Work Text:
He'd been called "fluffy tail" on occasion even...cute but he never let those comments deter him in his work or training as a Kung fu master.
Now though?
He was starting to think some of those comments held some merit with the way he was being held. Strong striped arms held the red panda tightly as he tried to figure a way out of this...this...
Predicament.
Shifu attempted to squirm out of the tigers hold but every time he seemed close to escape, she'd make a noise and he'd immediately stop in order not to wake her.
He'd die on the spot if she woke up and found him here.
The old red panda sighed, body going limp in her hold as she once again turned over, rubbing her face into the back of his head, purring.
Oh, how he wished he could go back in time and stop himself from taking that stupid plush!!
~A few weeks ago~
This mess had all started when the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five returned after visiting Gongmen City to check on the restorations of the tower.
They brought a few things along with them while they were there. Apparently, someone in the city was taking pointers from Mr. Ping in merchandising. There were action figures, cups, even shirts! Po had found a Master Storming Ox shirt that fit for him.
And...
Those plush toys...
There was one for each of them. Including, Shifu himself. Po excitedly showed him the thing, it was damn near a perfect replica of him from its very height, size, to his mustache even and his attire.
He wondered who made it so...detailed and accurate.
He was about to tell the panda to stop trying to make the thing stand to see if it was, in fact, the same height as him before he saw it.
Tigress, his student hugging the soft, cuddly version of himself looking far too pleased to rub fur with that beady-eyed monstrosity! Apparently, Crane had brought her one while Po looked upon the other confections. He said she could consider it an early birthday present of all things!
He was right here, she didn't need that little fake!
Traitor. A traitor is what Crane was.
But alas despite his thoughts he did and said nothing about it, only seething at the smiling red panda plush in secret.
That was the part he disliked most about it, that smile. It was its only flaw. He didn't smile like that! Even if it was a children's toy there was no need to make him look so..so..Silly!
For the past weeks, he'd be forced to see its awful little gaze, reminding him.
He'd been replaced.
For the weeks to come, he'd see its ridiculous smile, wide and bright through the very short clip of an open door. Not only from Po's room but also Tigress'. It sat upon her bed, comfortable and seated nicely above her folded sheets.
Sometimes he swore it was mocking him.
And then that awful day came upon him. The day the universe truly tested him and his inner peace.
To say the least, he failed. Awfully.
The old Master walked into the training room, quietly as to not disturb his students so he could watch them work independently on the task he had given them.
And then he looked down and saw it in his domain!
The stuffed animal was just sitting near the slightly open door, head slightly tilted, big floppy ears drooping a little and that...unsettling smile. His small paw curled into a fist as he looked into that plushies black button eyes. He was about to grab the thing by its neck demanding Po explain why his toy was in here!
That was until he saw his reflection in those soulless black eyes.
He reeled back from it, trying to compose himself once more after seeing his almost sinister smirk. Maybe...he was getting a little too frenzied over the thing...
"Master Shifu."
The red panda looked up slowly as to not look too guilty or suspicious. "Yes, Master Tigress?" He asked in his usual tone, praying to every god above she didn't notice his earlier slip up.
"I wanted to apologize. I'm aware we aren't supposed to bring possessions in the training room..." She trailed off a little as she bowed for forgiveness.
His forgiveness.
She continued. "But I didn't have time to put it up to dry before training."
Ah. That explained why the door was cracked. His eyes went back to the plush, who did look cleaner than usual. "It's fine." Shifu sighed as he held onto his staff, holding in his surprise at Tigress' behavior. It made sense but it also didn't in a way. He would expect this type of thing from the panda! "Just don't do it again all right?"
He watched as his student nod in agreement with his request. That was one thing the plush would never have.
Her respect.
And yet...
It had something he didn't have...
"Head back to your task." He motioned for her to go back with a wave of his paw, limping out the door. "I'll review all your progress at a later time." He announced a little louder so the training halls vast walls could carry his voice to the rest of the group. For now, he would meditate away the thoughts of punting that stupid plush to the other side of the valley.
~
Shifu opened his eyes to darkness, littered with small lights not only from above in the sky but around him aswell from rocks and small gems in the cave he resided in.
Oh.
He must have fallen asleep while chanting, "Inner Peace." There was apart of him that wanted to kick himself for allowing himself to stay here so long. He had a class!
