Author's note:
Heyyyy so I got this one-shot for you! Again, it s based of my headcanon that Mei mei developes a crush on Tigress, and it isn't till later that she grows out of it. Anyway, enjoy!
Mei mei swore to herself that one day she wouldn't be in love with her.
That day was. by all means, not looking like it was going to be today was probably the exact opposite.
(today she was finding even more things to fall in love with.)
Mei mei was practicing her ribbon dancing by the peach groves. It was sunny, and there wasn't any wind. It was such a beautiful day. Just like herself, she thought. And that's when she came by. Master Tigress.
Mei Mei had to admit it, Tigress was probably one of the reasons she wasn't straight. And if anyone asked her why she was bisexual, she could easily just point at the master and she was sure it would explain itself out. It probably made the panda's crush on her a bit more understandabe.
"Hello Mast- Tigress," she greeted, reminding herself to drop formalities, like Tigress had told her to do a while ago. 'After all we are friends, right?' the feline reasoned. (Just friends though.)
Tigress waved and sat down a couple of steps in front of her. Tigress amde sure not to get too close, the last thing she wanted was to impose on her training.
"I've came to watch you practice. I hope that's okay?" Mei mei nodded maybe a little to eagerly. but seriously, who was she not to freak out? Tigress seemed to be watching her graceful movements carefully.
Mei mei continued her practicing, always aiming for that impressed smile from the feline. And once in a while, earning a chuckle when one of her ribbons would get tangled up, messing up her twirling. It wasn't until a bit later that she realized she wanted to actually... impress the girl sitting there. Yes, that was her goal.
"You know," Mei mei stopped and looked at her, "I find it... amazing, how you can do this without music." The feline stated, almost as if she speaking her thoughts out loud. Mei mei widened her eyes, the a smile tugged at her lips.
"Oh, but there's always music!" The panda pointed at some trees, "the noise the leaves make, the wind against the grass, everything can be music!" When she turned back to face the feline, she noticed her smile. It wasn't until then that Mei mei relaized maybe she had gotten too carried away on her explanation.
But that smile was beautiful, and not something she saw quite often. At least not a smile meant for her. Maybe... maybe she could make her smile more? that'd be nice.
Without a second thought, she grabbed Tigress' paw and dragged her up. the feline's smile turned to a scowl.
"Mei mei, what-"
"Dance with me!" She twirled one of her ribbons while making the tiger spin with her other paw. Tigress only exchanged a grimace with her, her feet almost tripping agaisnt each other. Mei mei chuckled, drawing patterns in the air that her ribbons follwoed with ease. She, however, did not noticed that Tigress was stepping on one end. And it wasn't until the panda tugged at one of them that her dance came crashing down.
A few moments later, Mei mei blinked and stared at Tigress, who was chuckling. Politely covering her mouth with one of her paws. Mei mei looked down at herself, and she almost smiled back, seeing as she was wrapped all around in ribbons.
So maybe this wasn't her best performance. And it certainly wasn't the best way to flirt either. Getting tangled up in ribbons while Tigress was in front was probably really embarrasing. Probably, that is, if Mei mei could just stop staring at Tigress' smile and her cheeks would stop heating up, and her heart could jsut calm down and refrain from racing.
"That was incredible Mei Mei," Tigress said with a hint of sarcasm as she approached the panda and began helping her out of the mess her ribbons had made. Mei mei tried not to think about the way Tigress's paw brushed agaisnt her fur, but dammit her heart just couldn't seem to agree with her.
It wasn't until she was free and her heart began to calm down, that she decided that yes, she was probably very in love with her.
Mei mei smiled, now determined to wow the feline... that was until another panda showed up.
"Tigress!" Tigress turned around to find Po coming towards her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder when he was close enough to her.
Po might have not noticed, but Mei mei realized that Tigress's lips were now tugging upwards into a smile, and that her eyes were shifting away from him and then back to his face, and that her cheeks were now a darker shade of red.
Then it hit her.
Po could make Tigress smile like that with such... ease. She exchanged a glance between both of them. The irony of her situation was almost hilarious. (Hilariously painful, her heart said.)
Mei mei smiled at Po, whatever he was saying getting lost to her ears as she noticed Tigress' laugh surrounding them. She doesn't remember what was her excuse, but once the panda was out of there, her heart felt like an achor. Because tigress was already in love. And it wasn't with her.
Mei mei had one thought that day. She promised herself that she wasn't going to be in love with her...
It wasn't until a year later that Mei mei meet someone else. Viper. Viper, who also liked ribbon dancing, and who was as sweet as sugar, and very cute.
A week later, Mei mei knew she was in trouble. Everytime she thought of Viper, her heart would beat at a faster rate, and her cheeks would turn pink. Stupid emotions.
(She would always deny it, but she loved those stupid emotions.)
And it was Viper who reminded her what having emotions did to you. (Like trying to impress them, or in the case of Mei mei, trying to impress and then becoming a total clutz.)
It wasn't until one sunny afternoon that they both got tangled up in their ribbons. Failing to take their practice seriously. They were both laughing and giggling, and Mei mei made the mistake to look at her eyes. her heart skipped a beat. Then it happened. Viper kissed her.
Mei mei swore to herself that day that there wasn't going to be a day where she wouldn't be in love with her.