Ice Cream?

The panda groaned as he pushed his feet into the floor, lifting the barbell and putting it back on the rack. "Good, good. Another week or two and you'll break your previous record," said his yak friend.

"Hm."

"What's the matter?"

Po glanced at the yak and sighed, "Kai, do you think I... worry too much about how people look at me?"

The yak rose his eyebrow and stroked his beard. "Hmm, I don't know. Being your strength trainer, I always assumed it was because you wanted to work on your appearance."

"Is that bad?"

"There's nothing wrong with trying to look your best, Po," Kai shrugged. "But I don't know what you're end goal is. You only ever wanted to do more weights, more cardio, more martial arts, more more. I figured at some point you would either break your back and have to rest for a while or just find some girl that would make you take it easy."

Po's eyes shrunk. "Why would a girl make me stop working out?"

"The honeymoon phase," Kai smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. Po rolled his eyes as he trudged onto the quadricep machine. "I'm just saying. Raising a family? Keeping the misses happy? That all take some work. It's called getting the life gut."

"Well, it's a gut that I'm trying not to get," Po grumbled, rubbing his belly underneath his big black hoodie. "I've already got one, thank you."

Kai shook his head. "Po, you worry too much about what other people think about you."

"Oh, now you answer my question?"

"You don't really listen to me," Kai smirked. Po strained his legs against the machine, lifting and lowering it with great control. "I will say this, you are very patient with your progress. And methodical."

"I have to."

"Oh I know," Kai said, leaning on the machine. "I'm just saying your reason for doing all of this has to be a good one."

"What do you mean?"

"You're really focused when you hit the gym. But it always felt like you were trying to pay someone out," Kai paused, "You never told me why you started strength training in the first place."

"I want to lose weight," Po grunted, finishing the set.

"I don't feel like that's the truth. And you've gained enough muscle to lift anyone twice your weight. So... what's really your goal?"

"Ugh!" Po grumbled, "Kai, it doesn't matter how or why I decided to do strength training. The point is now I'm doing something that I really want to do and really like, okay?"

Kai backed off, raising his hands in defense. "Didn't mean to poke at the wound."

"Then don't ask questions like that."

"Alright, I won't."

"Thank you," Po murmured. He pulled up his stuff and was about to head to the bathroom when he caught sight of something orange strolling through the door. "Oh! Uhh, you know what. I think I want to try doing some abductors."

Kai narrowed his eyes. "What?" he said crisply.

"Yeah, you know the sides of your legs and-

"I know what abductors are," Kai quickly said, "But why do you want to do that all of a sudden."

"I'm not... ready to leave the gym just yet."

"Then why didn't you just say that?"

"I just-"

"Hello," said a warm soft voice. Kai and Po turned to the tiger who approached them. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"No, no!" Po smiled widely. "Uhh Tigress, this is my former trainer and friend Kai. Kai, this is Tigress, a friend and sparring partner."

Kai's eyes widened to the size of peaches. "It's nice to meet you, Kai," Tigress smiled, presenting her hand. The yak gently took her hand and bowed low, delicately kissing it.

"The pleasure is all mine, madam," Kai smiled charmingly. Po groaned. "And how do you know our lovely panda here?"

"He... helped me," Tigress said.

"I had to deal with that snow leopard guy that joined recently?" Po quickly explained.

"Ah! Tai Lung. Yeah, I remember the guy," Kai groaned. "I'm so sorry you had to deal with that son of a-"

"Anyway," Po interrupted, "What are you doing here?"

"I was just hoping to get some stretching in," Tigress smirked, "I do come here even when you're not here, Po."

"Ha! That's impossible. Po's always here. I'm almost certain he sleeps here."

"Not helping Kai," Po grumbled.

"If you have time, I would like the company," Tigress slowly said.

"Of course, he would," Kai smiled, wrapping his arm around Po's shoulders. "He definitely needs to stretch his... abductors." The panda groaned under his breath.

"I'll see you then?" Tigress smiled.

"Yeah," Po replied with a nervous grin. As Tigress went over to the second floor where the stretch area was, Kai's grin gleamed in the light. Po sighed. "It's not like that."

"Alright, alright. I'll believe that for now. But I'm shocked more than smug."

"Why?"

"Aren't you always telling me that you don't want to get distracted by the cute girls in the gym."

"This... this is different... I hope," Po frowned.

Kai's grin disappeared as the panda's eyes slowly glanced at his belly. The yak gave a long sigh. "Look, Po. I don't know much about your personal life, but I know you shouldn't just wall yourself up like a tomb. Whatever is holding you back, don't let it scare you."

A small smile spread across the panda's face. "Thanks, Kai."

"Anytime. Now you have a stretching session to get to," Kai smirked. The panda grumbled and marched up the stairs. Kai chuckled to himself and walked towards the exit where he leaned his elbow on the front counter. "Well, looks like our panda has gotten a new female friend."

"Hehe, he does," Mei Ling giggled.

"I'm surprised at you though."

"Why me?"

"I always thought you would ask him out."

Mei Ling shrugged. "He never seemed interested in me. Besides, he's a much better friend to me than a romantic partner."

"Annnnd not your... personal aesthetic?" Kai asked, narrowing his eyes a bit.

"No, no. You know that's not it, Kai," Mei said defensively. "You know I'm not against how Po looks."

"Hm."

"I just don't see him as a romantic partner. And he doesn't either," Mei Ling gave a small huff. "You're too protective of him, you know."

"And you aren't?"

"I'm just the front desk person, remember?" Mei Ling sighed, leaning onto the counter. "All I do here is watch. That's my job."

"Hm," Kai's breathed loudly as he walked out. "Take care, Mei Ling."

"You too, Kai," Mei Ling muttered.