Thank goodness he told them "at a later time" instead of a definitive time. He flipped off his position on the old staff, light beads of water flying from Oogway's staff whilst in motion.
He stretched his joints a moment as he looked upon the moon. It looked like it was close to three in the morning. Only a few more hours until he had to wake his students for a new day of training and learning.
A new day where he would have to see that things stupid smil-
"Inner peace..." He closed his eyes as his brow furrowed, attempting to keep his mind off that stupid, stupid- "Inner Peace!"
No matter how many times he attempted to clear his mind of that accursed plush, it kept plaguing his mind! Tigress hugged it, took care of it like it was some prized possession! And it bothered him for some ungodly reason!
An idea sprung in his head at that very moment, his eyes twinkled along with the stars above him.
It was a stupid idea.
No good ideas ever came at three in the morning.
Despite that rather logical thought, he found himself walking quietly to the student barracks, hearing as Po snored loudly. he slid the door to Tigress' room open ever so slightly, inching his way in.
There it was.
Her head laid upon the plushies chest, left arm draped over its little body as she curled around it peacefully and comfortably. A smile almost graced her lips.
The sight could almost be called cute but he had a job to do. He waited a moment, perfectly still as he tried to figure out how to get the object away from the tiger for just a moment.
Luckily for him, Tigress turned on her right side abruptly, leaving the plush unguarded and unprotected.
He took his chance and grabbed it, running off to his room as if his life depended on it. He practically skidded against the floor of the palace with how fast he was moving.
With his door closed, he finally had it! Now was his chance!
Shifu merely let go of his staff letting it fall to the wall beside him. He threw the plush unceremoniously on the floor afterward, its head somehow angled to look up at him with that smile.
He chuckled at the defenseless object before him, pointing a single finger at it. "Now it's time for you to learn you're place!"
He punched the thing in its soft, plushy stomach four times, and then he slapped its stupid face along with that smile! It slid across the floor on its side after the impact, its head falling against the cool floor.
Was he being too dramatic?
....
....
....
No, couldn't be. He was the level headed master of Kung Fu, he'd even achieved an inner peace of course not. Maybe it was an ungodly early time in the morning and he did sneak in his student's room and stole...
Oh god...
Oh dear god...
Something pulled him back to Tigress' room, forgetting all about his plushy version and staff.
She'd kill him for this.
And he wouldn't entirely blame her for doing so.
So instead of doing the right thing, he did another stupid thing because apparently, his old mind was running on fumes tonight. Was it too much to hope he was slowly losing his mind so he wouldn't have to deal with the consequences of his actions?
He sat upon the top of her bed, hugging and petting the tiger's head in a sort of silent apology she would hopefully never know of. Thoughts of blaming the plush for his current situation started to arise in his mind, similar to how he blamed the panda so long ago. No, that wouldn't do him any good. This was his fault. He took what she liked because he was jeal...je..jea...lou...
He was about to leave and retrieve the plush after clearing his thoughts. Petting Tigress almost felt therapeutic. Until...
She turned over as quick as lightning and grabbed him! At that moment as the world blurred around him, he closed his eyes, knowing what was to happen next. First, she'd yell at him once she realized who she held and the others would wake up and he'd have to explain this embarrassing situation to his students!
He was mentally preparing himself until he noticed a weight upon his stomach and the very present purring.
Oh no.
Oh nonononono. NO.
Shifu opened his eyes to see the tiger was still fast asleep. And HE WAS STUCK HERE! He left his staff and the plush in his room like an idiot!
And thus was how he got here.
Tonight he learned Tigress moved alot in her sleep. He'd started from the top of her bed, pulled to the right as she squished him into the paper wall as she squeezed his very bones to pieces for comfort. And then back to the left, his arm dangled on the side of the bed as she rubbed her fur all over him, her sharp teeth made themselves known when she yawned aloud.
He probably smelt like her right now...
His eyes widened when her claws dug into his side, he held his breath for who knows how long as a single tear streamed down his eye at the stinging pain.
Hours went by as he was continuously cuddled to death by his best student. He even found himself drifting off when she stayed still and true to her hold on his body.
She would not let him go.
Shifu watched as morning light crept through the windows and crevices of the student barracks.
He wanted to die.
The gong did not ring on time for he was not there to ring it...
Maybe the plush would magically be able to walk and talk to take his place, he thought for a moment until he remembered he beat the thing up. So probably not.
