The inspiration for this fic came to me after listening to the Top Gun sound track repeatedly, specifially the song "Heaven in your Eyes" by Canadian soft rockers Loverboy. To be completely honest, i'm not a huge fan of soft rock in general but when ever I hear a good one and I think that it will work for a piece of writing, I just can't seem to stop myself from typing something up that will match the feel of the song and I feel that I have captured the emotions of the song nicely in this story. However with that being said, you don't have to even know the song or by listening to it, to enjoy reading this fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own KFP, its characters or film rights
Chapter One; More than a Warrior
Stepping closer toward Po' side as the victorious masters stood surveying the trail of devastation Shen's coup attempt had inflected upon Gongmen City, the feline warrior emitted a faint purr whilst a sense of comforting warmth completely enveloped her from head to toe. Gazing coyly up at the panda that stood at her side, a rare happy sigh slipped past her lips. Lowering her guard completely for the first time in her life ever, the tiger style master allowed her usually restrained emotions to naturally flow and felt her soft smile warm as they encouraged her to lean upward and gently peck him atop the cheek. Raising her head slightly to indulge this desire earnestly, having long dreamt of a moment like this between the two of them for nearly two years now, however as she did so Tigress felt a sharp pain course through her flank. As her eyelids slowly closed and everything began to fade to black, within mere seconds, the last thing she remembered seeing were the bright jade green eyes of Po filling with worry and concern.
Coming to a while later, Tigress moistened her lips and nose with a single sweep of the tip of her tongue before taking a deep breathe and feeling a subtle twitch of pain resonate from her torso. Rolling onto her right side with some difficulty and as quietly as possible, a few moments later, the feline got a better view of the room she was now in. From where she laid upon her side, silently taking in her new surroundings, the master of tiger style gaze drifted toward the doorway, in which Po stood completely dominating the open frame with his bulk and deep in conversation.
"Are you sure that you don't want to come with us, Po," she heard Monkey's voice inquire before adding, "This party is bound to be epic."
"Yes, Monkey, I'm sure," Po responded, the tone of his voice conveying that his mind was made up and there was nothing that any of them could say to convince him otherwise, "You guys should go and enjoy yourselves, besides I have fun every single day that I get to wake up and train with all of you."
"If you're sure that's what you really want to do, Po, than you had better not complain when we go on and on about what a great party it was," Mantis sneered from where the tiny insect stood atop Monkey's shoulder before whelping because Viper had struck him over the back with the end of her tail.
"That's very generous of you, Po, and I am sure that Tigress would agree with most of us," Viper commented ignoring the intense stare Mantis was boring directly into her, "We'll be sure to give Master's Croc and Ox your regards', so just relax and take things easy."
"Oh, I intend to Viper," Po answered beaming at the serpent.
"Very well, Dragon Warrior, we shall be going," Shifu's voice said signaling an end to the conversation they had been having just out the room she was inside of.
Rolling back over onto her back as Po bid Shifu, Monkey, Mantis, Crane and Viper a warmhearted goodbye, the feline warrior pushed back the happy tears that wanted to pool in the corners of her eyes and smoothing out the sheet which covered her as best as she could with both hand paws before laying her arms flat at her sides and closing her eyes, feigned her previous unconscious state. Feeling the stretched canvas and bamboo frame of the bed sag under Po's weight as he sat down atop its right side, a few moments later, Tigress resisted the urge to purr as she felt him gently pick up each of her hand paws individually and lay them one atop of the other upon her stomach before then feeling him lovingly sweep the back of his hand paw over her forehead and circling it behind her ear tendering caressed her right cheek with it. Silently and subtly biting her lip in a desperate attempt to keep up the charade, even thought deep down inside she knew that she was fighting a losing battle against the true feelings that she held for him which were only further supported by her natural instincts in their own right. Before the events that had taken place in Shen's common factory, she never would have openly admitted this to herself but seeing the one person in this world that you care about the most in danger and being absolutely powerless to aide them in anyway, has the terrifying power of putting one's personal thoughts and true feelings in sudden perspective. Inwardly shuddering as she envisioned how life at the Jade Palace would eventually return to how it had been before he joined them, had the blast permanently did him in, sent petrifying shivers down her spine, shivers which were easily swept away by what he did next.
