What is Love?


"Think of it like a song," Po said. The tiger curled her eyebrow up.

"As in a marching band?"

"No, not like that," Po huffed, waving the bad answer away. "It's like a song. Soft and sweet when all of a sudden, WHAM! There, it got you. Right in the claws." Tigress held her quizzical stare. "Okay, maybe that doesn't make sense."

"It was a valiant effort."

"But come on, Tigress, you're really telling me you have no idea how love works."

Tigress sighed, holding back an annoyed groan. "I know what love is. I know what caring about others is like. I know how to protect the people I care about." She leaned her forearms onto the table, hardening her glare. "But when it comes to intimate love, I don't know what that's like. Why is that such a problem for you?"

"I don't know it just..."

"Just what?" She asked. Po kept quiet. "Look, panda," She said roughly. "I don't always know everything. Besides, relationships can get in the way of progress and a warrior's inner peace."

"How do you know?" Po asked. Tigress's amber eyes pierced through him. "Never mind," The panda mumbled, tapping his finger on the wood. He scanned the kitchen for an answer, but the silent cooking area couldn't give him any kind of way out. "Okay, how about this? It's like a...Wait, you've never cooked."

"I have."

"Really?" Po asked. Tigress tilted her head a bit.

"I've cooked for you when you were sick with the flu. You probably don't remember because of the fever."

"Oh yeah, I think I remember. I thought you were an orange blob monster trying to give me medicine," Po chuckled. The tiger rolled her eyes. "Ugh, why is this so hard?"

"Po, it doesn't matter in the end," Tigress sighed, standing up from her seat. "I've never had a relationship before or had any suitors."

"Wait! No one has ever told you that they liked you?!" Po shouted. He watched the tiger's ears droop. "No, no! I didn't mean that... what I was trying to say is... uhhh."

"Po, I... I'm going to go train." With that, Tigress pushed past the panda and headed for the door.

"Wait! That's it!"

The feline turned around. "What is?"

"That's what love is like! That's what it's like being in love with someone."

"Training?"

"No, sparring."

Tigress blinked several times before crossing her arms. "How is fighting like love?"

"Every time you clash with me, you get better each and every time, right? We're sparring because we're slowly building each other up." Tigress nodded. "It's the same with love. Being in love with someone means helping someone build up while they build you up. Growing with someone. Being in love means that you want to watch someone grow while you're growing yourself from them."

"But isn't that just like teaching someone?" Tigress asked.

Po shook his head. "Teaching someone isn't on equal footing. Shifu teaches you to become a better warrior. Someone who loves you doesn't teach you. They help you with your own learning. They watch you grow while you also watch them grow. You grow together. Shifu won't grow in the same way when he teaches someone."

Tigress stayed silent for a moment, staring at the panda. Finally, she sighed and shook her head. "Po, why do you want me to know so much about love?"

"Well," He said, frantically rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know. I just... I don't want you to miss out on something just because you don't know what it is. Can you imagine if I didn't know what my dad's cooking was like? Whoa! Hehe, that's not a life I want to have."

Tigress's lips cracked a small smile. "I can imagine."

"I'm... sorry about what I said earlier. I just... you're a very awesome person. I'm just surprised that no one has ever told you that."

"Most people are scared by my... rough exterior," She stated, running her hand over her arm. A heavy but warm hand rested on her shoulder.

"But I know that there's more to you than just that. Much more," Po smiled.

The smile was contagious and Tigress couldn't help her lips from curving up wider. "Thank you Po."

The end.