Tigger ran through the forest, scaring the small creatures that came out at night. Whenever he was uncertain of where he was supposed to be heading, he would just stay still and listen.
There it was. A high-pitched whistle. His master called.
Before long, his eyes could see a shining wall in front of him. Pausing for just one second, he let out an anxious whine. He could see his master and his family on the other side, but his master seemed not to notice him! His beloved master put the whistle to his lips again and blew.
No time to think! His master called! Tigger plunged through the barrier, yelping in surprise when he felt… nothing. Not pausing to ponder the ramifications of that, he jumped onto his master, attacking him with frantic kisses.
‘ImissedyouImissedyouImissedyouImissedyou!’ Tigger was so happy! And his master was happy to see him to! He had milkbones! He LOVED his master!
“Good boy! Who's a good boy? Tigger's my good boy!”
Tigger wagged his tail as hard as he could, trying to show how happy he was and tried to do all the tricks he could do at once to please his master, from ‘shake’ to ‘roll over’ to ‘jump’ and everything else he could think of in his excitable state. A collar and leash was put on the squirming puppy.
“Go back.” Tigger obeyed. Turning to trot at a slow pace back through the shining wall, he stopped to see if his master was following him. But he wasn't! Tigger let out a bark, but his master seemed to not notice and looked around unseeingly.
“Tigger, come back here baby!”
Tigger obeyed and walked back to his master, who seemed astonished to see him, as if he had come out from nowhere! Tigger tilted his head to the side as his master turned towards his friends.
“Did you see that?” Jim asked Monique, Tim and Ron. They all nodded. Jim's dog had appeared out of nowhere, disappeared, then reappeared again when Jim called.
“There must be some kind of invisible barrier…” Ron mused.
“Uh-huh, uh-huh!” Rufus nodded, agreeing. Unlike the humans, Rufus could see the barrier just fine.
“So we can't get in.” Jim thought darkly. He nodded almost absentmindedly and snapped his fingers. Tigger walked over to his master's side, looking up at Jim with an adoring expression on his canine face. The redheaded boy smiled down at his pet and rubbed Tigger's head affectionately. That bushy tail thumped on the forest floor happily and Tigger let out a grunt of pleasure when Jim scratched him behind his ears.
“Go back, okay Tigger? Go back.” Taking off the collar and leash, Jim pulled out a ziplock bag from his pocket. Opening it, he took out a sock he had found underneath his sister's bed. It was unwashed, and yes, it was nasty. But Jim knew for a fact that it was what Tigger would need to find Kim. Holding the sock out to the dog who sniffed it carefully, Jim repeated the command. “Find Kim. Find Kim, okay? Find!”
Tigger barked happily then bounded away.
It was back to routine now that Xaio Qing was gone. Training in the daylight, homework at night. They had grown irrevocably closer. Shego allowed more touching, Xaio Qing's hibernation having mellowed her out. When Kim would pounce on Shego with surprise hug attacks, Shego would let her. Sure, the dark-haired woman would mutter mutinously, but she didn't pull away like before. In fact, sometimes she would place her hands on Kim's arms in a reply to the hug, just a few seconds of resting her hands on top of Kim's embrace, then letting go. And sometimes, of her own volition, she would maybe reach out and touch her. Maybe to grab her wrist and squeeze it lightly. Or Shego would trip Kim, or pinch her or something else juvenile that would result in a playful bout of fighting. Kim liked it most, though, when Shego on the guise of fixing Kim's hair, would run her fingers lightly through her red locks.
Shego had shortened Kim's hair to the nape of her neck, and though Kim was loathe to give the already proud Shego a compliment; the haircut hadn't been as painful as she thought it would be. Because of the way Kim had butchered her hair off, the back was short but the top and front of Kim's hair was long. So Shego had just snipped away.
“Its… nice.” Kim pulled at a lock of hair, amazed at the work Shego had done on it.
“Isn't it?” Shego was busy mussing up Kim's hair. “Quick fix until you grow it long again. See? Its manageable, and you don't look half-bad with it. Good thing you had such a great barber, right?”