Softly smiling down at the feline whom lay atop the bed, upon which he sat on its edge, Po gently stroked the thumb of his right hand paw lightly over Tigress' cheek while he caressed her overlapping hand paws with the over. Ever since he was twelve years old and first learned about the Furious Five whom lived in the Jade Palace which overlooked the Valley of Peace, he wanted to train along side each and everyone one of them one day but Tigress held a special place in his heart and that spot had only grown since becoming the Dragon Warrior. Now as he sat upon her bed watching her and it was just the two of them, it seemed like a good a time as any to kiss her the way he had only ever dreamt about doing for countless years now but never had the courage to actually do so because the odds were good that she would beat him to within an inch of his life, if he ever tried to pull a stunt like that with her. Slowly leaning down toward Tigress' peaceful looking face, a few moments later, Po first placed a tender loving kiss squarely upon her forehead, testing the waters, before lifting his head and moving down toward her muzzle gently pressed his lips against hers and planted the deeply passionate kiss of a lover atop them.
Already enraptured quite deeply be her own affections toward the panda whom kissed her with so much passion and tenderness in spite of the harsh and despicable way she treated him, only made her fall even deeper in love with him. Casting aside her little charade, a few moments later, while his lips where still pressed ever so lovingly against hers, Tigress boldly kissed Po back while a happy purr rambled from her throat. Tilting his head to the side slightly as the two warriors slithered their tongues in between the others parted lips, deepening there already deep kiss even further, confirming the love they held for each other. Slowly opening her eyes alluringly as they broke their intensely passionate kiss, a few minutes later, a lightly panting tiger style master beamed up at the man she loved with a warm and soft smile spread across her muzzle; truly happy for the first time in her life, since Shifu had first taken her in as a youngling.
"Po, thank you," the feline warrior cooed, the happiness she felt clearing evident in the soft and loving tone of her voice.
"For, what Tigress?" a confounded Po asked, continuing to stare deep into the amber irises of the beautiful feline lady beneath him.
"For always being true to yourself, for never giving up when the odds are stacked against you, and especially for always looking out for me ever since becoming the Dragon warrior, even though I never asked it of you," Tigress honestly answered, never wanting to ever feel the gut wrenching pain she experienced when she thought that point blank cannon blast had killed him, "A part from Shifu, no one has ever showed that they cared about me, except for you Po and even though there a times that you annoy me for countless reasons, I can't imagine any other person in this world whom could put up with me and continue to love me regardless."
"Tigress, unless my imagination has gotten to better of me just now, it sounds as though you just confessed to falling in love with me," Po stated unsure if he had just heard the feline whom he loved correctly or if in fact, that his wild imagination had just gotten the better of him and their deep sensuous kiss and her confession where merely happening inside his head.
"Po, I honestly love you for the very depths of my heart and never want to go a single day without you within in paws reach ever again or at least until we get back home anyway," the feline warrior truthfully responded to her sweet and considerate panda companion, happily looking forward to building a future together with him, with or without kung-fu's involvement, "Now could you be a dear and help me up, darling, I think I can handle going to that party if I have you there to comfort and caress me."
"Tigress, I love you as well and have since I was like twelve years old, so to hear you say that you feel the same way about me, is like my second best dream coming true but right now what you need to do is just relax and focusing on healing up," the Dragon Warrior commented gently sliding his right hand paw around to the small of her back while he helped her into a seated position atop the bed with his other, "After all you took the full brunt of a point blank cannonball shot, which was meant for me and the last thing I want is for your stubbornness to only lengthen your recovery time, my love."
"It was hard enough for me to see it once, so naturally I pushed you out of its way the second time Shen attempted to blast you with one of his cannons," Tigress chimed, the volume of her purring increasing ever so slightly in response to feeling of her monochrome lovers fingers rubbing against her pelt, revealing what she had already suspected this entire time, that underneath the sheet which had previously covered her upper half, she had been stripped down to just the bindings she wore beneath her clothing. Anytime before now if Po had ever seen in her such a barely clothed state she would have left him in traction for a couple of weeks but after the trials facing off against the disgraced crown prince had put both of them through, the feline wasn't so self-conscious and didn't mind if he copped a feel or even if he felt the strong desire to take her to bed with him, "Ok, so if the two of us going to the party is out of the question, darling, then what else is there left for us to do around here, where ever here might be."