Tigress gave his poor waist another tight squeeze, her tail moving to and fro as she made herself comfortable. "Uh..." He let a small sound escape his lips.
'She probably needed the extra sleep.' He thought to himself, not really blaming his students for sleeping in when he himself was late.
Although this peace would not last long, he could feel the young tiger stirring behind him. The way her claws flexed on him and how her body rose slowly but surely was a testament to that. She stretched her paws forward finally off of him...he never appreciated fresh air and breathing more than now. He could hear her claws digging into the bedding.
"Good morning Baba."
Oh god, was she speaking to him? His eyes widened a little in shock, thankfully he was on the left of her bed facing the wall. He felt her grab him again and in a moment of panic: He made the widest smile he could muster, steeling himself in her bone crushing hug.
Did she really call that plush Baba in his place? But there was no time to take in this new concerning information into account, he could meditate on it later. Now, he had to think of his escape! Soon after she was done hugging him he knew she'd place him on her bed and get ready to greet...you know...
After that, he could easily slip out the window or maybe make a quick dive for her door and act as if he was testing his students.
Especially since it seemed only she and Crane had gotten up.
She softly sat him to the very side of her bed against the wall, he allowed his head to tilt a little like the plush who could not support its bi-slightly medium sized head, the smile still on his face. The red panda watched as she folded her sheets, sometimes she turned to smile back at him.
And then, somehow it just got worse.
Tigress gracefully got to her knees, leaning her upper half on her bed before him, pulling his little arm up to meet the top of her head in a mock headpat. "I will do my best for you today, Father." She spoke the title so softly with that ever so rare smile on her face but this one was different. It was warm and dare he say as bright as the sun itself!
Alright. Alright, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep this smile up, he felt like cringing away from ALL THIS! This whole situation was reminding him of the past, his very irresponsible and bitter past! He already had enough mistakes to think of now in the present that felt like anything but a 'gift'.
He was hoping she didn't have a voice for the thing...
Yeah. They'd need to have a long talk after this...
With one last headpat from him, she finally got up and gave him her own headpat in return as if he did a good job this morning.
When she exited the room closing her door, he finally let himself cringe not at her but himself. Oogway was most likely laughing at him now, he could feel it. This behavior was obviously his fault, he never gave her much in the way of affection so she made it...elsewhere.
He slowly got up, his bones cracking after being in such an uncomfortable position for so long. He tried to make it to the window until-
"Master?" He could hear Tigress' muffled and confused statement outside her room as his hip gave out at that very moment.
He forgot his staff wasn't here.
'Fuc-' He hit the wooden floor, hard before he could finish that rather bad thought.
"What was that?" That was Crane. He could hear him placing his hat upon his head.
"It came from my room. I'll check on it while you get the others up." Tigress ordered as she opened her door.
"Roger," Crane replied, he could hear the avian open another door in the distance.
A small gasp escaped her mouth as she moved with precise swiftness to his side. "How did you get down there?" She asked aloud and Shifu wanted to cry at that moment, he simply let his body go limp in her hold.
'Because I'm stupid, I'm really stupid and my hip gave out-' His self deprecating thoughts would have to wait as she hugged him again as if he was some small child that needed coddling after falling.
She even patted nonexistent dust off him.
A yawn could be heard near her door. As she turned her body to regard the sound, his limp body fell forward on her shoulder so he could see the sleepy panda before them. "Mornin Ti..."
Ti? When was that ever a thing? Tigress has never gone by nicknames.
Po rubbed his eyes of sleep and stretched a little. "Where's Shifu? I was surprised when I wasn't met with 'Get up this instant Panda!'" The panda chuckled after his impression of him.
And Tigress chuckled at it!
Nothing but betrayal and treachery this month towards him!
"I'm not sure Po." She simply stated as she made her way out of the room...with him in hand. Why? Why? Why was today one of the days she decided to take this thing to the kitchen!?
Po moved out of her way, apparently unphased at his friend taking a plush to the kitchen.
How did none of them say anything about this!?
"Maybe we should check on him?" The panda offered with a shrug.
Wasn't it obvious he was the real thing?
The tiger moved him expertly in her grasp from her shoulder to her side, he dangled like a puppet with cut strings. "Maybe after breakfast? I wouldn't want to disturb him if he was deep in meditation."
"Fair point."
