D.J striker's: Late Night Training
A/N: To RekonNairu – Decepticons! Retrieve the energon! And since ff won't let me comment on your story right now, I'll just say I totally got the 'freedom is the right of all sentient beings' and 'that's just prime' and I was squealing when I read those and can I call you God? LOL, 'kay, I'm done, on to the story!
Oh, yeah! I should also say that this in honor of D.J striker, whose pairing is one of my faves, too! Love ya, D.J!!
And for those of you waiting on Magnificent Mistake, I should mention that I'm having writer's block with that one, but I will not abandon it! I just don't want to make it sound forced, so I'm going to wait until I get my inspiration back, 'kay-'kay?
Okay, on to the story for real, now!
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"Ak!"
A black and white ball of fluff bounced about within the jade bowl while the only other occupant of the room looked on, sighing tiredly. Silent moonlight filtered through the opening in the roof, casting itself lovingly upon all in its path, illuminating the obstacle course in its deceiving light. From where he stood, hidden by shadows, the course appeared an easy, simple, safe place, but he knew better. Unfortunately, Po, who had only recently come to the Palace, did not.
Noticing the panda had stopped bouncing, the Kung Fu master watched with great interest as he gripped the edges of the bowl and, grunting with effort, hefted himself out and onto the floor below where he collapsed, panting.
"If all the others can do it, so can I," Po mumbled, barely heard by his unnoticed watcher, who allowed a smirk to cross his face. If he was nothing else, the panda was determined. Maybe that was why he had been sneaking out each night to watch these secret practices. Maybe it was the way, whenever Po would perfect a section of the course, he would do an odd dance that the watcher had dubbed 'the happy dance', or maybe it was because no matter how annoyed he had been at the tubby Dragon Warrior during the day, the way he pushed himself so hard for the hour or two he would practice at night made the Kung Fu master's heart melt faster than the Fiery Field of Death, or maybe it was simply because Po was how the master wished he could be; kind, open, and trusting.
It had taken many years for the master to learn to trust others. Shifu's harsh teaching methods had made the warrior aware of all the traitorous people he could meet. But Po seemed oblivious to the evils, instead seeming to hone in on everyone's better qualities, even Master Tigress's.
The truth was that he had fallen, completely and totally, for the larger male. Po was cute as a button and sweet as honey, and he envied that. Watching Po stand, making his way to the Seven Swinging Clubs, he observed silently when a disturbance greeted his ears and time froze.
The Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion had been released.
And Po was climbing over the wooden dragon's coils.
Instinct overriding logic, the observer swooped in, tossing Po out of the way of the deadly obstacles, dancing through the field of spiked pendulums, gracefully avoiding each item. Landing on the other side where he had thrown Po, he knelt beside him and saw his head resting against one of the multiple posts that held up the training hall. His jade eyes were shut, mouth slightly open, revealing flat, pearly teeth, a hand over his chest, out cold. The observer had thrown him too hard and knocked him unconscious.
Sighing in aggravation, he dragged him a bit farther away from the course and inspected the bump on the panda's head. It was a decent sized bump that would hurt quite a bit in the morning, but not life-threatening. Maybe he could convince Master Shifu to give the Dragon Warrior a day off.
Turning from the black and white mass, he smacked the wall lightly enough not to do any damage in frustration. How stupid could he be? He had injured the poor panda, and now he would have to explain to him why he had been watching him in the first -?
Someone was kissing him with soft, smooth lips, thick fur tickling him gently, large paws on his back, creeping up his neck when all to soon it was over. Whoever it was had pulled away.
Opening eyes he hadn't remembered closing, he was greeted by a black and white face smiling softly at him. Worry crept over him at the sight. Did he know? Was he repulsed? Did he pity him? What was going to happen next?
The next words out of the panda's mouth solved all those questions and more.
"Don't worry, Crane, I love you, too."