"Well, um, we could go and steal a little quality alone time together at this Inns natural hot springs spa, if you'd like, kitten," Po suggested nervously, having long fantasized about surprising the enchanting feline with a private trip just for the two of them to a similar place in the next valley over from the Valley of Peace back home but had actually only saved up about half of the funds necessary to live it out with her.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea, dumpling," the master of tiger style said, cutely smiling at the man she loved deeply touched that a pet name of which he clearly had long pinned to call her had slipped from his lips unnoticed by the dense and hapless panda, "You aren't the only one in this relationship, whom already has a delightful and thoughtful pet name for the most precious person in the world to them, my love."
"If, we're going to use the Inns hot springs than I better find you something to wear for the time being, do you think that you'd be fine alone by yourself for a little while, kitten," Po inquired, not wanting to leave the injured female tigers side now that they were officially a couple, if it made her uncomfortable, "Even if I do manage to find something, the options are going to be limited but I will try my hardest to find you something you'll like and feel comfortable wearing."
Nodding her head to show that she understood and was ok with her boyfriend leaving her side to find her something to wear, Tigress then leaned toward Po and planted a kiss right atop his lips while both of her hand paws found their way to the nape of his neck and interlocked their fingers together. Briefly nuzzling him after they parted lips, a few moments later, the feline warrior unlocked her fingers and delicately swept her hand paws downward over the front of his vast chest as he stood up. Ruffling the crown of her head back in response as he now stood at her bedside, Po leaned down and gently pecked the feline atop the cheek before straighten up and walking toward to doorway left to find her some clothing. Pulling her knee's up against her chest with some difficultly do to her tightly wrapped ribcage after her grinning boyfriend had slid the door closed behind him, the love struck feline embraced her arms about her raised legs and resting the side of her head against the top of her kneecaps, sighed dreamingly; happier than she had been in some twenty plus years. Lifting her head from where it had been sitting atop her kneecaps, half an hour later, as the door to her room began to slid open and Po walked inside with a parcel wrapped in brown paper in the crock of his left arm, Tigress threw back the sheet which covered the rest of her and climbed down from the bed revealed her scantly clad figure in all its womanly glory for her man to gaze upon.
"I hope you like what I got for you, kitten, and I apologize in advance if its style or size are not to your liking or proper," Po said while handing the parcel to his beloved, before adding shyly, "Since the clothing that you were wearing earlier is still getting mended and cleaned, I also got you a replacement for them as well."
"That was very considerate of you, darling," Tigress warmly answered back, grasping the package her lover held out toward her, a cute soft smile gracing her muzzle, "Could you wait for me outside, while I get changed, dear."
"Sure thing, beautiful but if you need any help don't be afraid to ask me for it," the Dragon Warrior commented, briefly embracing the scantly clad feline's hips with his hand paws, "I give you my word as a fellow warrior, that if you do, I wouldn't take advantage of the situation."
"Oh really, dumpling, but what if a situation arouse where I wanted to be willingly taken advantage of by you," the feline tiger cooed seductively, pressing the clothing parcel against her chest firmly to keep a little open space between the two of them whilst she felt yet another one of her deep seeded desires spark to life deep within her and it was one that actively required both of them to satisfy thoroughly.
"If a something like that was to ever happen, then I would be more than happy to indulge myself in the heavenly curves and silken fur of your sensuous body, kitten," Po responded sensuously, picking up on his feline lovers pheromones as well as clearly understanding the meaning of her previous statement without question before adding in a tender loving tone, "But I honestly believe that we shouldn't rush the pace of our relationship just because of the recent experiences both of us have had to endure, when the time is right for us the cross that bridge we'll know but that time is not right now."
"Po, you're not as dense as you appear to be most of the time," Tigress noted the tone of her voice switching back to the gentle and loving one she had been using prior to her seductive suggestion from a few moments earlier, concluding her sentence by saying, "But for the remainder of our time here in Gongmen City, however long that may be, surely you'll allow me the pleasure of at lest snuggling and cuddling with you under the covers of your bed."