After that, he simply drowned out there mundane conversations of the early morning, he couldn't believe this. None of them could tell he was real. He honestly did not know how to feel about this whole situation. It was so bizarre. Even as he watched Viper slither past Tigress' feet she said nothing!
Soon he was sat at the tiger's usual seat at the table. Again, he let himself flop and lean a little to keep up the act. The old red panda watched as one after another his students sat at the table, unaware of his presence. It was Monkey who looked at him directly.
He may or may not have started to sweat when the simian smirked at him.
Wait, where was Tigress?
It was then the Langur poked him with a mischievous little laugh, making him fall to the side. His head hit against the right side of the chair with a thunk.
Apparently, this entertained the master, greatly.
Although from here he could see Tigress helping out with cooking. Since when did she start doing that? He could see out the corner of his eye that she was helping Po cut something. Probably vegetables or fruit?
"Is that good?" He heard her ask the panda.
Po looked over her work and smiled. "Yeah, that's awesome! Now let's add them in..."
He watched as much as he could from his limited spot, as they cooked together, Po stopping at times to answer her questions or show her how to do something. And praising her when she did well... It was quite a sight.
He never realized she had an interest in learning how to cook, it just didn't seem like something she would enjoy from what he knew.
While he was lost in his thoughts he didn't notice the feline had two bowls in her paws as she made her way to the table. He caught Po filling two bowls after a moment though. Tigress was doing pretty well until her paw slipped a little and some hot, steaming broth fell from the bowl right into-
"Viper I didn't spill anything on you did I?"
The snake shook her head before turning to the red panda. "No, I'm fine but fluffy-fu isn't..."
He swore his eyes rolled in the back of his head at that moment. 'M-Mu-My tenders...!' Goodbye children that would never be...
He truly wished for death to embrace him at that moment as he had to take his crouch burning quietly, with a smile to top it all off!
"Don't worry Tigress, you're getting better at balancing those bowls." In the far reaches of the darkness that held him, he could hear Mantis chuckle at his pain. "At least you didn't drown him this time."
In a mere passing moment, he felt a twinge of sympathy for the plush. Maybe he shouldn't have punched and slapped it...It clearly had been through enough abuse.
"Hush Mantis." Viper hissed towards the bug. With the bowls distributed among them all, he was sat in her lap as he watched them eat.
This was what he deserved for his recent actions. To feel pain and starve in his students care... This was restitution for the plush who he had done wrong when the thing was just doing its job. A job he obviously wasn't doing properly.
Surprisingly, a noodle had fallen on him, close enough for him to slurp up without being noticed. Well...it was better than just living off a single drop of dew.
After breakfast was done, he'd been dragged-okay 'carried' to his room door. Still, no one said anything about their leader carrying a mini version of himself around. He hoped this wasn't a developing habit...
Tigress knocked on his door twice.
No answer.
Po knocked on his door far too many times and he was this close to telling the panda to STOP!
"Maybe we should go inside?" Monkey asked aloud, Shifu couldn't see him from his position in the tiger's hold. His gaze was directed to the clean floors of the palace.
'No...' He silently pleaded.
Tigress was silent for a long moment as she shifted ever so slightly on her feet. "I don't think we should invade his privacy."
Oh...ow...That hurt a little. If only he was that considerate, to begin with.
'Yes, please listen to your leader so you don't see what I did-'
"But..." Tigress added sounding concerned after some thought. "If he is sick or immobilized in some form we should check on him." She stated a matter of factly as she opened his door to a very confusing and strange scene.
There.
There was the true victim in all this, beaten and cold on his floor with his staff beside it. He could only imagine the looks of shock on their faces. Maybe just maybe one of them would connect the dots to end his early morning suffering!
"Oh my god!" Po started. "Shifu brought his own plushie!"
"But how?" Monkey asked he could hear him hopping on something. Hopefully, it wasn't his desk. "We didn't buy him one?"
"Maybe he ordered it?" Crane spoke up from the back.
Shifu's smile faltered at that point. His students were dumb as rocks! What did that say about him personally?
He didn't have much time to dwell on that as Tigress moved about his room, searching for him in the little room. He saw Viper inspecting the toy on the floor before he was taken into the back.
"I wonder what Shifu was doing to this poor guy?" That was Mantis speaking.
Monkey was jumping on something again and he was sure it was his desk! "Yeah, he looks a lil beat up."
