eager and forceful as her own kissed a pale cheek and eventually found their way down to the hollow of her throat.
“Shego…”
“Hmmmm…”
“Did you forget that we’re out on the porch?”
“…”
“Would you like me to come in?”
“…”
“What?”
“… yes, please…”
“Leave the shoes. Take the cannoli.”
Holding the younger woman firmly against her chest with one arm, Shego lifted Kim bodily and stood up from the swing. Mortified that some night owl out for a walk might have spotted them, Shego grabbed the second pastry and hurried through the front door, still ajar after her desperate quest for glasses. She had an easier time shutting the door with her arms full now than she did that afternoon.
“Shego please put me down.”
The soft voice went almost unheard.
“Shego, stop. Please put me down.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Listen, you must be tired from our long walk from town.”
“Kimmie, why are you doing this to me…?” Shego was desperate to have her. Nonetheless, she set the slender girl back onto her feet and waited, feeling a pout of her own coming on, or maybe a haymaker.
“No, you don’t understand. I have to be sure that you’re not asking me inside your home for the wrong reasons.” Kim reached out in the near darkness and stroked the strong pale arms.
“I want this to be because you want it.”
“Kiiiiim…”
I want this because you are KILLING me!
Instead she counted to ten for the second time that day, walking to the kitchen and placing the cannoli on the counter top. When she returned to the hallway Kim was still there.
“Tell me what you want us to do.”
“I want us to go upstairs to our… my bedroom.”
“You’re sure about that?”
“Very.”
Kim smiled and came towards Shego, arms held out as if to embrace her. When Shego raised her own arms to return the spontaneous hug, Kim bent her knees and pulled Shego backwards, letting the taller woman’s body bend at the waist and rest in her arms.
“Kim! What are you doing?”
“Carrying you upstairs.”
Shego held onto the slim shoulders as Kim balanced the weight and kept her back straight.
“What are you thinking? I must weigh half again what you do!”
“Hm, at least!” There was a chuckle in the redhead’s voice as she steadily walked to the stairs and climbed them easily. Certainly nothing as grandiose as two or three at a time, but a measured pace nonetheless.
“You don’t have to do this!”
“Yeah, I do.”
Reaching the top step, Kim paused and looked to Shego expectantly; it was several seconds before the woman with the black hair remembered that Kim wasn’t supposed to know which room was hers. After a gesture in the right direction, Kim turned down the hall and found the room, gently lowering Shego to the bed. It was at this point that Kim came the closest to breaking character.
Shego swung out her legs and swiveled on the bed, making to lean forward and yank the younger woman on top of her while they were both fully clothed. Kim deftly avoided the attack by bringing both arms in towards her chest and thrusting them out and apart, deflecting the two pale arms as they moved in.
There was a low growl and the hands at the end of those arms glowed with the faintest aura of green.
“Not so fast. We’re here and you’ve told me that this is what you want. But first, we’re going to remove these beautiful dresses. I know that I’d like to be able to see you again, and maybe wearing that same dress.” Kim backed away from the bed, making room.
“If you’ll stand up and turn around, I’ll undress you.”
Without their shoes, the height difference had returned, and when Shego turned her back she could picture Kim reaching up to her eye level for the zipped between the pale green shoulder blades. She had taken off her jacket by herself, eager to avoid giving her date one more reason to prolong her agony. The zipper started its slow journey downwards.
She could feel hot breath against her back as more and more of her skin was exposed to the night air.
“Are you cold?”
She could not answer, shaking with anticipation and desire; this agony had to end soon or she would explode.
“Let me warm you.”
Contact as a flawless cheek was pressed against her back, followed by the same hot breath. The dress was removed; there was no bra and the silken panties were removed with a clinical hand. Shego still had her back to the slender girl and was about to turn around when the soft voice came again.
“Please lay down.”
As she complied, she met with yet more frustration as gentle hands directed her motions so that Shego would be lying on her stomach. Damn it, how much longer?
“Kim, please, I…”
“Shhhh.”
“I can’t…”
“It’s Ok. It’s all right. I’m not going anywhere.” The voice was assuring and firm.