“Patting yourself on the back a bit too much, aren't we?” Kim rolled her eyes. Turning her head this side and that to look at how the sides of her head looked, Kim couldn't help but be pleased. The hairstyle did fit her really well!
“Hey, I just worked a miracle with something that was barely salvageable. I can't help it if I'm good at EVERYTHING.” Shego twirled the scissors in her hand expertly and raised them up to blow imaginary smoke from their sharp tips. “I mean, I managed to make even Kim Possible look good. You're lucky I'm so talented.” Shego paused, waiting for a reaction. When she got none, she decided to drop the little gem she had tucked away. In an omnious voice, Shego said jokingly, “Anything's possible for Shego.”
“Copyright laws, Shego. You're breaking every one of them.” Kim groaned at Shego's twist on the Possible motto. “Horribly. So horribly.”
Shego knelt down in front of Kim and grinned up at the redhead, changing the subject. “You look like one of those flappers from the 20's. Nice.”
Kim felt herself grow warm at the near proximity of Shego, but tried her best to hide it with sarcasm. “Still complimenting your work?”
“No, really.” Shego said sincerely. She moved to the back and placed both hands on Kim's shoulders. “Look at yourself.”
Kim did. She saw herself, green eyes and bobbed red hair. Though she was out in the sun all the time, her skin had somehow retained the creamy white complexion that was the signature of the Possible women. And Kim also saw Shego right behind her, one side of her mouth pulled up in an amused smile. A slender finger poked the side of Kim's face, and that half-smile of Shego's burst into a full-fledged grin. “You look great.”
Kim Possible turned around in surprise. This was by far the most honest and most blatant compliment Kim could remember Shego ever giving her. Kim looked back at the mirror again, then back to Shego who was stunned by the genuineness of Kim's smile.
“Thank you.”
Maybe they saw different things in the mirror. Shego saw a beautiful woman. Kim saw the beautiful woman who made her beautiful.
They spent time together, alone. And both silently agreed that they didn't want to share each other with the world yet, didn't want to go to She Cun yet. One moon since Xaio Qing left and they were still on Er Mei. One moon since the haircut. So much time together, the days seemed to stretch forward but were never long enough. Long enough that Shego had relaxed back into the routine of falling asleep in Kim's bed at night.
It was on one of those nights that they had somehow delved into the topic of their families.
“They're a pain, you know, but the're good kids.” Kim said fondly of her brothers.
“I remember them when Drakken used that mind control chip.” Shego’s face darkened at the memory. “Gotta thank them for that, actually.”
“Oh my god,” laugh Kim. “I remember how angry you were!”
“You didn’t have to tell him he was a genius after every dumb thing he said! He *made* me tell him he was a genius.” Shego paused to let that sink in a bit. She grabbed her chest in mock-pain. “It was PAINFUL. It HURT me to listen to him! I was seriously in physical pain. But I couldn’t do anything about it. And his jokes… god… his jokes…”
“So then the amoeba looked at the micro-organism and said ‘oh my god! You can talk!’” Drakken finished his joke excitedly.
Wade, Ron and Rufus groaned.
“Please stop!” begged Ron.
“How did you fall in with Drakken anyways?” Kim hugged a pillow close to her.
Shego shrugged. “Answered his ad in the help wanted section of ‘The Villainous Times’.” Shego recited the words of the ad that changed her life forever. “Blue-skinned evil genius looking for ambitious sidekick. Hours flexible. Vacation time. Bonuses. Experience not required. Dollar sign, dollar sign, dollar sign.”
Kim was grasping her sides and laughing so hard that tears were springing from the corners of her eyes.
“You, he…” Kim gasped. “Wooo… okay. I’m calm.” Kim couldn’t help the grin on her face though. “He placed an ad in the paper? And you answered it?!”
“Flexible hours!” Shego exclaimed defensively. “Dollar sign, dollar sign, dollar sign!”
“Come on! Flexible hours?” A thought suddenly occurred to Kim. “You’re not saying he plans all of evil schemes around your schedule?”
“He best. Or else I get OT.”
Kim didn’t know whether to take Shego seriously or not.
