A few nights went by. Po sat in the living room with a book in his hand in his smartly dressed black suit. Jessica mentioned wanting to go to the club. "I hope this cheers her up. She's been down lately," Po mumbled. "That and the liquor has been taking a hit."
Though Po wasn't worried about her becoming an alcoholic, he was still worried. Just then Jessica came out. Po's eyes widened. The husky came out in a sparkling deep black strapless dress. The dress hugged her tits for dear life, just covering her nipples. Thigh slits ran down her lovely thick legs and her black high heels matched her perfectly with the glossy lipstick she wore. "Holy shit!"
"You like it?" Jessica smirked.
"I love it! What's the occasion?"
"We're going out on a date tonight," Jessica declared.
Po narrowed his eyes but smirked, "You weren't jealous of Tigress and me going on a date, were you?"
The husky rolled her eyes. "No, I just wanted some time with you. Is that a crime?"
"No, no, no. Hehe. Just new," Po smiled. "Come on, let's go."
"Good. Also, we're not going to the club."
"Where are we going?"
Moments later, the two walked to a white table five-star gourmet restaurant. Po's eyes and jaw dropped permanently as the two took their seats. The waiter took their orders. Po ordered water, and Jessica asked for wine. But when the wine came, Po immediately noticed something. "Low alcohol? Jessica, are you okay?"
"Oh, stop worrying so much. Can't I surprise you?"
"This is coming from the woman who doesn't like surprises?"
"So I'm a hypocrite. I can't do it?"
Po rose his eyebrow. "You can. It's just... very rare." Jessica smiled. Po knew that smile. "Jessica, what are you-" Suddenly, something was caressing his crotch. "Hey, mmm not here," Po replied with a shaky gritted grin.
"There's a bathroom close by, but for once I think you're right."
Po looked at her but shrugged and began sipping his water. "Po... can I ask you a question?" He nodded. "Do you think I have too much sex?"
PPPFFFFFFFTTT!
"ACK ACK ACK ACK!" Po coughed up his water, pounding his chest. "GUH! Okay, um... wow, uh... what did you say?"
"Do you think I have too much sex?"
Po blinked several times. The husky's face didn't seem to be joking. The panda slowly shrugged. "I mean... it's your lifestyle. I mean, I'm okay with just having sex with Tigress mostly, but you know... to each their own."
"That's not an answer."
"Why does it bother you?"
Jessica sighed, "I just... everyone only sees me in a sexual way."
"And that's bad?"
"I mean when they think of me, they figure I only think of sex. Like when you joked about me fucking your kids in the hospital, or when you joked that I'm going to be at the red-light district faster than you saying turbo, or when people think that I only ever want to be in charge or think that I don't actually do some other kind of work. Is that all people see of me... Am I just too deep in this stuff?"
Po sat there quietly for a few minutes. As the waiter gave them refills, the husky nervously clenched her fist under the table. After the waiter left, Po finally said, "I'm sorry. I didn't think it made you feel that way. I didn't mean to hurt you like that."
"It's not the joking that worries me. It's the fact that when people think of me, they only think of a sex person."
Po shrugged. "I mean, I'm the same way, aren't I?"
"No, you aren't. You have your animation, friends that you don't talk about sex, you have your lifting, drawing, you have a life outside of sex. It's just... I don't think people see me the same."
"That doesn't mean you're a bad person, Jessica," Po said. "You know who you are even without sex, right? It's just, everyone knows that sex is a big part of you." The panda leaned on the table. "Do you believe it's the only part of you?"
"No, but... I don't know," Jessica sighed. Another moment of silence passed. The waiter asked for their meals, but Po and Jessica ordered just the appetizers.
"Po," Jessica spoke up. "Is it true that you were scared of me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Po gave a long sigh. "I was scared because... I was thinking I was less than a man. I thought getting your girlfriend stolen from you, getting fucked by someone like you made me less than a man. But now I realize that having those things done to you didn't make you a man or less of one. I just... always thought I wanted to have the exact same kind of confidence you had. But... I realized that my fear was only there because I was comparing myself to you in the first place. That's when I decided to challenge my fears."
"So that's why you let me fuck you and Tigress. Because you knew you were scared of it happening," Jessica's bottom lip quivered. Po gulped. He knew that face. It was the face she had when she was about to cry.