“Tell me how this feels…”
About to ask for an explanation, Shego clenched her fists as nimble fingers began to massage the soles and heels of her feet. So aroused had she become upon reaching home that she had ignored the toll the long walk had taken on her feet and legs. Moving upwards as if precipitating her thoughts, the same fingers gently flexed her ankles and deeply manipulated the tired muscles of her calves.
“You are the most beautiful creature that I have ever seen.”
“mmmm…”
A warm softness had been steadily moving upwards from the areas being touched. After a few seconds it became clear that the sensation was… familiar. It was when the hands began to knead her thighs that she made a startling realization; the ‘warm softness’ was the naked body of Kim Possible.
“You are a very special woman.”
Little attention was given to her buttocks, but the feeling of hard nipples being dragged across her rump more than made up for that. Firm hands were working on the tight muscles of her waist and back; Shego was thankful that she had never been especially ticklish.
Before the hands could climb higher, the weight was off of her legs and she felt her date straddling her on the bed.
“Please look up at me.”
Shego turned over on the bed, having the room to move now that Kim had lifted herself. The slim redhead waited until Shego was on her back before Kim sat down gently on the long pale thighs. The ponytail was gone, a mop of red tresses brushing across pink shoulders and only the eyes were bright in the dim room. Breasts, petite but full and firm, thrust proudly as Kim reached down with one hand to tenderly stroke Shego’s face.
“Tell me why you are so special.”
This was too much. The early anger of the late afternoon and the mystery and the delightful evening had run Shego through a gamut of emotions. The food and the drink and the conversation with her ‘date’ had appealed to facets of her personality that were rarely allowed to sparkle, but sparkle they had. This diminutive creature, this ‘stranger’ she had met on the street had wooed her in a way that no one, NO ONE, else had ever done before.
Her voice would not obey her.
“Please, tell me why you are so special.”
I have no reason to want to cry, so why are my eyes burning?
“Kim…”
“Please.”
“Because you love me?”
“You being special has nothing to do with me.” Kim lowered herself beside her ‘date’, lying almost on top of Shego but not with her full weight.”
“Because…”
“Hmm?”
“Because it’s my birthday.” The words caught a little on their way out.
“That’s why it’s such a special night, but the reason you’re special is because of the light you bring into the lives of everyone who loves and cares for you.”
The tears were flowing down past her ears and soaking into her pillow. She reached up to grab her lover and pulled her close; Kim did not resist and gave herself willingly to Shego with all of the love that she carried within her.
“Thank you, Princess, for tonight and every night.”
“Happy Birthday, baby. I love you so much.”
Dreams and memories share one trait; events that span years can be recalled and relived in a flash, filling the gap between now and now. Kim Possible awoke from a sound sleep to find herself plastered against the side of her sleeping lover and spouse, an embarrassing puddle of drool under her chin.
Relieved that there were apparently several hours until dawn, Kim wondered what had awoken her. The house and room were quiet, and the night was still warm and clear. She pondered in her half-waking state what could have roused her, when sound and movement from her partner offered up an answer.
“… oh, Shego, not again…”
Her lover was asleep but that did not stop her from pleasuring herself.
Kim realized that her wife was probably remembering the special birthday treat again. Smiling as she closed her eyes and returned to sleep, Kim took the liberty of placing her own slim hand atop that of her wife, not too proud to join in when Shego was reliving that night. It had been an amazing and wonderful experience for both of them.
“…hhmmm, Kimmie…”
With a rueful grin, Kim dropped off to sleep, but not before the memory of a similar event flashed through her own head.
To Be Continued…
Author’s Notes: That was the first part of my story, hopefully to be enjoyed by fans of KiY’s ‘Best Enemies’ universe. Because it was my intent to draw out the plot as long as was comfortable, or beyond, this chapter is much longer than the next will be. Martini’s is obviously lifted from the film ‘It's a Wonderful Life’ and is used without permission. ‘It Had to Be You’ was written by Gus Kahn and Isham Jones and was performed for us by Julie Dawn with Carroll Gibbons and the Savoy Hotel Orpheans. ‘What a Wonderful World’ was written by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele and was preformed for us by the late, great Louis Armstrong.