“Okay, time for lights out.” Shego stretched, but made no move to go. Instead, she just rolled under the blankets. Their relationship was blurring again. Stepping over that line that shouldn't be stepped over, a line Shego had drawn and all but triple-dog-dared Kim to cross it with their casual closeness. Kim waited patiently, keeping awake and listening to Shego's breathing. When a significant amount of time had passed and Kim assumed Shego thought she was asleep, the dark-haired woman would carefully move closer and draw Kim close. They would both pretend nothing happened in the morning. But Kim felt so… settled in those arms that held her so tightly.
They had settled into a comfortable routine, where waking up to each other and being around each other was normal.
“What's the occassion?” Kim raised an eyebrow. The morning air was chilly, and Kim could see her breath. After breakfast, the two had walked leisurely down to the bottom of Er Mei's stone steps. In exercise clothes that hardly kept the cold out, Kim jumped from one foot to the other, trying to keep warm in between stretching her muscles.
“I propose a race. Up the mountain.” Shego pointed upwards. “To the pagoda.”
Kim nodded and hefted some stone weights onto her back and grinned cockily at Shego. “Want a head start?”
Kim easily ducked Shego's half-hearted kick and started up the steps laughing, followed quickly by Shego. Their race was more of a war up the mountain. The ‘race’ consisted of the upward climb, of course. But it also consisted of the two contestants trying to hold each other back, by any means necessary. If they had an audience, the audience would be cringing at the sight of the two knocking each other down the steps. Their vicious attacks, if successful, were returned just as quickly. It was way past midday when they reached the pagoda, both severely bruised and aching all over.
“I… win…” Shego pushed Kim aside as she collapsed into the sheltering pagoda. The day had warmed considerably. Still enough of a bite in the air to remind the two women it was very close approaching winter. Kim fell down next to Shego with a groan and shoved the dark-haired villainess weakly. Shego raised her arm to retaliate, but on second thought let it drop, too tired to do anything.
“That… was… fun.”
Shego had to agree.
A lot of people would disagree with their idea of ‘fun’.
From her position on the floor, if Kim craned her neck backwards, she could see the sky between the frames of the pagoda. Half-hoping to see the xian he.
“Hey Shego, when does the xian he usually come?”
Shego shrugged. “Dunno. He comes when he wants and leaves when he wants.”
“It'd be nice to see him,” Kim mused. Her innocent wanting was so… childishly endearing. Shego rolled onto her side and propped her head up with an elbow to look down at Kim. Kim tilted her head to one side and smiled sweetly up at Shego.
“What?”
Before either of them knew what was happening, Shego had closed the distance and kissed her. Just a kiss that barely lasted a second. Shego parted briefly to look at Kim's stunned face. Cupping that face tenderly, Shego leaned down and kissed Kim again, this time lingering longer. Parted again and waited for Kim's reaction. Pushing up, Kim looked at Shego. The brunette regarded the redhead seriously, her hand wandering to Kim's hair to run her fingers through the boyishly short locks. In a sudden move, she grasped Kim's head and pulled her towards her. That movement freed Kim of her paralysis, her arm locking under Shego's arms as she groaned into that mouth that was just taking all her words away.
Just as suddenly as the kiss started, Kim pushed away.
“Kim?”
Kim was gone, hurrying away from the pagoda and down the steps of Er Mei. Shego watched the redhead running away and lay back down.
“Fuck.”
Dinner was tense and quiet. Shego hadn't attempted to talk to Kim until she had fixed up something to eat. Even then, they sat in silence.
Shego cleared her throat. Kim continued eating as if she hadn't heard a thing.
“Kim.” Shego put down her chopsticks.
“Yes, Shego?” Kim kept her voice pleasantly neutral.
“Are you… okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“…okay…” Shego picked up her chopsticks and attempted to eat again, but ended up putting the chopsticks down again. “Why did you run away?”
