Returning Love

"OH MY GOSH YOU'RE HERE!" Tigress screamed as she hugged the panda who had came back to surprise the others, especially Tigress. Then Tigress remembered herself. She came off of Po and composed herself. "And I'm...happy about that." But she couldn't contain herself. "Oh screw it YOU'RE HERE!" She clung on to him again.

"I missed you too. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to come back home immediately and be with you guys," Po replied hugging her back. Tigress pulled back a little.

"When did you get here?"

"I just came up the mountain. I told Viper, Monkey, and Mantis to wait at my dad's shop to make sure you didn't know I was here," Po explained.

"How did the war fare, are you okay," Tigress asked looking him over.

"I'm fine," Po laughed. He stopped when she gently touched his face. He blushed a bit.

"Then what happened here," She asked as her finger traced a light scar over his right eye. Po chuckled nervously.

"Ah, that just happens when you get too close to a swinging sword," Po explained. "Don't worry, it didn't affect my sight. It just makes me look a little dangerous."

"I'm just glad that you're safe," Tigress sighed as she hugged him again.

"Ahem," coughed Zan. Tigress and Po looked at the door to see the whole group looking through the door with smug grins on their faces. Po and Tigress both jumped away from each other, but Tigress thought of something then went to the door.

"Zan, I'm going to do something that you usually do," Tigress said.

"What's that," Zan asked.

"Be bold," she said as she slammed the door shut. This took everyone for a loop.

"Okay," Zan replied surprised.

"What do we do now," Monkey asked looking to Zan for an answer.

"Let's just go to bed," Zan suggested, and everyone separated as if it was nothing. Meanwhile, Po and Tigress were still talking and Tigress was still hugging Po.

"I'm so glad you're back. I...I missed you so much," She said quietly.

"I know," Po smiled, gently rubbing her cheek. "Shifu told me how things were when I left. I'm sorry I made you worry so much." Tigress hugged him tighter.

"It doesn't matter. You're here now and that's all that matters," Tigress quietly said. Po smiled.

"So he's back," Vick said. "That's great."

"And how is their relationship going," Ruby asked.

"It's going great," Zan said as he held a scroll in his hand and ate his lunch. Ai pushed the scroll down.

"I've told you not to do work in the shop Zan," Ai scolded. Zan rolled his eyes.

"I'm just making sure I got all of this down. Po said I could probably return home in about a year. I have to be ready," Zan replied, putting the scroll back up against his face. Ai brought it back down.

"We are going to miss you a lot here Zan," O said from the kitchen. Zan sighed.

"I'll miss you all too," Zan said getting up from his work.

"Group hug," Zang shouted. They came together and hugged, but Ai hugged Zan the tightest.

"Don't worry," Zan said as they separated, "I will visit you guys. Um...Vick can I talk to you?"

"Sure," The wolf replied. They went to the back of the shop.

"That reminds me," Ai said aloud, "Ruby I need to talk to you."

"Okay," Ruby said a little weirded out by the coincidence. They went outside of the shop.

"Oh boy," O muttered.

"Okay, what's is it Zan," Vick asked.

"I know that you like Ruby," Zan stated, "Like Tigress likes Po."

"WHAT! No! He and I are just friends," Ruby protested.

"Oh come on, everyone can see it," Ai shot back. "Plus-"

"You two have been seeing each other for a while now," Zan explained.

"And," Vick questioned.

"And with Zan being gone, you two need to be able to manage your relationship yourself. He can't help you get together, no matter how much you may want to be together," Ai explained. Ruby paused for a moment to think about it.

"So what are you saying," Ruby asked.

"I'm telling you not to be scared and to get over your nervousness and ask her," Zan practically commanded. "Don't do the mistake Tigress and Po did." Vick sighed.

"Fine," Vick and Ruby said.

"Good," Ai and Zan replied.

As they came back into the kitchen, Zan noticed a little parchment paper sticking out of shelf near the stove. Ai saw him going for the letter. She quickly tried to get the letter out of his hand. "Zan, that's mine! Give it back," She demanded.

"What's so important about it," Zan questioned, keeping out of her reach.

"It's personal," Ruby replied. Now Zan was more interested than ever. If Ruby knew about it, then it was worth knowing. "Now give it to her!"

"If it's so personal, how do you know about it," Zan said. Ai suddenly tried to tackle Zan, but he flew up on the hanging roof over the kitchen. "Whoa! What's so important about the letter?"

"Nothing," Ai shouted at him getting more anxious and frustrated. "It's just personal." Zan stood up straight as he came down. He looked Ai with a both hurt and stern face.

