Chapter Text
He stared at the white popcorn ceiling with black furred arms folded behind his head. He rolled up, blinking his jade eyes at the city's morning light on this tepid weekend. The sunlight beamed over skyscrapers and reflective monoliths, even from his fourth floor apartment.
Correction: Their apartment.
A small trinket-like noise darted across hardwood floors before being silenced by furniture and doors. He paused. Probably the upstairs neighbors laughing.
But it didn't come from upstairs. He walked out his door, and down the hall stood a familiar tiger, locking the front door behind her. "You're home early."
"I didn't feel like doing my usual circuit," She replied. The black and white bear rubbed his face, pressing his lips together. "What?"
"Nothing."
"You seem upset," She said, instinctively looking into the fridge. The panda rolled his jade eyes.
"Tigress, I didn't raid the fridge again. It's just... I didn't know it was that hot outside," he said.
Tigress wore a loose-fitting T-shirt that wetly clung to her body. The black sports bra underneath showed through while her dark navy sport shorts sloppily stuck to her firm, long legs. Suddenly, the panda realized he was being watched.
"Why do you say that?"
"You look a mess."
"You're such a dork."
"You know me," the panda smiled nervously. The tiger rolled her eyes.
"If you must know, it's not hot. I did a sprint, that's all."
"That's why you're more sweaty than normal?"
Tigress grinned, "I didn't think you were paying attention to my sweat , Po."
"I... uh... sorry."
"It's okay, you're just fun to tease," the feline smiled. Po gave a light smile himself. Tigress passed from the open kitchen to the island counter behind her. The smooth oak wood neatly held knives, spice racks, and plates. Things the panda insisted on once moving in. The tiger didn't seem to mind, especially with his gourmet-level meals. She drank the water bottle from the fridge to the dregs until she spotted the panda staring listlessly at her. "What?"
"Nothing! Nothing," Po shook his head. "Sorry, I just... got a lot on my mind. I'll get out of your way."
"Po, you-" But the panda darted back into his room before the tiger could say anything more. She put down the bottle and sighed, "You weren't in my way."
Were they a relationship or a situationship?
It'd be clearer if they weren't family... kinda.
Tigress could remember the very first day they met each other.
The little tiger was happily playing kickball with a bunch of other kids at the park. Her mother, on a shaded bench chatting to other mothers, smiled from afar. Summer breeze swirled around green leaves as the little tike kicked the ball far into the corner. She ran after it until her feet hit the sands of the playground.
Grabbing her red ball, she saw a small black and white bear on the swings by himself. He looked sad and stared at the ground. "Hey, are you okay?"
"No," The panda child sniffled. The little tiger sat next to him. "My mommy's sick and my dad's scared. I miss my mommy."
The tiger looked around and saw in a shaded part of the park, a large bear much like his son staring pensively into the paved walkway.
"I miss my mommy," The panda whimpered.
"Maybe my mom can help!" The tiger smiled, "She's good at helping people. Come on!"
"Oh! Oh okay!" The tiger pulled the little black and white bear by the hand across the open field. "Who are you?"
"I'm Tigress. Who are you?"
"I'm Po. Will you be my friend?"
Tigress chuckled, "Okay."
The larger female tiger was slightly surprised that two children came to her. And one of them was new. "Oh! Uhh, is this your friend, Tigress?" The mother asked, slightly surprised that it wasn't one of the cats or gazelles she was playing with a moment earlier.
"Mommy, Po's sad."
Mai sighed with a smile. Ever since Tigress learned her mother was a child psychologist, she kept 'referring' her friends to her mom. Probably because she didn't understand how it actually worked. She helped kids. That was enough for Tigress.
Mai looked down at the smaller bear. Po's eyes didn't seem scared or fearful like other children who met her at first. "You're pretty," Po said bluntly.
"Oh, thank you," Mai smiled. The panda shyly bowed his head. "And what seems to be the problem? Where are your parents?"
"My mommy's sick and daddy's worried about it," Po explained. Mai sighed heavily. She could guess a little bit of what he meant by that and what Po was feeling. "Can you help us?"
Though the panda's plea broke her heart, she sighed, "I'm not sure I-"
"Po! There you are. Don't go running off like that." A large panda gently scooped up his son into his arms. Mai stood up while her friends dispersed, waving her goodbye. "I'm so sorry about him. I've been so out of it lately that I-"
"No, no, it's okay, Mr..."
"Li Shan," The great panda's smile couldn't hide his reddened jade eyes. "Sorry if he's been causing any trouble."
