Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.

Martin Luther

A gentle golden ray meandered through the rustic bamboo window, disturbing the sleeping feline that slumber usually as light as snow. But today, it was different. With added warmth and auto-cuddling pillow around her, she just mewled softly and turned her back against the gentle tease of the sun.

But then, she realized something.

She hadn't heard the Gong yet, and outside looked bright and as noonday time. She snapped awake.

And then she remembered. She wasn't in her old bedroom, in Jade Palace student quarter, neither was she in Valley of Peace. She was in the Secret Panda Village, and yesterday was their wedding ceremony.

A reality struck her like a brick.

She was a married woman now. She had survived the whole procession of meticulous wedding preps, complicated rituals, and… the wedding night. Her mind alerted her of impending duty she had to do next ― woke up to prepare her new husband breakfast and tea, and then joining her husband's family to pay respect to his ancestor.

A cold air touched her shoulder, making her shrunk beneath the cover. She wasn't keen to detach herself from the comfortable warmth… besides, it's snowing outside.

Of course, that was a big fat lie. Anyone knew almost nothing could hurt her. She survived being blasted by iron balls, and climbed the frozen waterfall injured, surely… a little snow and a hint of chill wouldn't hurt?!

The real reason would obviously the ginormous fluffy pillow next to her, and the fact that he wore nothing… just adding to the pleasant sensation of cuddling next to him.

Tigress nuzzled the panda lightly. His eyes still firmly shut, his chest rise and fall rhythmically, and his heart thudded in perfect comforting rhythm. It's such a shame they had to wake up…especially when she remembered the event that took place in that room last night.

She felt a strange pool of feeling in her stomach and a strange mixture of unease and excitement when she looked at her new husband. Shifu would probably think she'd been ridiculous and Viper probably would laugh at her naivety. But as a maiden, the hardest part of the rituals behind her now, she should feel calm and peaceful. Anyway, she was very sure she didn't disappoint Po last night. It wasn't really comfortable for her, but not as painful as many married women had expounded to her. For Tigress, that wasn't the most concerning fact. The notion of her submitting herself to a man, showing her fragility, vulnerability and all… and being completely exposed to him, but she didn't regret it one bit. Not with Po.

Tigress carefully turned around and readying to leave, trying not to wake the panda from his peaceful slumber. But as soon as her upper body giving a sign of leaving the bed, a pair of heavy arms and legs clutched her from behind.

"Panda, you are awake! You faker!" She said with repressed voice. The panda chuckled softly, pulling her against his bare chest.

"Morning, wife."

The appellative sounded weird in her ears.

"Morning…. Husband?"

And that even worse rolling out of her tongue that usually firing words of antagonistic defiance and sarcastic disdain more than a warm greeting. And not to mention the slight bashfulness on her tone? She had no idea where it came from. Good grief!

She complied and tugged back beneath the covers, but suddenly reminded how naked he was… and how naked she was. An unfamiliar surge of blood raised through her face when their bare skin grazed to each other. It was funny to think she was usually the assertive, aggressive and dominating one in the battlefield. But this was a different battlefield. The battlefield of forbidden passion... and it was entirely new to her.

Her husband pulled the blanket slightly away from her, exposing her powerful shoulder and touched it gently. The feeling of embarrassment getting harder to hide. Maybe his goofy grin?… or maybe his magic touch that currently traveling up and down the back of her spine?

"No punch? no kick? No shouting?" The panda teased her, pressing her muscular length closer.

"Don't tempt me." But her words came out sounding seductive instead of provoking… clearly, the panda had altered her inner ego beyond her control. She found her body answering his call against her will. She just stared at him with a silent moan of helpless surrender.

And then followed by a lapsing moment of silence. He gazed upon the slender figure next to him. Her hypnotizing stripes that contrasted her intense auburn fur. Underneath her magnificent curve lurking a spectacular show off toned muscle, painstakingly formed from years of relentless training and discipline.

Undoubtedly, he had seen her unclad numbers of time. But they were team-mates, and in missions, he tended to push aside all the real aesthetic value and the depth of her naked splendor. But since last night, he had seen her in a completely different light. She was his wife… she was his… and that fact had given him a new context on how his eyes feast on her indescribable charm. He could get intoxicated with her spicy scent, hold her and told her how much he loved her, witness her insurmountable bravery while he traced her battle scar ….and completely get himself lost in her like he did last night.

He planted one kiss on her forehead and a few others on the crook of her neck and her shoulder… substituting his warm paws.

"Po… we need to get up… your father and the ancestor ―..." She was unwillingly silenced by her own lustful conscience.

Ugh. This is getting out of hand.

"Po? We must ―..."

"Mmm?"

He didn't stop. She found that her determination weakening with every touch of his expert kisses. She delightedly surrendered being the passive recipient of his love, relishing every inch of his touch.

And there was a knock on the door.

Po groaned. "Could Dragon Warrior had a day off on the morning after his own wedding?" he muttered a suppressed curse under his breath. But inadvertently both of them leaped from their marital bed, and briskly tried to find any material that could hide their nakedness.

"Po, don't worry… we'll have another time, tonight," the tiger whispered loudly as she slipped into her robes ― trying to mollify her husband growing annoyance. But apparently, the thin bamboo wall of the hut, concealed nothing but the occupants within. Tigress was positive the goose messenger (who was apparently none other than the panda's adopted father) heard every single exchange they produced inside the room.

"Dragon Warrior will be late praying to the ancestor. He is on a very important mission with his wife!" Mr. Ping pridefully announced. And he left.

Both of them blushed, but not stopping whatever they were doing… until the panda caught the sight of his wife, dressing herself...a lot more delicately than she was a minute before. He remembered he was thinking not to let his fathers and the villagers waiting for them to pay their respect, but unwittingly his brain was revising this now. She was just….just… magnificent. It was apparent that his fascination had won over his common sense, and defying all his rationality.

"Tigress…?" The passion was thickening on his voice.

The tiger whirled around, still clutching the rest of her clothes against her bare chest.

"Y'know… I think, my dads and the villagers already knew we are going to be late… so, may as well ―..."

She looked at him. Initially, Po thought his wife was going to reprimand him for his outward show of disrespect towards the important ritual. But she just stood there and…. Smile. Mischievously.

He just gaped there like a besotted fool.

"I agree." She answered. He just froze, listening to the lustrous sound that fell from her lips.

Tigress gracefully slid closer, coquettishly sat on her husband's lap and invited his paws to undress her. Silencing all his mental battle of adhering to the ancestor ritual, he took his bride once again and laid her down gently upon cool sheets.

At the end, they were a few hours late. The rest of his family, Shifu, and Mr. Ping had already sat down for lunch. Tigress was quick to apologize, but Mr. Ping and Li beat her to it, stating that producing the Li and Ping's heir was far more important than paying respect to the elders and the dead. Besides, according to Li, the one in the morning was usually a lot better than one on the night of the wedding.

"We can try again tomorrow to visit the temple and pay our respect," Li suggested, "... but don't need to apologize if you were late again. We understand."