"Maybe he was playing with it?" Po piped up. He was glad the room went silent.
Some common sense prevailed.
After not finding him in his room, they searched the caves he dwelled in often. His head and ears hit so many stray rocks and walls... And somehow on the way back up, Monkey had gotten a hold of him and literally dragged him up the steps by his tail!
He blacked out at some point on his bumpy ascension upward. He wondered if he had a concussion after that?
Thankfully, Tigress took him back into her arms which was welcome after all those awful steps! Was that how Po felt going up those steps? He wondered as his arms and legs dangled as she carried him up to the Sacred Peach Tree. It seems the group had split up to search for him around the palace.
Tigress sat down bringing his back close to her chest, as she brought her knees upward, wrapping her arms around his waist. She leaned her head upon his poor tired head, whiskers tickling the side of his head.
She had to put him down sometime right!? She couldn't possibly hold onto him all day? He was hungry, tired, sore and quite frankly frustrated with himself! All this trouble happened because he just had to prove he was better than some plush toy! If anything all this affection she gave the toy had shown how much she lov-cared about him.
The L word was a strong word.
Tigress huffed at that moment, letting him fall and roll a little from her lap into the pretty pink petals on the ground. Before he could even think of taking a single breath of air, her head fell upon him like a steel hammer, every bit of oxygen flew out of him!
He could have sworn he saw a hand reaching out to him in the light...
"Why did he just leave?" The red panda heard her finally speak, she sounded distant and sad. He let the smile, that was starting to hurt his face, falter as she looked upward at the tree and sky. Pretty much using him as a pillow.
My, how the mighty have fallen...
Tigress shifted to her left side, reaching for his paw into her own. "Was it because of me?" The tiger whispered as the wind caressed them. Petals dancing about carelessly in the air.
As if he didn't feel guilty enough! He wanted to tell her no so badly but he couldn't just blow his cover this far in the game! His mind raced for a solution for this mess he'd created but all he wanted to do was...hold his little girl and tell her it was all right.
That, it was him, not her. It was never her, she was doing great amazing even better than he expected! But he'd only realized this til he...invaded her privacy. There was no way to sugarcoat that. Which was an issue in itself but right here, right now he had a chance to do something right for her! Despite his thoughts, he knew all he could do now was lay here and be quiet like a good plush toy would.
And then he felt a familiar sensation on his stomach that pulled him from his chaotic thoughts. Shifu took a chance and leaned a little to see, she was sleeping. Her grip had slackened on his paw as she curled into a ball.
A twinge of guilt hit his heart at not only worrying her but tuckering her out in the process, all for a plush...
At that time he wondered how she didn't notice his heartbeat? Well, that didn't matter right now, he had to figure out how to talk to her without giving away what he did. And maybe, just maybe take that first step in reaching out to her. But how? The old red panda took his chance at moving himself in an upward position near the tree's trunk. Luckily, he'd rolled rather close to it so his movement didn't disturb her too much. She even rolled to her right side while he made himself comfortable, head in his lap.
Shifu didn't really pay attention to the time after that, seemingly lost in his thoughts again, merely watching her sleep peacefully with soft strokes to her soft, shimmering fur. He wondered how she would react if she knew she was sleeping on the real thing?
Knowing Tigress, she would probably try to downplay her reaction. He made the mistake of scratching behind her ear, clearly overstepping his already overthrown boundaries.
The tiger's eyes flashed open, her amber meeting his blue.
Yes. He was sweating...
Alot.
"Hey."
Smooth. Shifu, smooth. Your daughter thinks you're missing and laying on her plush of you and all you have to say is 'Hey.'
For the first time in this whole awful day, he'd finally gotten a realistic reaction. Tigress barely made a sound but her shocked expression made up for it as she moved away from him, obviously and rightfully so, startled. She pointed a claw his way, there it was the truth. It was time to come clean, no escapades today.
"You're a toy! You're not supposed to talk!"
Ah.
He stared a little dumbfounded at that. He would have expected this type of thing from Po...but this held an opportunity.
"Well, you are dreaming after all..." He shrugged allowing that smile he held all morning to grace his lips again as if to prove he wasn't the real Shifu. The lie slipped through his mouth so smoothly he scared himself. "You did fall asleep Ti."