Kim took a sip of hot tea. On the surface, she seemed cool, calm and detached from the situation. But since Shego kissed her in the pagoda, the careful rules she had set for herself had shattered and she was back to where she started. Utterly confounded by the enigma which was Shego. Wanting her, needing her… all these things she had bottled up was multiplied and flooded out to consume her. But the rules had worked before… maybe if she kept them up a bit longer…
“Why did you kiss me?” Kim didn’t answer Shego’s question, but instead threw back another question. When Shego didn't answer, Kim continued. “Why? Was it because you suddenly felt like messing me up? Is that it?”
“Don't try to act like a victim!” Shego was quick to point out. “Don't even try to tell me you didn't like it!”
“I'm not saying that, am I?” Kim finally lost her cool. “God, you're so frustrating!”
“How am I frustrating? You're frustrating!”
“Shego…” Kim rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I just want to know why. You've been telling me not to… you know… and I…” Kim looked down at her empty rice bowl, her voice lowering to a whisper. “You… know. That I… still like you.”
“Then why did you run away?” demanded Shego, just now realizing why she was so angry. Shego had known that Kim still had a thing for her. The touching, the teasing, the blatant flirting. When Kim had ran away, Shego had been confused and just a little afraid that she had read Kim wrong. To cover up her insecurities, Shego had fallen back on the safest emotion she knew: anger. Unfortunately, though she was aware of that fact, she couldn't force herself to change it.
“What do you want, Shego?” Kim held out her hands helplessly. “What do you want from me?”
Shego's hands gripped the edges of the low table she was eating at, angry at the questions. Didn't know why she was just angry. “What do *you* think I want from you?” Shego's voice roughened to a growl. “I just… want you.”
Silence reigned in the dining hall.
“That's just great.” Kim got up from the table.
“What?” Shego got up almost simultaneously with Kim. She caught the redhead's wrist before she could make her escape. “Isn't this what you want?”
“No! If you… you totally read me wrong!”
Shego pulled the resisting Kim close. “Then why not?” Her breath was hot against Kim's neck and she leaned down to--
“Stop!” Kim pulled away and before she knew it, Shego was nursing her cheek, wide-eyed and furious at being slapped.
“You hit me!”
“Okay,” Kim held up her hands. “Okay. I'm sorry. Please Shego. Just hear me out before we throw down.” Kim could see Shego trying to physically restrain herself and launched into her tirade before Shego could change her mind. “I really like you, Shego.”
“Then why not?!” Shego growled. The woman knew she sounded like a brat, but it didn't make sense to her. Kim was attracted to her. She was attracted to Kim. What was so wrong about letting out some steam? What didn't Kim get about Shego wanting her?
“You're just, is sex all you think about?!” Kim's face had reddened. “I *like* you, Shego!”
“Sex has to do with the culmination of two people liking each other!”
“Yes and no!” Kim was on the verge of angry tears and the thought of slapping Shego again was oddly satisfying. “Liking someone for me is more than just… sex!” Kim covered her face, trying to calm herself down. “Shego, you don't understand at all. I really like you. And you're just… do you just want me for the sex? Is that all I am? Because I don't think I want to do that.”
“What about last time?”
Kim pursed her lips together. “Last time was really good. It was special to me, Shego. But I don't know if it was special for you. I don't want to be just another person you sleep with. I don't want to just sleep with you because you have an itch that needs to be scratched and I'm just convenient. That's how I feel last time was for you. Do you like me, Shego?”
Shego refused to look Kim in the eye.
“If you don't, then I don't want to do this.” Kim said firmly, even though she was screaming at herself inside. Shego wanted her, wasn't that enough? It would feel so good to give in. She'd been flirting with Shego the whole time. Wasn't this what she was asking for?
‘Say something…’ Kim urged Shego in her mind.
‘Say something!’ Shego urged herself, but she couldn't find the words. Shego still couldn't find the words to say as Kim left the dining hall.
“Shego, you idiot.” Kim muttered under her breath as she walked dejectedly back to her room. “Shego you idiot.” Kim repeated as she threw herself down angrily at her table and started writing lines, immersing herself in work so she wouldn't have to think about Shego. Unfortunately, her subconscious was working against her, and before she knew it, she had written an angrily-worded letter to Shego. Twelve pages of angry words, actually.
