A/N: Hey, I'm blink8pogonip, and here's my first story published: a Kung Fu Panda one-shot between Crane and Viper. Based off of the song "The Best Thing" by Relient K. It's a great song, you gotta listen to it and the rest of Relient K's songs.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Best Thing", it belongs to Relient K and Capitol Records. I also don't own Kung Fu Panda; it belongs to Dreamworks Animation.

Enjoy!

The Best Thing, A Kung Fu Panda Fanfic

It's been a year filled with problems
But now you're here, almost as if to solve them
And I can't live in a world without you now.

Crane was pacing around the Jade Palace halls. That day he was contemplating his most recent emotion.

He had been elated for about a week. For all the years of his life, he hadn't experienced anything like what had happened about a week before. And the cause of his elation wasn't from a recent victory in battle or anything of the sort. It was only the newest beginning for him and one other particular person.

Viper.

The one thing- or person- that had made him happier than ever was Viper. And his new beginning with Viper began with a small conversation between them, where they agreed to have an even closer relationship. He was the boyfriend, and she was the girlfriend; the two of them thought of themselves as one true pairing.

All my life, I've been searching for you.
How did I survive in this world before you?
'Cause I don't wanna live another day without you now.

At the moment, Crane was thinking about how his life had changed. Long before he came to the Jade Palace, he worked as the janitor at the Lee Da Kung Fu Academy, and, after being accepted as a student, studied the martial arts as hard as he could, as it had been his dream to be one of the greatest martial artists in China. Afterwards, he started training at the Jade Palace. And that was where he met Viper.

Looking back at his life before Viper, Crane realized that he hadn't felt so satisfied. Viper probably was what he had been searching for all his life- the thing to fill the void. In fact, it was hard to believe that it was actually possible to have a great life before meeting her.

This is the best thing, the best thing that could be happening
And I think you would agree
The best thing is that it's happening to you and me.

And it was more than obvious that Crane and Viper would both say that being together was the best thing that could have ever happened in their lives. Just thinking about it made Crane feel comfortable.

Just at that moment, Crane thought he heard the sound of laughter coming from the dining room, suspecting that his comrades were relaxing and enjoying themselves in the room. He rounded the hall corners in order to approach the dining room entrance.

Crane peeked his head over the doorway and spotted all of his friends- Tigress, Viper, Monkey, Mantis, and Po- sitting at the wooden table. Crane, of course, laid his eyes on Viper for a rather long time, who was apparently giggling away at the other boys' antics.

All I wanna have is all that you can give me
And I'll give right back everything I kept in me
'Cause nothing ever felt as right as this does right now.

Crane almost fell into a little trance just keeping his eyes as well as his thoughts on Viper- the one girl unlike any other to him.

"Crane!" said Viper's voice. The bird was so startled that he almost fell over right off his feet.

"Um, yeah?" responded Crane. His girlfriend giggled.

"What are you doing over there?" she asked, still smiling. The other boys laughed quietly as well. "Come over here and have a bowl of Po's noodle soup! It's sooo delicious!"

Crane's eyes darted in all directions before he looked at his girlfriend in the eyes again.

"Um, all right," responded Crane, walking to the table and pulling up his own chair. Of course, he chose a seat that was right next to Viper's. He saw right in front of him a large bowl of noodles in broth, about the same size as the bowls of all of the other masters, including Mantis's.

I'll go back to before we met
Try and erase the past, try harder to forget 'cause
Nothing will ever be as good as here and now.

Crane tried paying more attention to the actual conversation than to Viper, just to avoid looking awkward.

He saw his girlfriend giggle at something Mantis said- some sort of comment or joke. Crane fixed his eyes on Viper, admiring her cute, funny attitude.

Paying more attention to the conversation than to Viper was going to be hard.

'Cause when I looked into your eyes and you dared to stare right back,
You should have said "Nice to meet you; I'm your other half."

Crane's eyes were fixed on those of Viper, once again acting almost hypnotized by the reptile's charm as he focused all of his thoughts on her. Her eyes settled on his, and Crane loved those moments where he and Viper just fixed eyes on each other. Everything else could just fade away for a moment. He hadn't even noticed Viper give him a strange look.

