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He'd had it. "PANDA!" Shen shouted whirling on the bear, "If you don't shut-"

"It's okay, Lord Shen." Luli laid her wing on his shoulder it froze him to the spot. "Your name is Po, right?"

"Yeah, that's me. You know, the Dragon Warrior?"

She bowed politely with a kind smile on her face "Of course." she responded. "Thank you for welcoming me to the Jade Palace."

Shifu appeared out of nowhere "What's going on here?" he cut his eyes at Shen then he noticed Luli. "Who's that?"

"That's Shen's-"

"I am courting this young lady." Shen interrupted lifting his head he took her wing in his own and was grateful that she accepted without protest.

Shifu looked her over carefully before he gave Shen a dark untrusting stare. Shen knew what the little red panda was thinking. This female could someday bear Shen's children as far Shifu saw. And he obviously wasn't happy with that idea.

Anger hot and fresh boiled up in Shen, the look on Shifu's face was the same doubtful weary distained gaze his parent's had cast him all those years ago. He leaned forward about to get to the bottom of all of this when Luli pulled him back. It somehow snapped him out of the red haze on the spot. "Master Shifu," she bowed before him, "Excuse us, but Lord Shen was about to take me home."

"Indeed."

Shen's heart collapsed. She wanted to leave? Had his sudden anger frightened her? Shen cursed himself silently, of course he had. What a fool he was to think otherwise.

So with a sigh he led her away, and he thought out of kindness, to not embarrass him in front of the others she held on to his wing.

But still she held him as they ascended the stairs and walked slowly through the fading evening light.

"You are very quiet." she said at last

He closed his eyes "I apologize, for the way I acted."

"What do you mean? You didn't do anything wrong."

He opened his eyes and stared at her. Had she just said that? Someone finally said those words to him?

"Oh." she whispered.

"What?"

"Another...first timer?"

He opened his mouth, in shock, to speak to...But he hung his head. He could see it was no use to hide it she knew. He would not lie to her. "That seems to have happened a lot to day." he sighed.

"Shen," she whispered

He met her eyes.

"Thank you, I enjoyed the meal, and getting to talk to you."

He smiled for her and that brought the brightness back to her sapphire eyes. "The pleasure was all mine, Luli. Thank you."

Her eyes twinkling brighter than starlight she slipped away from him. He turned away but just before he took off she called to him, "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

Shen stopped. She did truly want to pursue a courtship with him. At last he turned his head to answer her. "As the sun rises," he whispered, I am yours." and he slipped off into the night.