Meanwhile, Po walked up to the running track where Tigress sat in one of the corners, reaching for her legs. "You know," Po chuckled, "There are other stretches for your legs."

"What do you mean?"

"Every time I see you stretch, you're always stretching your legs."

"You've only seen me stretch maybe three times, Po," Tigress smirked.

"I'm just saying."

"Well, why don't you show me some stretches?"

The panda lay on the mat and extended his legs. "Ooff! I need to stretch more. I used to be able to touch my toes," Po grunted.

"Most people can't," Tigress smiled but her frown soon came up. "Are you sure you're comfortable in that hoodie?"

"Yep."

"Doesn't it get a little... hot?"

"The gym has A/C."

"And when it doesn't."

"Then I suffer," Po said dramatically.

Tigress rolled her eyes. "I've been meaning to ask," She said, switching to the next leg. "How did you get to be an animator at Chaotic?"

"Monkey asked for help after a different studio he worked for went bankrupt. It worked out, I guess. He did a lot of different jobs with that company before it closed so he knows how to do a lot of different jobs around the studio."

"So how do you know Monkey?"

"College."

Tigress huffed, "You are not good at giving answers."

"Huh?"

"How do you know Monkey? Going to college is one thing, but how are you at this company? What relationship did you two have when you were at college? How did you get into animation? Was it because of Monkey-

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Po cried out. "Sorry, I didn't think I was being dodgy."

"You weren't. I...I'm sorry. I guess I'm not used to being... specific with my questions," Tigress muttered a bit.

Po smiled, "Monkey was my college mentor. He was a junior my freshman year. We stayed in touch for a while when I was knocking around for animation jobs. I did some odd jobs here and there, but then Monkey reached me and told me his situation."

"How did you find out that animation was your thing?" Tigress asked.

"I... lost a bet."

"Pardon?"

"I was on the fence about whether to be a business major to play it safe," Po said, stretching his arms, "Or do what I wanted and be an animator. So Monkey made a bet with me. He said if I lost in a game of darts-"

Tigress burst into laughter, falling onto her back.

"AAHHAHAHAHA! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Tigress wiped her eye. "So, so, you let the fate of the darts determine something important in your life? Why?"

Po shrugged nervously, "I was in a real bind. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do so I decided to let fate have its way." The panda saw the tiger's Cheshire smile. "Anyway, I lost the bet, decided to do animation and I've loved it ever since. Looking at what Monkey has to do on the daily made me really glad I lost."

"Hmm," Tigress hummed with a smirk. "Maybe it wasn't luck."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you sure you weren't simply sabotaging yourself because you knew exactly what you wanted to do?"

"Uhhh well," Po nervously rubbed the back of his head.

Tigress smiled wider and stood up. "Seems like a great story for parties," she said, helping Po up from the mat. "What about family?"

"Oh! There's my goose dad. He's not like my foster dad but he acts like it. And my panda dad. My mom died from a car accident when I was young."

"I'm...I'm so sorry." Tigress felt shivers down her spine. Her thoughts went straight to her accident.

"Yeah, but it's been those two ever since."

"What does your panda dad do?"

"He's... he's uh... the head of a business chain," Po practically whispered.

Tigress's eyes widened. "Wait, what business chain?"

"Uhhh... Mr. Ping's noodles?"

"Wait, so your adopted dad owns shops across the country, but your panda dad is head of those shops."

"Heheh," Po shyly smiled. "I try my best to keep it low-key."

"Why?"

"You'd be surprised how many people talk to me just because they think I have money and then realize within two hours that I don't have much."

Tigress rose an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I specifically asked my dad not to give me money. I want to make my own way in life. Unless I royally mess up."

"Well, it seems you're more stable," Tigress smiled.

Po skittishly smiled. "Yeah, things weren't as... stable as they are now, but things have gotten much better."

"You definitely set your own path," Tigress said. The panda nervously scratched the back of his head with a smile. Tigress looked at her watch and frowned. "I have to get going, though. I have some reports to do."

"On a Sunday?"

"Not all of us can enjoy the weekend," Tigress sighed.

Po narrowed his eyes. "Can't or won't."

"Hm?"

"I'm pretty sure that Shifu isn't the kind of guy to overwork you," Po said, crossing his big arms.

Tigress crossed her own. "Just because he isn't, doesn't mean that I can't do some work."

"Why don't you relax?"

"Because I have work to do."

"Work will always be there, even when you're long gone," Po replied. The tiger stayed silent. "Hey, I can't tell you what to do, but... I'm just saying."

"Hm." Tigress looked at her watch and sighed. Biting the inside of her lip, she gave a great huff of air and stared at the panda. "Alright, fine. But I don't have anything else to do."

"Ummmm... well, why don't you try something new?"

"Like what?"

"Uhhhh, I don't know. New exercise?"

Tigress stifled a laugh, "Is exercising all you think about?"

"Okay, how about... ice cream?"

"Ice cream?" Tigress repeated with a small haughty smirk. "I didn't think I would be a child today."

"And yet, I can definitely tell you haven't developed your sweet tooth in a while," Po smirked back. Tigress rolled her eyes. "And besides, even though it's cold, why not try it?"

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"That's not a reason."

"Neither is yours," Po pointed out.

Tigress sighed, turning her head away. She hated the fact her mouth was watering for something sweet, even if it wasn't particularly nutritious. "I... wouldn't want to go alone." Her eyes widened. Did she just throw that invitation out there?

"Oh, uhh, well, I can come," Po answered shyly. "I-If you like."

"Sure," Tigress smiled, "But you're paying."

"Aye aye ma'am," Po saluted. He facepalmed. "Just... pretend I didn't do that."

"I won't."

"Great," Po grumbled miserably as the tiger smiled to herself.

Continued...