"Jess, Jess! This was just stuff I was having problems with. I knew you weren't a bad person, but it was the principle. I was worried of getting my girlfriend stolen from someone better than me. And I was scared that being fucked by you would mean I was just a... femboy. And that I could never be called a man. But... what goes on in the bed doesn't determine if you're a man. This whole fear was stuffed inside a false idea of what it means to be a man."
"I keep hearing you say this," Jessica interrupted, wiping her eyes. "What it takes to be a man. What do you think it means to be a man?"
Po took a long breath. "To be the man you think you should be. Loving, kind, accepting yourself as you are. Being brave enough to figure out what it means to be a man for yourself. Facing your fears and to stop defining your manhood by external things and focusing on the internal good stuff, like trustworthiness and courage. The courage to keep on trying to be better. And to be honest with yourself and accept who you are while pushing to be who you want to be. Being a man means being the best you, you can be. Not better than someone else, just you."
Jessica stared for a bit. Her hand gently touched the wine glass. She took a deep breath and smiled. "That... sounds good. And I know that you're turning into that kind of man. I can drink to that." Po smiled and picked up his own glass. They toasted and drank their liquids. "Ugh, heh, doesn't have the same punch."
"That's what happens when you get the low alcohol, but back to the real question," Po said, leaning forward. "Why are you asking those kinds of questions?"
"I can't?"
"You usually steer clear of them," He answered bluntly. Jessica sighed.
"Things have changed ever since we moved out of the apartment. I just... wanted to take stock, I guess. And...finally, kick a fear of mine in the nuts."
"Oh? What feemmnhhpp!" The husky pulled Po by the collar and kissed him passionately. "Bwah?" Po gasped. Jessica giggled, slapped a stack of hundreds on the table, and walked out with Po by his arm. "Wait! My dumpling!"
"I'll get you some takeout."
They got in the car and drove to their old apartment. Jessica opened the door, pulled Po into the room, kissed him again to keep him dazed, and led them to her old room.
"Okay, okay, stop!" Po called out. "What the heck is going on? I mean, you're usually not like this."
"I told you. I want to face my fear."
"Of what?"
{Sexy time on AO3}
"Hehe," Po chuckled at the memory of them doing something like this when they were kids.
Please let me stay.
Jessica, I don't think.
Please, you know I don't like thunderstorms.
Ugh, okay.
"Funny how things change," Po sighed as he fell asleep.
The next day, Po's eyes slowly opened up to Jessica's yawning muzzle. "Good morning."
"Mmmm, block out the sun."
"Heh, So... how was yesterday?"
"Mmmm," Jessica almost purred, resting her head on his chest. "That was... amazing. But your ass is mine after this, right Daddy Bear?" She looked at him with a pout, rocking her hips to tease him.
"Haha. So, I guess you're gonna try and dominate still?"
"Of course, but now, I get to put on my new submissive charms. Especially if it's you."
"Hehe, I guess this counts as a good pre-birthday gift?"
"Hell no," Jessica smirked, lifting her head from the pillows. "I've got other plans for you."
"Like what?"
"You just got to try and not cum as long as you can, okay? Until your birthday."
Po rose his eyebrow. "My birthday is five months away, Jess."
"Well, you're always bragging about not jerking off all the time. Now's the time to put your so called no-touchie skills into action."
"I feel as if this is either gonna bite me in the butt or really change my life," Po muttered. Jessica giggled and kissed him on the nose.
"One way to find out, babe."
"Hehe," Po sighed. Jessica rested her head back in the nook of his neck. She breathed deeply and sighed.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For... being a man. For being a safe place for me to cry on. For being warm."
"Well, the warm part I can't change."
"You know what I mean," Jessica chuckled. "I've got to say, last night was the first time I... felt like a woman."
Po narrowed his eyes. "Haven't you-"
"I've kinda shot myself in the foot when I usually take charge. Not that I don't like it. It's just... to be cared for. I mean, last night was the first time in a while I just let someone fuck me anyway they wanted. It felt, different. Shit, it felt great. Especially with you. But... I just felt like... I was more of a woman at that moment. A receiver. Because I chose to receive you? I... I don't really know how to explain it."
Po blinked for a moment and smiled. "I'm glad I could help."
"And Po?"
"Hm?"
"I love you."
Po smiled, "I love you too."
"But I'm fucking the shit out of you tomorrow for making me a cumming mess."
"I regret nothing," Po chuckled along with his sister. "Did you want to watch movies after this?"
Jessica's smile couldn't have been wider. "Sure."
