It seemed like any other day for us. The outside world still warm and calm, the villagers going about their happy lives down in the valley, and us beginning our usual training in the training hall. It was as if it was all a ploy to cover up the darkness that came that day. For as we trained in our own little sectors, the unthinkable had happened. Po, our friend had a heart attack. Why? That was still unclear at the moment, but what I can tell is when he was gasping for air and as I saw the life start to leave his eyes, I became scared and afraid. Scared because I hadn't never seen anyone have a heart attack and afraid at the thought of losing someone we...I hold very dear. With an insane amount of luck and good fortune though, he was saved by the healers and was now in recovery in his own room. Apparently, it was caused by stress and from that a great deal of food intake that happened over the past couple weeks that made his heart almost stop. Something that bothered me, as why didn't he come and talk to us? Something that I had to ask him and though we all wanted to rush in and see how he was doing, we were advised not to, in fear that the sudden bombardment of concern may just send his heart in a frenzy again. What took me back though was that out of the turns we had to take, he wanted to see me first. I didn't know why, but I was about to find out. As I slid the door to his room open, seeing him lay on his bed with a blanket covering his entire body up to his neck.
"T-Ti, what's up." He greeted me tiredly, trying his best to form a smile to calm my nerves. It was nice of him to do that.
"Not much Po, just worried." I tell him, closing the door behind me. I then made my way over to him till I was at his bed side, to which I got onto my knees so our heads would be level.
"Yeah, s-s-sorry for worrying you g-guys like that." He said apologetically before turning his head to me.
"What have you got to be sorry about? We're just glad your safe." I say softly, giving him one of my warm smiles. My right paw had then reached into the blanket and grasped onto his right paw, gently squeezing it.
"Me to," His paw now squeezing mine back. I felt warm inside when he did this, not just because his paw was warm from the blanket. But also because it felt so nice to have him hold my paw, just liked he had in the cold water back in gong men. That's why I felt it as good as time as any to ask him why he stayed silent.
"Po," I began.
"Y-yeah Ti?" He asked back, starring me in the eyes.
"I want to ask you something." My heart beginning to pound slightly.
"Go ahead." He tells me, I take a deep breath before continuing.
"Well, once the healers were done saving you. They told us as to why you had a heart attack, which is why I want to ask you why didn't you come to any of us. Why did you keep your stress hidden?" I ask him curiously, not trying to pressure him, just trying to get an answer for something big. His features changed though when I asked this, his once happy face turning to sorrow.
"Honestly?" He turned away from me, now looking up at the ceiling.
"I didn't w-want to trouble you guys." My eyes widened by his words, he didn't want to trouble us?
"What do you mean Po?" I asked with wander.
"I-I mean that I didn't want you guys to worry *cough*. I was just stressed with something, I felt like f-food would be the best bet to cope with it. Guess it wasn't," He chuckled, closing his eyes. Not to long after, I would say a minute, tears began to fall from his eyes and sobs escaped his mouth.
"I almost died, and why? Because..." He turned to me, his eyes now opening back up.
"...I couldn't handle that something." I felt something come over me right than and there, like an instinct. This instinct lead me to lean my head onto Po's, and let out a warm purr into his ear to try and comfort him.
"It's ok Po, it doesn't matter now. You're alive, that's all that matters." I tell him softly, now rubbing my head against his. It seemed to work a little, as he started to calm down a little. By my affection though, it seemed it made him want to tell me what that something was.
"It was you guys," My ears perking up.
"Us?" I asked back.
"Yeah, my stress was c-coming from the thought of not being able to p-protect you guys. To keep you safe," My head then slowly lifted from his just a little so I could look back at him.
"But Po, you do keep us safe a lot of the time." It was true, most of our battles were won with the thanks of him. He's saved us so much, I didn't understand why he was saying that.
"N-not all the time though. Not from Tai lung, Shen, or Kai. I-in all those battle you guys, you Tigress got hurt. I just felt angry in myself, I want to protect you always." He told me in a painful tone.
"You can't though Po, you just can't. Listen to me, I'm both happy and honored you feel so strongly on keeping us safe. But don't kill yourself over that, we all know we can't protect each other all day nor all night. It's the thought though, telling someone you will protect them all the time just shows your love for them. That you care for them very deeply, when you were gasping for air and clenching your chest from your heart attack, we were feeling the same as you just told me." I caressed his check gently, wiping away the water that began to soak his fur.
"No matter what, we will always worry. Especially me over you," I then gave him a soft kiss on the forehead.
"Ti, l-I promise from now on I'll tell you guys everything." I could feel him interlacing our fingers together under the covers. A gesture that made me happy.
"You better panda, and you better never scare us like that again." I told him with a serious tone, burying my head into his neck, purring.
"I'll try my best." His lips gently pecking my cheek after he said those words. All I could hope from that point would that Po wouldn't keep any secrets from us, at least the ones that would put a strain on him. I did understand though to some extent why he did what he did, with me being his mate now though, my eyes will be him on him even more before. Watching and studying him for any sign of pain, psychical and especially emotional.
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