Tigress looked at him from her crouched stance, tilting her head a little as if he'd made a pretty good point but then she gave him a wary look as she stood straight. "I did." She seemed to attempt to rationalize her own dream world. "Then why are you telling me I'm dreaming? Shouldn't I figure that out on my own?"
Shifu searched in his bag of lies he had apparently lying around. "Well, you're obviously using me as your self conscious, since I know you are worried about your father."
That hit the nail.
Tigress looked away at that. "Don't call him that. I only get to call you that in private."
"Why?" He asked as innocently as he could.
"Because..." She seemed hesitant at first, eyes moving anywhere but on him. "Because he doesn't like it." Before he could even utter a response she continued. "And he doesn't see me like that." She'd slowly made her way back to his side, sitting with her knees close with a clear frown.
How many times will she strike him in his heart in one day? At this point, he was going to drown in his own deep sea of guilt...he probably deserved it.
"Tha-That's not true. He loves you immensely. He just...doesn't uh..." He felt his words failing him now.
"Doesn't know how to show it." She finished the excuse for him with a roll of her eyes. "I know. Oogway and everyone else has told me already." She huffed with annoyance as she crossed her arms, apparently, she'd heard that one, one too many times.
Who the hell was everyone else!? He didn't like people talking about his business especially his personal life to others! Oogway was at least expected.
It was probably Mantis, Zeng maybe or...Mr. Ping! He'd noticed the noodle shop owner had gotten rather chummy with his student as of late.
The silence after that was thick with awkwardness neither knowing what to say or do, petals started to simply fall on them as the wind fell to a soft breeze.
"Well..." Shifu started without even thinking. "Since he can't talk here. I can at least say I love you and I think it's great you're learning how to cook. And the way your getting along with your friends is nice." He searched for something else to say desperately to kill this silence! "I couldn't ask for a better daughter."
He was getting a little teary eyed after saying all that.
Apparently, the feeling was mutual as he looked up to see Tigress wiping away some tears before they fell. "Thanks." She offered weakly before looking down at her paws.
A genuine smile graced his face this time.
"If...If I asked you to hug me and say you love me again, would you?"
Just murder him. Take the shot and end him! This was depressing and beyond concerning! She shouldn't have to feel to ask for these things. He should have given her these things willingly.
No wonder people talked about him to her!
"Sure." He let his smile widen as he lifted his arms up. "That's what I'm here for, remember?" He probably looked, no felt stupid as hell at that point but oh well he's been playing doll all day so he may aswell just take it. She took his offer far too quickly, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying on him again.
At least she wasn't crushing him this time.
"I love you, Tigress."
"Again."
I guess I can't blame her for milking this for what it's worth.
He chuckled. "I love you so much. Always." He decided to give her a few pats on the head which she took happily. He could tell by how her tail was moving.
"Now rest. When you wake up Shifu will be back before you know it." He'd have to curb this lying before it turned into a bad habit.
"I love you." He whispered one last time as she drifted off into a real dreamland.
He waited awhile until he felt she was deep into her sleep. Mindful of that ear of hers. He was about to shuffle himself out of her grip until he heard a giggle behind the tree.
No.
Nooooo-
Po came from the other side of the tree with a wide smile on his face, an arm suspiciously behind his back. Forget the plush toy! He wanted to punch that panda even more!
"Aaaww~ That's so sweet! You guys are finally bonding!"
His breathing stalled, sweet darkness take him! Take him now! "Pan-Panda...How long were you there?"
Po continued to giggle at his despair. "Long enough."
And then he brought his arm forward with something in his hand...
It was the plushie!
"I wuv you Tigress!" Po impersonated him with the doll in his hands, swaying it to and fro. "I couldn't ask for a better daughter~" He even has the nerve, THE NERVE to move its little paws together and make it hum a tune unknown to him. "I know I've been an old meanie lately but I'll do better."
"Panda I swear-"
But the panda kept going as if he wasn't seething with rage right in front of him! Although...the sleepy tiger on him may have been cramping his style.
Just a little.
"I think I'll just lay here." Po made an awful attempt at a fake yawn and placed the plush right next to him. "Since I had such a long day and nap with my sweeeet family."
Shifu stared at him, fear filling his gut. He knew! He must have known!
"So where-"
"Please don't tell her I stole i-"
They both stilled in their spots staring at one another in the eye as Tigress slept, both mouths agape as the truth was finally unveiled.