"Crane? Crane!" Viper called, unsuccessfully getting his attention the first time and having to repeat the bird's name. Crane snapped himself from his state as quickly as possible. With his mind back in reality, he remembered that he was in the kitchen with the others. His eyes scrolled across the room. Every eye was being laid on him, and every mouth was open either slightly or in a wide gape.

"Umm…why's everyone looking at me?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"You were sort of, um, staring in this…general direction over here," Viper answered, waving the end of her tail to indicate where Crane had laid his eyes. Crane noticed her indication.

"Oh, yeah…umm…sorry?" he apologized with a tone, almost as if he was wondering whether he should have apologized or not.

"Are you okay, man? Or are you feeling a little sick or anything?" asked Monkey.

Crane stared at the simian in a look of disbelief. "Me? Sick? No way, I'm all right," he replied, laughing, grabbing a small white porcelain teacup that was filled almost to the brim with steaming tea and sipping its contents.

"Okay, guys, nothing special, I guess," announced Po to the other Furious Five members. "Back to lunch."

Crane's blushing, barely visible on his black, feathery head, faded as he regained his composure.

This is the best thing, the best thing that could be happening
And I think you would agree, the best thing is that it's happening,
This is the best thing, the best thing that could be happening
And I think you would agree, the best thing is that it's happening to you and me.

Crane reached for the spoon inside his bowl of noodle soup, picking it up and hoping that eating would possibly take his mind off of Viper for a while.

He lifted the spoon to his mouth and tasted the salty broth as it splashed onto his tongue. Delicious, he thought. He picked up a tangle of noodles with the red, sleek, tapering chopsticks in his bowl and dropped them in his mouth, thinking about how Po prepared lunch so perfectly.

As hard as he tried to concentrate on the noodles, he could not help but overhear the conversation everyone else took place in. He tried following along and paying attention to who was talking.

At times the conversation seemed to go by rather quickly, while at other times it seemed to drag on. Although everyone, except for Crane, of course, had several turns to speak, it was when Viper was

talking that Crane's undivided attention was drawn towards the snake once more. As words flowed out of her mouth, he began to enter a state of mind just like what had occurred a minute ago. Even when she had finished talking, his eyes were still glued on her, and his mind was wandering off to more thoughts about her…he thought again about how much Viper meant to him and how his relationship with her had been the best thing that ever occurred to him.

The best thing is that it's happening to you and me.
The best thing is that it's happening to you and me.

"Crane?" Viper called to her boyfriend, who was quick to snap his mind back into reality once more. The bird shook his head to reset his mind and thoughts. He straightened his head and eyes, seeing the other masters staring at him again, and faced Viper directly.

"Are you sure something's not wrong?" Viper asked, wrinkling one eye and raising the other.

"Ha! Of course," Crane laughed, picking up his chopsticks with his foot.

"I doubt that," Viper responded. "When you stare and laugh like that, I can almost be sure that you're lying."

Crane shrugged and returned to his noodles. He nibbled the long, edible threads after transferring them to his beak.

Now Viper's getting kind of suspicious about me, he thought to himself as he ate. Why am I letting myself act strangely, especially in front of her? I guess I just can't help but think of her all day!

But who could blame him? When she saw him as the perfect guy, and he saw her as the perfect girl, it was going to be hard not to think about their new togetherness. Crane kept his eyes facing downwards, at his soup, and his pointed so that his straw hat was almost sideways.

Seriously, is something really wrong with me? Is it a bad thing if I'm always thinking about Viper, Viper, Viper? Am I…addicted to her? , Crane thought, paying attention solely to his own thoughts and shutting out all of the chatter from the others.

Crane tried to answer the questions that were lingering in his head.

There's nothing wrong with me, it's not a bad thing if I'm always thinking about Viper, and it's not like I'm addicted to her in a bad way…I think. I'm just really happy, absolutely nothing wrong.

"CRANE! CRANE!" shouted the other masters once Crane heard them. The bird quickly jerked his head up, slightly surprised yet quite embarrassed. His eyes scrolled around the room, seeing eyes giving him glares and suspicious looks.

"W-w-what? What's going on?" Crane asked.

I always knew I'd find someone.
I never dreamt it'd be like this.

Viper sighed in slight exasperation. "We were all asking you about what you thought was the best part of the last celebration down at the village."