‘Shego you idiot!’ Kim got up angrily and gathered her clothing for a bath. Passing by Shego's room, she could see the clear outline of Shego in her room. Kim paused outside Shego's door for just a few seconds. Shego seemed to sense her, and Kim could see her outline turn towards the door. Not wanting to be caught standing outside the villainess’ door, Kim hurried on her way to the bath. Stripping in the outer room, she entered the bath area. Quickly taking a small wooden tub set on the side of the pool, she drenched herself head to toe with water. Her short hairstyle made it easy for Kim to maintain, washing it didn't take as long as it did when she had long hair. Rinsing off the suds with another couple of tubs of water, Kim slipped into the natural springs. Letting out a blissful sigh, she completely submerged herself into the water. The soothing ritual of washing herself made her forget briefly why she was so desperately in need of something relaxing.
The sound of the door opening quickly brought her back to reality. There was the object of her affection/frustration/anger all rolled into one, at the door. With nothing but a towel on. And soon, that was discarded carelessly on the floor.
“What are you doing?” Kim had to clear her throat several times before she could get the question out. Kim was sitting at the opposite end of the pool facing the door into the baths. She had a perfect view of the pale-skinned villainess slipping into the water, barely making a ripple.
“I'm finishing our argument.” Shego headed straight to Kim. The redhead reached back with both arms, attempting to pull herself out of the pool. She wasn't as fast as Shego though, who had both hands clamped down on Kim's shoulders and had climbed into Kim's lap. “About what you said.” The air hissed in in between Kim's clenched teeth. Her body felt like it had been lit on fire. Kim was aware of Shego pressed so intimately against her underneath the water… the barest shift… oh god…
“I like you.” Shego leaned down, forearms propping her up against Kim's shoulders, hands idly stroking Kim's bangs away from her forehead. “I like you, not because you think I want to get rid of some sexual frustration. Is this what you want to hear me say?”
Shego's breasts were pressed up against Kim's. Kim could feel every breath Shego was taking. “You're not an itch that needs to be scratched. You were something more when I kissed you inside the pagoda.”
A smile finally blossomed on Kim's face as she realized Shego was blushing.
“I show how I feel best with actions, not words. Words… are embarassing. And they could be misinterpreted. I should've known only you would've misinterpreted my actions.” Shego's vulnerable look vanished as a predatory one took its place. “Words could never show you what my actions can.”
On top of Kim, with her long black hair making a canopy around them, Kim leaned her head back into Shego's arm that had moved to pillow the back of Kim's neck. Her own hands strayed to Shego's lean and muscular back, down to stroke strong thighs. It had been so long… Kim guided Shego into a slow rhythym and Shego obligingly followed that rhythym, rubbing against Kim at a slow steady pace as they kissed each other lightly, testingly.
“Shego…”
Her name on Kim's lips urged Shego onwards. Foreheads pressed together, Kim let out a cry as fingers entered her. It had been so long since she had felt herself filled. Clenching around those slim intruders, she could feel herself milking them for the pleasure they gave her. Kim let go of Shego now and her hands grappled wildly behind her to grab a hold onto something as she bucked upwards with a cry to welcome Shego's delicious touch eagerly.
“Woah,” Shego grinned, quickly repositioning herself so one knee was on the smooth rocky shelf Kim was sitting on, and a foot on the bottom of the pool to keep her balance. She held Kim close to her, delighting in the fact that she could feel every quiver of muscle along the length of Kim Possible's body.
“Kim!” Shego's eyes suddenly widened in surprise as she felt the redhead's knee nudge against her groin. Hands on Shego's hips insistantly pressed Shego down against the body part that was rubbing against her most intimate area, and Shego looked down at Kim incredulously. The redhead's eyes were half-lidded with pleasure, but that leering grin on her face told Shego she knew exactly what she was doing.
“God, Kimmie… when did you… become so…” Shego closed her eyes and doubled over, hugging Kim close to her with the one arm that she had free.
“Do you think maybe we're moving too fast?” Kim snuggled closer to Shego. After their ‘bath', they had retired to Kim's room.
“Hm?” Shego woke up and looked at Kim blearily. The day's exercise, not to mention their escapades in the bath had left both of them drained. Shego had quickly succumbed to sleep while Kim lay awake pondering these exciting new developments in their relationship.