"You and I know each other like the back of each other's hand. What's so personal that I can't know about it?" Ai was about to answer but O interrupted.

"Ai," He said putting his hand on her shoulder. "I think it would be best to let him read it. Better to know what happens now than be in turmoil not knowing." Ai sighed. She hated it when O was right. She took a nervous deep breath and let Zan read it. Zan tore the letter open and read the letter to himself.

Dear Zan,

We've been friends for a long time, and it's been a wonderful time with you. We've gotten in adventures, mischief, and dangerous missions. You're a wonderful person, and you've given me backbone and the courage to stand for myself. I thank you so much. You make me feel appreciated, bold, and most importantly, loved. I've always wanted to take our friendship to the next level. You and I are very close and I just want us to be closer. What I'm trying to say is...I love you.

Love Ai

Well, Zan stood there speechless. By the time he looked up from the paper to look at Ai, she had already ran out the door. Zan was without words.

"Well," Vick asked.

"'Well', why didn't you tell me," Zan answered back angrily.

"You would have denied it and hurt her feelings. You know she likes you," the eighteen year-old ox said. Zan sighed. Then he had an idea.

"Zan," Ruby warned, "I know that look. Don't do anything that will make a bigger mess than it already is."

"No, it's not that at all Ruby," Zan said cheerfully as he went out the door. "I just figured out how to get Ai to come back home with me." O just laughed as the others were confused. Zan quickly flew up the mountain to get the scroll he needed and flew back down to find Ai. He finally found her on the bridge that they had cross to see Zan's mother. Ai just looked at her reflection in the water sadly. Zan quietly came up to her. "I'm sorry," he said making his presence known.

"Don't be. I knew we were just friends and that's all you saw me as. It's fine, I'll get over it," Ai replied, tearfully looking at the the reflection in the water. Zan wrapped his arms around her and lifted her chin to face him.

"I was apologizing for reading your letter. I had no right to invade your privacy," Zan said. He presented the scroll to Ai. It was scroll about Zan's need for a wife. Ai was confused.

"Why are you showing me this," She asked.

"Ai, that scroll came years ago and the council, my mother, and my father wanted to let me find a girl to be my wife," Zan stated.

"What are you getting at, Zan," Ai questioned. Ai gasped when Zan gripped her closer to himself.

"I...I love you, too. I've always thought you were pretty, but when I got to know you, you were incredible. I thought it was me changing but I've come to realize that I do in fact love you," Zan explained. Ai cried fresh tears of joy as she hugged Zan tightly, and Zan hugged back. They looked into each other eyes and kissed. It was short, but filled with longing and hidden desire.

"I will go back with you to your kingdom. I just hope my parents will understand," Ai wondered pensively. Zan smiled.

"I'm sure they'll like me," Zan replied. "However, we won't be actually married until we reach the age where the council says we are okay for marriage, but-"

"I can wait," Ai smiled warmly. She nestled into his warm chest. It was still cold. "As long I'm with you, I'll be fine."

"O...Okay," Zan stuttered. The cold whipped around them trying to get in between them. But with the warmth of their bodies TOGETHER, the cold wind could not prevail...But it could influence them to go inside. "Come on, let's go inside." Zan nodded. As they went on their way back to the shop, Ai was wondering something that grew suddenly into words.

"You know, I'm surprised that you haven't mentioned anything about Tigress and Po's relationship yet. You're usually on top of these guys." Zan rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I'm not obsessed with them. Right now, I don't have to worry about them," Zan replied. Ai smiled brightly. They fell into a happy silence. "But now that you bring it up."

"UUGGGHH!" Ai groaned.

"I promise it's worth the break in conversation. Tigress finally confessed to me about Po." That made Ai pop up. "Ah meerkat reaction," Zan smirked his signature smirk. Ai smiled. "What?"

"I haven't seen that cocky smirk of yours in a while," Ai mentioned, making Zan blush. "But anyways, what did she tell you?"

"She said that she does have feelings for him. The real reason she dated Qiang was because she thought Po wouldn't like her back." Ai stared at him. "Yeah I know. It seemed stupid to me too, until she mentioned that I did practically the same thing as her with you."

"I wouldn't say that," Ai countered. "But then that means you can finally get them together." Zan thought about it.

"You know, I think they'll get themselves together. Right now, I just want to be with you," He replied. Ai smirked.

"Corny," she murmured. Zan dipped his head underneath hers and smiled, playfully nuzzling her neck.

"But you love it," Zan smirked, making Ai laugh. And they walked together back to the shop.

to be continued.