"I wouldn't have it any other way, kitten," the warrior panda answered reassuringly whilst staring directly into the depths of the female tigers eyes and watching happiness fill them, "Here or back at home, you're welcome to join me as you see fit, we'll just have to be mindful of Shifu and the others."
Closing the narrow gape between the two of them as she leaned forward, Tigress tenderly kissed her beau upon the lips and briefly nuzzled him sweetly as they broke part less than a minute later. Softly smiling down at the enchanting feline before him, Po reluctantly released his hold upon her slender hips and stepped back into the hallway outside of her room, so that she could get dressed, sliding the door closed behind him as he left. Pushing the simple brown paper wrapping out of the way as the feline stood beside the bed which she had previous been in, mere seconds later, Tigress was briefly rendered speechless as her eyes fall upon the clothing inside; a simple plain white cotton bath robe underneath which there was a traditional style jade green chin-on-bo with golden piping along its edges and cloth button holes and a pair of open toed sandals designed especially for felines, their sturdy wedge heel providing the proper support and stability for her lightly build frame; if Shen hadn't previously raided most of the refined metal within the city to melt down for his cannons before the Fives arrival, she wouldn't be surprised if Po had included a necklace or ring to complaint the rest of the outfit. Having chosen the pathway of a warrior since she having been taking in by Shifu, the master of tiger style never wore such womanly attire because she thought it would impede her during combat hence how come she typically dressed like a man and bound her breast as flat as she possible could instead of being true to her gender. Lifting the plain white cotton robe out of the wrappings and setting it aside for now, the feline warrior briefly swept the fingers of her right hand paw over the silken material of the traditional dress before picking it up with both hand paws and intimately embracing it against her scantly clad figure, rubbing it over her fur as she imagined Po's reaction to seeing her wearing it.
Naturally curious to see how she would look wearing it also, Tigress pulled the silk garment away from her body and began undoing its cloth buttons closures with slightly trembling fingers. Grimacing slightly as she slipped it on atop her shoulders because of the way which she had to twist her torso to pull it on, she thought about asking her boyfriend for a little assistance since he had so kindly offered but instead she just ignored the brief pain and finished buttoning the dress up. Smoothing the ripples of fabric out the short sleeved dress with both her hand paws, a few moments later, the feline caught a brief glimpse of her reflection in the oval mirror that hung on the adjacent wall and even she had to admit to herself that it looked damn good on her, not only that but it fit her nicely and it was just a little tight up around her chest but that was an easy problem to resolve. After making the necessary changes to herself and trying the dress back on once more, happy with the way it hugged all the curves which were usually less defined in the clothing she typically wore, could easily see herself happily wearing similar type clothing when they returned to the Jade Palace and not just for special occasions either but as her everyday wear as well. Testing its flexibility as a potential replacement for her more masculine daily attire, the feline warrior took a few steps back form where she stood beside her bed and taking a fighting stance attempted a pawful of simple kicks and punches as to not aggravated her injured ribs and was not only surprised at how easy it was for her to swiftly move in it but how graceful it made her look while doing so. Completing the outfit by slipping her foot paws into each of the open toed sandals and secure them in place with their ankle strap, she stood up and carrying the white cotton robe draped over her left arm, Tigress walked toward the door and sliding it open stepped out into the hallway to join her beloved.
"Darling, how do I look?" the feline asked, gazing cutely over her shoulder in Po's direction while she slid the door to her room closed behind her with her free paw, a few moments later.
"Kitten,in me eyes you were always the most beautiful woman in all of China and are truly a sigh to behold in that outfit, it's just missing one thing thought," Po commented firmly caressing the feline about her waist, intimately embracing her against his vast chest less than a minute later, locking his fingers together atop the small of her back.
"Like what?" the master of tiger style asked, curious as to just what he had planned yet excited at the same time.
"Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you to, my love," the panda said gazing softly into the eyes of the heavenly feline he held so tenderly before slowly withdrawing his hand paws from where that rested, "I'm sure you'll like, or at least I hope you will."