"No trouble at all," Mai said as she picked up Tigress. "Po just asked if I could help with some of your... personal burdens. I'm... sorry for what your... troubles."
Li Shan sighed, "I guess it's not a secret anymore. Again, I'm so sorry for-"
"It's fine, Li Shan. I'm Mai. I'm sure that you're dealing with a lot. I'm... really sorry about that."
Li Shan gave a small smile. "It's okay. Thank you for making sure Po's okay."
"Of course," Mai smiled.
"Bye Po!"
"Bye Tigress," The panda smiled widely. Tigress giggled as the bears left the park. The little feline saw her mother's face slowly turn over into a frown.
"Mommy, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, dear. I just... I know what Po's dad is going through. Come on, let's get your father," Mai smiled.
After that, tiger and panda met each other, again and again at the park. Po's smile slowly grew as Mai grew to know him. The distant panda father began to open up to her. Tigress's father sometimes came. The big tiger, much taller than Mai, had broad shoulders and a large strong back from his workouts. And yet the bulky businessman only seemed to capture Po's awe and admiration. He was fascinated with him. In fact the first thing he did when he met Tigress's father was climbing right into the tiger's lap and played with his suit's buttons. "Uhhhh hello?" He said.
"Whoa! Are you Tigress's daddy? You're big!" Po marveled.
"Not what I thought I'd hear a child say about me," he chuckled deeply.
"Raj. This is Po, Li Shan's son," Mai said, gesturing over to the weary older male panda. He waved nervously, giving a short head bow.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Claw. Sorry if Po's too... eager. We've been trying to teach him about boundaries."
"I don't think Po wants to leave Raj's boundary," Mai laughed. The young panda rubbed his head into Raj's white dress shirt with a happy smile.
"You smell nice. Like... Peaches!" Po smiled.
"I told you the aftershave was a good choice," Raj smirked.
"You're trying to woo me, not a child," Mai grinned back.
Tigress saw the adults laughing. She tilted her head, watching how Po sat in her father's lap like he was his child. She fussily tried to climb into her mother's lap.
"Tigress? What's wrong?"
"I want up."
"Oh ho, seems like Tigress's a bit jealous," Li Shan smiled. The panda knelt to Tigress's height. "Would you be okay with me picking you up?"
"Hmmm Okay," Tigress pouted for a moment before she was taken up into the panda's arms like a little babe. Her eyes widened. He was so soft and warm. Warmer than her father. Fuzzy and cozy. Yet her nose could smell the tinge in his scent, making her nose wrinkle noticeably.
"Sorry if I smell weird. It's been... tough," Li Shan sighed.
Mai and Raj looked at each other. "Has the doctor said anything about your wife's... condition?"
Li Shan sighed heavily. "Nothing good."
That's all the kids were allowed to hear before they were sent off to play again.
But Tigress could remember well the day when everything changed. Even the small tiger could feel something was different when she saw the panda back on the swing, sniffling. Tigress quickly grabbed her mother's hand, pulling desperately. "What's wrong, dear?"
"It's Po. He's sad. I think something bad happened."
Mai looked over to the lonely child slowly swinging by himself. He made feeble kicks making a small creaking sound in the metal. She looked over to a bench and saw Li Shan. His hand covered his face, but his body shook. "Honey, why don't you try and make Po feel better? I'll talk with his daddy, okay?"
Tigress's eyes widened. She had never helped someone feel better before. The smaller tiger nodded and set off towards Po.
The bear's sniffles broke the silence as Tigress sat next to him on the other swing. "Po, what's wrong?"
He said nothing for a moment, fighting tears dripping down his face. "Mommy's... gone. I won't see her again."
Tigress gasped. She met the panda woman at the hospital. She knew the panda's mother was sick, but why would she leave? Her young brain couldn't figure it out. Before she could ask where did she go, Po's sobs broke out. "I don't wanna be alone. I want my mommy!" He cried. "I want my mommmmy!"
Tigress didn't know what to do. She quickly hugged him, not bothering if the chains got in the way. The bear cried louder, but only for a moment. His pudgy arms hugged her back.
Over the panda's back, she could see her mom gently rubbing Li Shan's back, whispering something to Li Shan that made him nod. That's when she walked over to Tigress and Po and knelt to the kids. "Hey, Po."
"H-H-H-Hi, Mrs. Claw," The panda said through his tears. The older tiger gently caressed the panda's face, wiping away his tears.
"It's okay, Po. It's going to be okay," She said tenderly, "I know you're upset and sad. It's okay to be sad. I asked your dad if you could come over to our house. Will that be okay?"
Another sniffle sounded from the panda's nose as he gave a small nod.