“Sleeping?” Kim smiled down at Shego. Shego replied with a smirk and a kiss. “I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep.”
“No, what were you saying?” In that happy place right after a bath and sex, Shego was more compliant than usual.
“Do you think we're moving too fast?” Kim repeated the question. Shego settled in Kim's arm, a thoughtful look on her face. Kim's eyebrows raised to almost her hairline as one of Shego's hands wandered underneath the t-shirt Kim wore to bed.
“Well,” Shego's fingers tickled Kim's side. “Don't you think its a little too late to be bringing that up?”
“I guess…” Kim closed her eyes. She had a lot of questions, but she'd have more than enough time to ask them in the morning. But just one more… “Are we… going out?”
“Is that what you want?” Shego asked, genuinely wanting to do whatever Kim felt like.
“Well, if someone asks, what should I say we are?” Kim blushed. In the dark, the redhead didn't see the other woman frown.
“Actually, Kimmie…” Shego sat up on the bed. “I'd… rather you not tell people about this.”
“What?” It was Kim's turn to frown. “Why not?”
“Well… just… I'm a really private person. I'd rather it not get around. Plus, I don't want ah Fong to find out.”
“Do you still like her?” Kim couldn't help that surge of jealousy. It was understandable, right? Shego and Fong had a rather bittersweet parting. And it didn't seem like either of them willingly wanted to break up. There were circumstances beyond their control. So if things were right again, would they…?
“Well, we're on good terms. But no. Its just… Kimmie, I'm just not comfortable with people knowing my weaknesses.”
“Weaknesses?”
“You're one of my weaknesses now. You're one of the few things I care about.” Shego lay back down, feeling Kim's satisfaction in Shego's answer. The answer Shego gave, however, was just one of the many reasons why Shego didn't want people to know, but not the main one…
Kim fell asleep quickly, but Shego had a harder time going back to sleep now as worry gnawed at her gut. She would have to clarify to Kim in the morning what she meant by ‘not tell anyone’. Nobody must know. Rumours couldn't happen, like with Michelle. Shego watched Kim sleeping peacefully. She reached up and brushed her thumb against Kim's lower lip. So beautiful…
‘When did you take me?’ Shego wondered to herself. She did like Kim Possible. She did. The redhead had worn her down with her constant casual touches until Shego couldn't imagine living without them. It wasn't just this incredible physical attraction either. Kim Possible was, by anyone's standards, a catch. She was charming, beautiful, witty, smart, and she saved the world a lot. And the thing about opposites attracting… Shego couldn't pinpoint the one time and place when she actually started to LIKE having Kim Possible around, but that didn't matter now, did it?
‘You're something else, you know that right, Kimmie?’ Shego carefully extracted herself from Kim's arms. Unable to control herself, Shego leaned down and kissed Kim. Even deep in dreamland, Kim returned the kiss unconsciously. Shego couldn't resist Kim even if she tried. Couldn't resist. She was so irresistible.
But right now, Shego couldn't sleep.
Leaving the bed quietly, the pale-skinned woman tiptoed out of the room, Shego walked through the courtyard and into the dining hall. Even though everything was shrouded in darkness, the screen on the dias seemed to glow. Hesitantly, Shego walked step by slow step towards the screen. When she was in front of it, she knelt down and reverently pulled the sheet down.
A green snake curled across half of the silk screen. Shego's eyes trailed over the length of the green snake while her hand traced the masterfully done work. Each scale on the green snake had been lovingly stitched on. Each scale individual, slight nuances in the detail made each green flake different from the other but allowed it to mesh together in beautiful harmony. On the half of the screen the green snake didn't occupy, the beginnings of a black snake grew. Like the green snake, the work was masterfully done, like a bold stroke of ink with green undertones that shimmered iridescently.
Shego bowed her head forward, palm pressed against the screen. In this desert of despair, she had found an oasis in Kim. But Shego was always aware that the desert loomed endlessly and would engulf her refuge in a second…
endnote: waited long enough for this, right? ;)