Flirting

The tiger's smirk only irritated the panda further. "What?"

"I'm just a little amused at your...stumbling block," Tigress chimed in. Po rolled his eyes as they walked through the village's morning streets.

"They just got me off guard, alright? You don't need to tease me about it," Po muttered.

Tigress smiled a bit mockingly as they walked on, journeying through the village's quieter less populated parts. "I must say, panda. I never thought that a warrior like you would fall for the... feminine wiles so easily."

"Am I going to hear the end of this any time soon?"

"No."

Po groaned and dragged his fingers down his face. "Come on, Tigress, give me some slack. They were just... flirting with me, okay? It's not like we get many female bandits in the village anyway."

"Yes, but regardless of gender, you should've been able to counter their little... seduction."

Po glared, "Hey, if you were me, you would've fallen for the same thing. Besides, Master Shifu hasn't taught me how to fend against... that."

"Flirting?"

"Yes!" Tigress smirked, folding her hands behind her back. "Besides, it's very different for a guy."

"How so?"

"Bandits call you pretty and gorgeous and you don't stumble over your two feet. Why?" Po asked.

Tigress raised an eyebrow. "Because I know that it's meaningless coming from a bandit."

"Exactly, and a guy doesn't know that usually," Po said. Tigress stopped, tilting her head in confusion. "You've been complimented so much that you don't get utterly shocked when you hear someone say you're beautiful."

"It's also the intention, Po," Tigress said slowly. "I know that my opponent is trying to get the upper hand. Why would that be different for a male?"

"Because, unlike females, men don't get compliments as much. Unless they're the Emperor," Po muttered. "Guys typically don't get complimented as much and if they do, they don't know how to handle it."

"Much like you couldn't figure out how to handle those bandits."

Po gave a slight growl. "The. Point. Is that while you're used to getting some bad compliments from bad people, I don't get ANY compliments. So how can I know the difference? Especially when people only notice this," Po muttered, jiggling his belly. The panda saw the sympathetic look in Tigress's eyes. "No, no don't give me that look. The worst thing to offer is pity."

"I... hadn't thought of it like that."

"So, sorry that I don't have practice with compliments and flirting. It's hard to practice what you rarely get."

"At the very least you don't have the entire society watching your every move," Tigress said crossing her arms with a slight scowl. "It's not easy for a woman either, Po."

"Did I say that?" Po asked rhetorically. "I never said that women don't go through stuff. I'm just saying the problem for men is different. And yes, I get it. People care too much about what a woman does with their thoughts, their voice, their body, the works."

"But?" Tigress grunted.

Po took a sigh. "Society doesn't care about men at all. And if they do, we're taught to be a stiff board that just does some grand stuff and then we die with a legacy. And what's the point of that?" Tigress watched the panda's face dip for a moment as he looked at the stony pathway. "Yeah, sure, there's freedom in not being under everyone's watchful eyes. But if you fail, no one cares. If you succeed, no one cares. Who are the expendable ones that go to war? Men. And it's only if you're rich, famous, and handsome that people begin to care about the things that aren't you. Because if all those riches and fame were gone, you'd be a nobody again." Po sighed again. "I'm not saying that women don't have to go through struggles of their own. I'm just saying that it's not as easy being a man as you think."

"I... never thought of it like that," Tigress quietly said.

"Of course not," Po practically whispered, moving forward. "It's not something that people teach you to think about."

Tigress walked alongside him in silence. "I'm sorry, Po."

"It's okay. I just... I hate it when we have women bandits. Just because I'm not used to something I rarely get-"

"Flirted with?"

"Yes. Because I rarely get looked at like that, I... don't know how to react."

Tigress suddenly lifted her head and looked around. She grabbed Po's hand and turned down a corner. "Whoa! Tigress, what are you-"

"I have an idea."

They walked over to the forest, a little ways away from the village. Tigress leaned against a tree with a slightly mischievous smirk. "I have a... training exercise for you."

Po gulped. "Does it involve pain?"

"No... well... not that kind of pain I guess," Tigress replied. She stepped up to the panda. "I want to see how well you take flirting and how well you flirt."

"Okay, nope! Bad idea! Nuh-uh. Nope."

"Why not?"

"Tigress, I don't think-"

"I'm a friend, not a bandit trying to steal from the village. We both trust each other. None of this has to reach the others' ears and we're far enough from the village that no one would see us."

"But I still don't want to do this."

Tigress crossed her arms. "Why not?"

"Because... I already know how bad I am with flirting."

"Okay then, why don't you let me flirt with you?" Po snorted a bit. "What?" Tigress grunted.

"I'm sorry, but... can you flirt?"

Tigress seductively leered at Po as she carefully walked up to him. The panda audibly gulped as her smile widened. She placed a claw on Po's chest and carefully walked her fingers up, right to his throat. A low chuffing exited the tiger's throat while Po pressed his lips together to silence any whimper that might leave his throat. Tigress pulled away, smirking widely. "Sorry, I asked," He said dryly.

"Now your turn."

"Please no."

"I promise not to laugh... as much," Tigress said. Not believing her for a moment, Po gave a long breath.

"Okay, here we go." Po stretched out his hand. Raising her eyebrow, Tigress let the panda take her hand.

"What are you dooooing!" Po swiftly twirled Tigress around and leaned her back, catching her a few inches from the ground with her face and his mere centimeters from each other. The feline hovered above the ground with Po's strong arm wrapped around the small of her back while the other hand stretched out her hand above her head.

"Hello darling," Po grinned easily and smugly. His voice had sharply deepened and the low-lidded look on his face bordered on the line of naughty and hungry. Tigress's wide eyes couldn't comprehend all that was happening. The loud beating in her chest wasn't helping. "Would you mind if I have your other hand?"

"Wh-What do you-"

Before she could say anything, Po brought her back up and brushed his hand gently against her face. Somehow, he switched hands, gently rubbing Tigress's other hand. "There, now was that so hard?" Po smiled charmingly.

Tigress gulped.

Po tilted his head. "Uhh, Tigress, are you okay?" His original voice returned.

"Yes, yes, I uh... didn't think you would've done that," Tigress cleared her throat.

"I can tell. You didn't notice that I took your snack," Po held up a small sack of seeds and nuts they took with them from the Jade Palace. Tigress quickly patted her pockets, realizing what happened, and grumbled as she crossed her arms. "To be honest, I didn't think that would work. I thought I was doing a bad job."

"I... didn't think you would spin me around like that," Tigress grumbled.

"Isn't flirting all about doing the unexpected?" Po smirked.

"And the voice change," Tigress said, raising her eyebrow. "How did you do that?"

"Oh, that usually happens when I'm more relaxed and stuff."

"And since there's rarely a time when you're not excited-"

"Hey!"

Tigress smirked as she took the bag of snacks back. "I think you have the ability to really... sweep a woman off their feet, Po."

"Wow, look at you and your puns," Po smirked.

"Hm," Tigress hummed, amused.

And slightly entranced.

The End

A/N: Trust me when I say this isn't some philosophical discussion about the societal expectation differences between genders. I honestly don't care. It just felt... right for Po to complain about if that makes sense. I don't know.