"Po…" A completely saddened Tigress, whispered out in a calm manor. For she was in the Dragon warriors' quarters, and was sitting on a small wooden chair near the panda's bedside. Dressed in her yellow attire. As the panda, was laying on his bed in a slumber. His neck to his feet, covered in a grey blanket. This wasn't any usual slumber he was in though. Rather, it was a slumber that no one would know if he would wake up from. For two weeks ago, he was sent into this solemn slumber. 'Caused by protecting Tigress, from a swing of a mighty mallet that was brought on, by a wolf bandit. For ever since that day, healers have come and gone to check on him. Yet, nothing had changed in his state. Making it hard on everyone, even more so, with Tigress. Due to, well. She felt responsible for the state he was in. That wasn't the only thing though that bothered her, she was also scared of losing someone that meant the world to her. That meant everything to her.
"I'm so sorry for what happened Po. I should've been more on guard. I wasn't though, and as a result, you took the blow for me. Even when you didn't have to, but that's just the kind of guy you are hu?" Tigress questioned with sorrow. Looking at the pandas' face, that showed the only expression it could show. One of softness. It was then when she looked at him, Tigress had placed her right paw on the part of the blanket, that was covering the left side of Po's chest. Feeling the pandas' heartbeat, in nothing but a slow manor.
"Why do you have to be that kind of guy though Po? Why can't you just let people pay for their mistakes? Why couldn't you just let me be the one to get hit? Hu? Why wouldn't you let me, be in your place?" Tigress chocked out deeply, feeling the inside of her chest start to ache. Knowing it wasn't anything but her heart causing the pain. Due to this, she could feel her throat start to tighten like someone had their paw gripping it. This was followed by her eyes starting to sting with the water, that began to blur her vision. For her sorrow, along with her pain, had over taken her completely.
"Yet, I know if you heard me say those things. You would just protest each one of them, telling me, 'Don't beat yourself up Tigress, it's ok.' While giving me that smile, you always seem to give me in times of when I'm down Po." Tigress now cried out softly, letting her left paw be brought up from her lap to the left side of her chest. Where she began to clench hard. While allowing her right paw to clench the blanket tightly. Upon letting her emotions control her even more, she opened her eyes back up. So she could look at Po once again.
"Why can't you just wake up already Po? So, things to go back to the way they were before this all happened. Like you telling us jokes, and making us laugh. Like helping out the little ones learn the ways of kung fu. Giving out the happiness that you always give off to everyone. Giving off the love you radiate on all of us. The love, that always picks me up whenever I'm down about something." Tigress stated in a gentle whisper. Feeling her heart ache even more than it already was, from the last sentence she let out. Knowing that deep down inside of her, she wanted him to wake up, so she could fulfill her desires. Desires that weren't selfish, but ones that have been built up inside of her since the night her paw was held by Po. Along with her name being spoken by him with nothing but worry, in the Gongmen harbor. For her desires, were all about a singular love for him. A love, the more she thought about in this moment, the more she kicked herself for not telling him sooner. That was about to change though.
"Po, there's something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you long ago, yet couldn't because of how I was. I hate that it took this, for me to tell you, what I'm about to tell you. As who knows if you'll ever get to hear it now." Tigress stated, taking in some calming breaths so that her next words were nothing but clear and crystal. After the breaths she had taken, she moved her left paw away from her chest. Now placing it gently on the pandas' right cheek, which she rubbed with the upmost of affection from her heart.
"Even if you don't though, I know somewhere in your head my words will be kept. Kept in a place that will never be lost. What I need to tell you Po, is that I have the strongest of feelings for you. Feelings, that I've only ever seen on the streets in the valley. Feelings, that I've only ever heard about from others. They are the kind that make me happy when I'm with you, but also made me shatter completely when this event happened. I believe the word I'm looking for. No, the word I'm trying to say is…love. I love you Po, I love you so much." Tigress stated clearly. Knowing deep down, that the ears of the panda she loved dearly, stored her words away somewhere in his head. She had then moved her head towards his, placing the top of her head on the right side of Po's. Rubbing her head against his, with the sounds of purring echoing from within her throat.
"Don't you worry Po, I'll always be here at your side. So, if the day comes when you awake. Which I pray to the gods everyday to happen, you'll know you were never alone in the dark." Tigress stated to him in a gentle manor, letting all but her purrs now do the talking. Feeling her fur rub against his, hoping that if he ever does awake, it would be soon. Little did she know though, at that exact moment, under the covers where his right paw laid by his right side. Began twitching, and soon, began to grip the bedding in a tight manor. A sign, that the future for the two…looked bright.