"Oh."
"Po."
"My."
"Just stop I-"
"God. You stole her plushie and-" The panda put it together with his awful confession! God damn it! "That means Monkey dragged you up all those steps...and she burned your...oooohh." He wasn't sure how to place Po's current expression, pity, fear,shock, a little laughter yet stopped himself when he realized the implication.
His jade eyes immediately laid upon the tiger in his master's lap. So very unaware of what was going on...
"She doesn't know...does she?"
"Yes. And it's going to stay that way!" He pointed a single finger at the panda, with a focused glare making sure he understood. "Right?"
Po gave him two finger guns in response. "Riiight. With an extra day off?"
"No!"
The panda shrugged, looking away from him for only a moment. "Guess I'll just tell Tigress her dad not only stole from her but lied to her too...I can only imagine how betrayed she would feel..."
Shifu took in a deep breath, closing his eyes as to not see the mischevious glint in Po's eyes. That reminded him of his own from last night...
A growl escaped him after a moment. "Fine! You get half of Saturday off. That's it!" He supposed he deserved this punishment for lying so much...and stealing.
The universe was cruel!
"Sweet!" Po pumped his fist into the air, a couple of times hopping as he did so. He was about to leave until he remembered why he came out here. "Can you tell Tigress lunch is ready?"
"Of course."
And with that, he left them...all three of them. Alone.
He couldn't help but look upon the plush doll of himself. The poor thing looked worn out and tired like him...but unlike him, this Shifu was still smiling through his troubled life, noodle spills and all. "Maybe I should be more like you...minus the cuddles though." That's his job to keep her nightmares at bay so his bones won't break at night. Shifu let a more peaceful sigh escape him. Maybe just maybe they could live in harmony, at peace even.
He could feel the soft plushies ears touch his own. It felt kind of weird.
It was at that moment, Tigress started to shift, he wondered what she'd think this time after her little 'dream'. Instead of one red panda, she'd be greeted by two. Even if the other wasn't sentient. It was the thought that counted.
The old master couldn't help but watch her ears flicker about, nose sniffing what he could only rationalize as his scent to her senses.
Her beautiful eyes opened to look upon his unworthy form. Blinking a few times before tilting her head, obviously looking over at his plush version aswell.
"Mast-"
His hand patted her head again before she could even think of leaving him there or started to call him by his title again.
He didn't really want to hear it now.
"Hello there." He spoke softly as the wind began to start up again. The tiger seemed to relax a little under his touch, obviously still tired. She'd slept in and taken two short naps, the sensation was most likely new to her.
"Where were you?"
The question was so small yet so loaded. Where did he go? How did he end up on this path? More importantly...
What had he learned?
"I went for a little walk. I was searching for something but..." His eyes traveled from her to the vastness of the valley before them, he could feel her slightly moving in his hold. The red panda was quick to scratch behind her ear again to still her. He'd have to remember that weak spot. "...I realized what I needed was here all along."
And then he said and did something without thinking again. He gave her a small, soft kiss to the top of her head. "I missed you." I missed alot of what has helped you grow into the amazing person you've become, went unsaid.
Yeah, this was becoming a bad habit, well maybe not entirely bad.
The shock on her face was clear as day, her eyes looked anywhere but on him. "I thought you already achieved inner peace? What would you need to search for?" She was obviously avoiding the last part.
For some reason that made him chuckle aloud which made her look up at him again. Seemingly intrigued by his actions. "Even those with inner peace lose their way every now and then. And I suppose you could say I forgot something precious along the way." Which I deeply regret.
Once again a veil of silence befell upon them, it wasn't awkward this time though. Moreso peaceful than anything else, he could hear her breathing softly. The petals elegantly danced for them one last time.
"Come." He patted her shoulder to get up. "Po told me to tell you lunch was ready." Once she was up off him, he brushed the petals off his knees and robe. Thankful he could walk somewhere on his own this time.
Without a second word, she followed behind him, never forgetting her plush pal. She kept her pace even, a few inches separating them, out of habit mostly he knew. So he slowed his own pace to walk beside her, taking her free paw into his own.
"And maybe for dinner." He allowed his free paw to go behind his back. "You can make your Baba something?"
"Sure." He could practically hear the smile on her face.
They walked into the palace hand in hand, that much closer than before.
It certainly was not easy being cuddly.
The end.