Closing her eyes as she had been instructed by her boyfriend, Tigress could feel Po relieve her of the robe she had draped over her arm, a few moments before feeling him gently take hold of both her hand paws with his and guide her in the direction of the room across the hallway from hers. Stealing a peak of the room that she had been brought inside of, out of the corner of her eye, a couple of minutes later, having been lead toward a bed and sat down upon its edge sweetly, the female feline spotted the pack which Mr. Ping had packed for Po when the noodle loving goose found out that his son was going out on a very dangerous mission to save all of China yet again, leaning against the wall in the far corner. Softly smiling to herself as she remembered how her panda companion reacted to his adoptive father playing with his old action figures and how worried Po had been about hers getting scratches on it, it was abundantly clear just how deep his love of her want and couldn't help but wonder if during the days of his youth there were nights when he fell asleep tenderly caressing her action figure against his chest whilst imagining that it was really her whom he slept next to in the deep recesses of his mind. Feeling her beau tenderly slip his hand paws briefly atop the nape of her neck before pulling them back and delicately centering something cool and metallic upon her chest, a faint blush coloured her cheeks as she felt the dresses silken material momentarily caress the highly sensitive bodily area under the weight of her lovers light touch and couldn't keep herself from feeling a little jolt of devilish pleasure from the contact no matter how brief it was. Keeping her eyes closed, Tigress allowed Po to take hold of both her hand paws with his once more and after helping her back to her feet, then guided her toward the back wall of the room, where upon coming to a stop, a few moments later, told her that she could finally open her eyes. Looking at the reflection she cast upon the hanging oval mirror on the wall before her, the feline felt happy tears well up in the corners of her eyes as she raised her right hand paw and delicately examined the black and white enameled yin-yang pendent that hung form the braided leather necklace which Po had tied about her neck.
"It's perfect, darling, but how did you ever find me such a beautifully crafted piece, especially when I thought Shen had looted most of the metal in the city for his cannons," Tigress asked cocking her head to the side slightly and looking into the face of her boyfriend for an explanation behind how he managed to get his paws on the metal trinket she currently wore, "Surely he wouldn't have overlooked such a highly refined piece of metal."
"It was given to me by the same merchant, that I got the dress and open toed sandals from, kitten," Po explained whilst wrapping his hand paws around the felines waist from where he stood directly behind her and stitching their digits together, "He insisted that I take it as thanks for bravely saving the city when all hope seemed lost, originally it hung from a golden chain but Shen and his wolves took it along the with rest of the metal they had stolen to melt down for the cannons, leaving the pendent behind because it's enameled surface would ruin the purity of the rest of the metal once it was melted. And I must say, it complainant's you beautifully. To bad there wasn't a huge party that we could attend and show off the new you, oh wait there is on going right now as we speak, what do you say my love, shall we attend?"
"I would love to, dumpling," the feline warrior purred lowering her lifted hand paw and lovingly placing it atop his with her other one, feeling a warm tenderness beginning to blossom forth from their once cold and tough pads before hopefully adding in a more seductive tone, "After we get back, do you think that maybe we could, you know."
"You're really determined for us to cross that bridge before we leave Gongmen City aren't you, kitten," Po noted, secretly desiring the same level of intimacy between the two of them whilst not wanting to feeling as if he was forcing Tigress to bend to his will or deviant fantasies.
"I wouldn't want to experience such a life changing moment with another, other than you, dumpling," Tigress seductively whispered just loud enough for the panda caressing her to hear before coyly adding, "I don't want to be just a warrior anymore but by a made a proper woman by you and only you, not only that but I want to spent the rest of me life at your side and walking along side you through all that one's life has to offer as both your equal and mate."
Locking eyes, a few moments later, the warrior couples lips tenderly caressed those of the other in a sweet and loving kiss. Affectionately nuzzling her lover as they parted, less than a minute later, Tigress sweetly smiled at her beloved. Reluctantly releasing the embrace they held on the other, the feline happily slipped her arm through the crock of his and with the joyous flick in her tail, the duo blew out the lantern which lighted the room and left to enjoy the city wide celebration.
Well there you have it, now I hope that it was a fun read and you're looking forward to the next chapter. You know what to do, so Plz R&R.