"Oh. Umm…I liked the dragon dance best," he replied, quickly facing down at his soup again.

Everyone stared at Crane with suspicious, awkward eyes.

"Crane," Viper said. "If you're not listening and you keep staring off, then there's got to be something wrong."

"No use denying it, Crane," added Tigress.

Crane looked at the two females who had just spoken. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Yeah," he said, reopening his eyes. "I guess I just need a little time alone." And with that, he jumped out of his seat and walked slowly out the dining room door.

'Cause you've surpassed all that I've hoped for and ever wished
And I'm trying so hard with all my heart and mind.
To make your life as good as you've made mine.

Standing right outside the doorframe, Crane heard the others' voices. He could hear them talking about him!

"Something's gotten into him, no doubt about it," said Mantis.

"Think maybe it was you, Viper?" asked Tigress.

"Yeah, I mean, he was staring in your direction," added Po.

Oh, crap, now they know what I was thinking about, thought Crane to himself.

"Yeah, maybe," answered Viper.

It obviously was about Viper. Having someone like Viper around, it was very hard- unbelievably difficult- not to keep his mind focused on her. She was something Crane could only imagine being in a relationship. She was so great, so nice, so sweet. What if he could do something for her to show how much he appreciated her?

"Crane?" asked Viper, whose voice Crane could hear was louder. Surprised, he turned his head rapidly towards the dining room doorway and saw Viper exiting the room and facing him.

This is the best thing, the best thing that could be happening
And I think you would agree the best thing is that it's happening to you and me

"Umm…yeah, Viper?" said Crane. The reptile slithered right next to him.

"Now that we're alone here, could you please tell me what was going on with you?" was Viper's question.

"Well, I don't know…" responded Crane, turning his head in the opposite direction.

"Come on, Crane, you can tell me," persuaded Viper, slithering closer to Crane. "If you're going to tell anyone any secret, it's me, right?"

"This isn't even much of a secret…" said Crane, turning his head back.

"Well, then you know you can tell me, right?"

"Maybe…perhaps…"

Viper gave her boyfriend an awkward look. "Seriously, just say it," she demanded.

Crane sighed, closed his eyes for one second, opened his eyes again, and began to speak. "I guess…it is you," he said. "The others are right. My reason for acting so weird over there…was you."

"Me?" asked Viper, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

(The best thing is that it's happening to you and me)
The best thing is that it's happening to you and me

"You know what I mean," replied Crane. "You, me, connection, you know?"

"Umm…all right, I guess," answered Viper, still sounding slightly unsure.

"Yeah," said Crane, smiling. "It's just pretty exciting."

"Right…" said Viper quietly. She began to turn back towards the entrance to the dining room. "So…you want to eat more noodle soup?"

The best thing, the best thing that could be happening
And I think you would agree the best thing is that it's happening to me.

As Viper was slithering back into the room, Crane interrupted her. "Wait, Viper…" he called. The snake stopped and turned around.

"Yeah, Crane?"

"I-I just want to ask you something."

"What's that?"

Crane hesitated, then began to ask his question. "Would you…" he paused.

"Would I what?" asked Viper patiently.

"Um…would you like to…um, you know, go out on a date with me sometime? You know, just hang out down there, in the village?" asked Crane.

Viper's eyes widened, expressing both her surprise and her happiness.

"Wait, really?" she asked with a wide smile across her face.

"Sure, why not? I'd love to spend a little time with you," Crane, trying to stay calm and cool.

Viper closed her mouth, with the same grin stretched across her face, looking at Crane happily. "Of course! I think it's about time we started to go out!" she answered excitedly.

Crane started to smile. "Great!" he said, laughing softly.

"Now we gotta go, 'cause the soup's not going to get any warmer!" Viper laughed, slithering as quickly as she could towards the kitchen.

Crane laughed again, following Viper. At least he now knew that Viper understood him. He had a feeling that something beautiful was to happen in their future.

A/N: And...the end! So, please review and tell me what you think of this first story. By the way, I used to think of CranexViper as sort of weird, but now it's one of my favorite pairings! I plan on posting my multi-chapter CranexViper fic soon.

Well, thanks for reading! Later!

EDIT: Yeah, I fixed up a few parts. Hehe, sorry for the changes.