“Shego?” Kim was brushing her hair as I watched, my head hanging upside-down off of her bed. “Why are you so alright with wearing a collar and having to have me walk you around everywhere?”
I thought about it, trying to pick exactly what to say without making it too emotional or weak sounding, “Why do you ask Pumpkin?”
She turned from her mirror, her brush caught in a small knot, “I’ve never seen you so relaxed about someone being in charge over you. Ever Dr. Drakken didn’t get this kind of power over you, and he was your boss.”
I frowned, “I don’t trust him to do the right thing though. You on the other hand don’t step all over my rights as a person…even if I am your pet, your…property.”
Kim put the brush down and walked over to the bed, stooping down so her eyes were level with mine, “You are not my property. It’s legal fiction that you’re even my pet. I just can’t stand to see someone killed. Dr. Director and I have major thing in common. We both believe that everyone deserves a chance. It’s naive, and overly heroic, but it’s my belief.”
I smiled, “I’m glad for your beliefs Princess…if it wasn’t for them I’d be buried in some unmarked grave in the middle of nowhere in the name of protecting the people. Which I want to add is bull, because the worst I ever do is crack a few bones…well save for the time I accidentally broke your wrist I mean.”
She stood up and headed towards the mirror again, “Not the first broken bone I’ve ever gotten, but it was one of the more inconvenient. But if it wasn’t for the challenges you gave me, I’d never push myself as hard.” Her voice was one of gratitude but it had a pang of sadness in it too.
“You don’t like it when we fight do you Princess?” I was curious now. I’d never had a chance to talk to her like this before; it was a chance to finally understand the girl I faced. She was interesting to see, to be around, to fight, but was nicer to sleep against.
So many layers to one person, so many layers that I couldn’t understand, but I still enjoyed knowing her.
I’m far too sentimental about my work I suppose. But it’s my guilty little secret that my opponent means a lot to me. Something that I’m not even sure she knows.
“Exactly…the few times we worked together we did better than when we were on opposite sides. You know it just as well as I do, but you keep trying to get me upset with you…to drive me away…why?”
“That Princess is a question I can’t answer so easily.” I rolled onto the bed, pulling the quilt over me, and trying to go to sleep. After all it’s easier to sleep than to be honest with myself.
Kim wasn’t there when I woke up. She wasn’t there.
It felt like there was ice in my chest as I realized that she had left without telling me.
I slid out of the bed and stumbled through the house slowly. “Damn it…Kim…So much for a chance of a snow day.” I frowned and curled back up under the quilt, trying to decide what to do.
I didn’t have to choose though as I drifted off to sleep again.
“Shego! I’m home!” It was Kim’s voice, which stirred me from my sleep. Sleeping was really all I had the energy to do thanks to the girl not being around. I’m not by habit a lazy creature, but if there is nothing to do, I fall into a rut.
A rut I had found myself in during the day.
I crawled out of the bed and hoped I didn’t look like I’d been sleeping all day.
The red head came up the stairs followed by the brunette who I had to found out yesterday, was named Bonnie.
“Sorry for ducking out on you this morning. You looked jus so peaceful lying there, so I decided to just let you sleep.” Kim was apologizing to me…it was a strange thing to feel her words so kindly put, rather than having her yelling at me to give up. But that’s me being sentimental, for no real reason.
“Oh.” I couldn’t think of much else to say beyond that.
“So Kim…why the pet exactly? Much less one that looks so human?” Bonnie was smiling. It was obvious that she was trying to irritate Kim. “Do you harbor a desire for a personal…slave of some sort?”
Kim shrugged off the verbal prodding effortlessly as she set down her book bag. “Alright Bonnie, enough trying to harass me for fifteen minutes so we can pick a project for our presentation for class.”
“We should do it on her.” Bonnie was looking right at me.
“Bonnie!” Kim was flustered. I on the other hand was curious about the idea. A project about me?
“Why not? She -is- a firefly right? She’d be perfect for Biology class.” She was staring at me again, this time with a smile on her face that was interesting, not to mention, a little creepy, to see.
One of my hands lit up as I casually waved it about before snuffing it out, “Last time I checked, Bonnie, that’s what they say. And while a project about me is a curious idea, I’d prefer not to end up the subject of some Biology project.”
The girl pouted, and leaned in towards me, “But you’d make a very attractive project.”
I was blushing, I could tell. “Kim…I need to talk to Bonnie…in private.”
Kim shrugged, “I’ll whip up some snacks or something. Bonnie…let me know when you’re actually ready to work on this project.” The teenager, who was also my Mistress and owner, at least for now, walked down the stairs, leaving me with the brunette.
“So…Bonnie…why is it you have such an interest in me? I highly doubt I’m the first pretty girl to wander into your sights.” I sat down on the bed, leaning back a bit, my arms holding me up as I waited for an answer.
“I…err…It’s complicated.”
I smiled, “Try me. If you’re going to be hanging around my Mistress for a while, the least I can do is know why you’re so curious in me. Is it because I’m female? Is it so you can bug Kim?”
“Both.” She looked away, “I’ve been trying to come out to the one person who’d accept me…but every time I try…well…I either can’t get her alone…or I panic and lash out. I figured if I tried to hit on you…she’d catch on.”
Inside I felt a slight twinge. Competition…that’s what this girl was. “If I…If I agree to do your little project…will you …will you own up to her how you feel or just drop it?” It was a risky idea, but it left the brunette with little room for beating around the bush about her feelings.
I almost felt my heart stop as she nodded, “Alright…but after this project…please. If things are going to be complicated between me and her…I’d rather it happen later…”
I nodded, “Deal.”
I curled up next to my sleeping Mistress. Sooner or later I’d have to confess to her how I felt. While she was sleeping would have to be as a time as any.
“Kim…I just wanted to say…thanks…and maybe…one day…I can actually tell you how much I actually care.”
I chewed on my lip. Yes…this would be enough to repress the urge to pounce on her and confess it while being sultry and lusting.
It was silly…but I wanted to give Kim a chance to choose. Between me…and what little I knew of Bonnie from how she acted it seems that Kim attracted bad girls. It made me wonder what kind of bad girl could interest her.
It was silly really, to think like that. But curiosity was getting the better of me again.
It always did.
A/N: Obviously I’m leading this somewhere…with conflicting interests of course. I love being a weird dork. It lets me get away with this stuff.