Relationships

"Oh, so you two are going down to the valley alone? Very interesting," Monkey said wiggling his eyebrows. Crane and Mantis snickered while Viper smiled. Po and Tigress were going down to the village just to do an errand for Shifu, but they weren't even on the way down and already the others were teasing them about being on a date. Usually, Tigress's growl would have shut them up, but for some reason it didn't work this time. The group was in the Hall of Heroes and Shifu was quietly meditating, or rather pretending to meditate, in front of the sacred pool just below the golden dragon holding the Dragon Scroll. He quietly chuckled along with the others, but they didn't see or hear him. Tigress and Po were in the doorway, Tigress tired of trying to stop their teasing. But Po didn't back down.

"For the last time, guys, quit it. We are not on a date!" Po said frustrated.

"But you wish you were, don't you Po?" Viper replied. Po kept his angry stare but his face blushed slightly, so did Tigress's. It was true that he had a crush on Tigress, but he already decided to not act upon it. He already knew the answer from her would be no.

"We are just going to do an errand, THAT'S IT!" Po said through the teeth.

"Ah, but things can happen that we don't know about. We all know that you have a special relationship with certain people," Monkey said smiling. That broke the camel's back. There they were laughing their butts off and over to his side was Tigress just trying her best to ignore them. So Po turned towards the village and said to the others.

"At least I have relationships with the people," Po said coldly. That shut them up. Almost immediately, Crane, Viper, Monkey, Mantis all stopped laughing and looked at the ground ashamed. Po and Tigress started down the mountain while Shifu in the back suppressed his laughing and rubbed his chest. That comment from Po hurt, even him. He and the others knew what he meant, and he did have a point. Shifu regained his composure and said to his students.

"You deserved that." They didn't argue with that. They kept pushing and Po finally pushed back. They knew what he meant.

Tigress, on the other hand, was clueless. She knew there was some hidden meaning to what Po said, otherwise the others wouldn't have stopped laughing. She just didn't know what. So, when they were a good ways down the mountain Tigress asked, "Po, what did you mean by that?"

"By what?" Po asked, unsure by what she meant.

"What you said up there. What did you mean by that?" Po rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Well…I…I don't want to talk about it," he said. Tigress placed her hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you or anything," Tigress said. For some reason, Po's biggest concern with her was whether or not she liked him or not. Why he would even bother with her favoritism was beyond her. Especially after the way she treated him when he first came here. Po sighed and said.

"I meant that I at least have some type of relationship with the people in the village here. At least I know them well enough to help them when I can."

"I still don't understand."

"Those guys are sometimes so focused on the ability to do their job or whatever, that they almost never interact with the villagers. They don't know Miss Jun-su and her disabled son, or little Tang with his homeless parents. The only times they come down here is for bandits, villains, and to represent in festivals! They accuse me of having a relationship with you and they themselves don't have a little relationship with the people they protect!? The only other reason that they come down here for fun and to hang out with me," Po exclaimed. He seemed to calm down. Tigress stopped short in her tracks and looked down at the ground.

"So that means me too, doesn't it?" Tigress asked almost ashamed of herself. Po sighed and turned back with a comforting smile.

"No, Tigress, you're different," Po explained, "Every time you try and interact with the villagers they look at you like a monster. They're at fault, not you. They fear what they don't know, and what they are jealous of." Tigress stared strangely at him. "Think about it. You think that those people fear you just because of your short temper? If they make fun of you, it's because that some of them want to be like you. But you're not at fault for being antisocial. Every time you try and come out, they poke at you. Trust me I know." Tigress smiled. Even though he can be clumsy and they had their differences, they also had a lot in common.

The errand that Shifu sent them on would take a day's time. It was to get some rare food for his tea. Po shook his head. Sometimes, Shifu's assignments made no sense, but he went along with it. They went to the other village, got the stuff, fought some bad guys, and started back to the village. It got dark before they could reach the village, so they stopped to rest for the night. But Tigress remembered something that Viper had said that made Po really upset. "Po, you didn't answer Viper's question," Tigress said.

"What was that?" Po asked chewing on an apple he found in a tree.

"Did you want to be on a date with me?" she asked in her innocence. Po by now was sweating up a storm. He laughed nervously.

"You ask the most difficult questions, Tigress," Po said.

"It's a yes or no answer," Tigress explained firmly.

"Well, uh…if…if…if you…would like to, then…yes," Po stuttered. Tigress scooted closer next to Po by the campfire. Now, they were about two feet from each other. She wasn't satisfied with that answer.

"So…if you loved me…would you have said the same stuff you said back at the Palace?" she asked really wanting to know.

"Yes," he said very quickly. This disappointed Tigress a little.

"Why?"

"Because you punch very hard and my jaw is very delicate," Po said laughing a little.

"Po!" she exclaimed as she punched him on the arm lightly. "Seriously."

"I AM serious. And," He paused for a while, "I already know your answer if I asked you on a date," Po said sadly.

"So…you think I wouldn't have gone on a date with you?" she asked scooting a little closer, now only a foot from his body.

"I understand that you don't like me anymore than a friend, but I will admit. Tigress, I love you!" he said now looking into her beautiful yellow eyes. She gasped a little, and Po turned back to the ground. They stayed silent for a while.

"Po?" she said. When Po turned to look at her, Tigress kissed him on the lips. Po was blown out of his mind. His eyes widened all the way as Tigress continued to kiss him. When she finally broke the kiss, she smiled warmly. "What if I said I love you, too?" she asked smiling warmly. Po smiled back.

"Then I would do something like this," he said mischievously.

"What do you mhph-" Before Tigress could finish, Po wrapped one of his arms around her waist, pulled her as close as he could, and kissed her. Tigress, who was very shocked at first, fluttered her eyes shut as she kissed back. Her arms roped around Po's neck and she purred through the kiss. Po smiled as he loved the sound of her exotic purr. Slowly, Po fell on his back with Tigress on top of his big soft belly. When they finally parted, they smiled at each other. "Looks like you DO have a special relationship with certain people," Tigress whispered.

"I guess so. It's getting late. Good night, my Lotus Flower," Po whispered.

"Good night, my cuddly panda," she said as she rubbed her head against his warm, soft chest and purred. They fell asleep. When they got back, they decided not to tell anyone until the right time. Of course, the minute they got back to the Palace, Shifu smiled as he already knew that they were in love.