Insecurities

Epilogue

Come on guys, you really think I was going to leave you hanging like that?

The days stretched on. Yun and Zheng-Hau tried to keep their relationship a secret, but it seemed no one could keep a secret from Po. "Just don't say anything to the others, please?" Zheng-Hau pled when Po found out.

"Don't worry! If I can keep Zeng's secret, I can keep yours," Po said, pledging on his heart. Of course, Tigress and Tai-Lung sniffed the two out faster than Po could even spread rumors. Yun and Zheng-Hau spent most of their time taking long walks and sparring with each other. Zheng-Hau can't figure out why Yun always seemed to win in their duels.

"I'm going to get you one day, Yun," Zheng would grumble every time. Yun would only smirk. The fox also loved surprising the jackrabbit with heated deep kisses that made him weak-kneed. "Why do you do that?" Zheng would sigh.

"Because I like seeing your cute look of surprise," Yun smiled.

Zeng and Tigress's relationship was healed as well. Zeng often tells Tigress his stories and journeys as Dead Shot Duck. Their favorite place to tell stories was in Po's room where the panda busily wrote down his story. Po believed it made the tiger feel like a young kid again as if her wide-eyed wonder didn't make that obvious. The happy laughter of the tiger would always make the panda smile. A small glance from his paper to the duck and tiger's joyous time filled an unknown place in Po's heart.

But there were other great joys during this time.

One of the weirdest things happened with Tai-Lung. One day, as Tigress, Po, and Tai-Lung were all relaxing after a bandit raid, Zeng came in with a scroll. "Mrs. Lu-Han wanted you to have this, Master Tai-Lung," The duck bowed as he tended to the kitchen. Tai opened the scroll. Tigress and Po saw the snow leopard's eyes widen for some unknown reason. Then Tai-Lung grumbled like he was flustered, and he stood up from his seat.

"I... have to go," Tai-Lung said.

"Why, what's wrong?" Po mumbled with a mouth full of food.

"And who is Mrs. Lu-Han?" Tigress asked. Tai-Lung rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced while he looked to the side. "Are you okay?"

"Lu-Han is a... close friend of mine," replied Tai-Lung. Tigress and Po looked at each other. Something wasn't adding up. Po placed his finger on his chin and looked up at the ceiling. The childish expression caused Tigress to smile.

"If she's a close friend of yours, then why haven't we seen her," Po asked. Tai-Lung's amber eyes burrowed his annoyance of Po into the bear's soul. "I'm just saying," Po said with surrendering hands up, "You typically don't hide your friends... unless they're involved in some mass conspiracy and spooky witch stuff."

"That was just one time!" argued Tai-Lung "And she... she is... shy."

"And she's Tai-Lung's girlfriend," Zeng mumbled as he walked behind the snow leopard.

"ZENG!" Tai-Lung growled loudly.

The duck didn't flinch and was sarcastic in his answer, "Oh no, was I not supposed to know?"

"You weren't supposed to tell!" The snow leopard roared. Zeng shrugged and continued on down the hall. Tai-Lung looked at Tigress and Po. Tigress's wide eyes and slightly open mouth were expected. She didn't really show shock that well.

What Tai-Lung didn't expect was Po's reaction. Po looked at Tai-Lung with an emotionless face: completely blank, only blinking a few times. Po's body didn't even move much and his gaze never wavered from the snow leopard. Tigress spoke first, "Is that what you meant by your 'present' state?" She remembered their talk at the Mung temple.