At first, he doesn't understand how he feels about you. Tai Lung is someone who has always repressed his emotions or channeled them into his ambition. He watches you from afar, confused, until Shifu (if your relationship improves) or Po suggests he's in love. He denies it… until he sees you smile at him, and he's speechless.
He's very protective, even overly so. Although he's worked on controlling his temper, if someone disrespects you or makes you feel uncomfortable, his energy becomes so intimidating that the room falls silent. He doesn't do this out of blind jealousy, but because he can't stand to see you hurt or insecure.
In private, he's surprisingly sweet and clumsy with affection. He doesn't know how to kiss on the forehead without seeming like a brute, so sometimes he just rests his enormous head against your neck, closing his eyes, seeking comfort.
He loves it when you touch him without fear. He finds it hard to believe that someone would want to stroke his fur or hold his hand, knowing what once was. Every touch of yours makes him believe he can be more than his past.
If you train, he trains you with great discipline… but with care. He doesn't treat you as weak, but he never uses real force against you. Sometimes he accidentally ends up with you on top of him, and he freezes, staring at you with a mixture of fear and intensity that he can't hide.
Although he may seem tough, he has a low, gentle voice when he speaks to you in confidence. He has a special tone just for you, like a restrained purr. Deep whispers, as if he's afraid of breaking you.
He's jealous of Po, but not maliciously. Sometimes he feels insecure when he sees you laughing with him. "Would you rather like someone like him? More cheerful… less like me…" He asks you in a low voice, with a vulnerability he shows to no one.
He isn't very expressive with words, but he shows his love for you with silent actions. He makes sure you have food, he repairs your things without you noticing, he always waits for you outside the temple even when it rains.
If you ever sleep with him, he cradles you in his enormous arms as if you were a treasure. He snores a little, but calms down if he feels your hand caressing his chest.
He has a strong animal instinct when it comes to you: he recognizes you by your scent, the sound of your footsteps, even your breathing. In battle, if he can't see you, he becomes agitated. If you are in danger, his fury is unleashed uncontrollably.
🗨️ .. ⌞ XOXO ⌝ kfp post#2 im on fire chat. minje's is long af inspired by jungwon in the romance untold drama, amaru's n juwang's tropes taken from here + [m.list]
౨ৎ ˖ 이계훈 — ❪ LEE GYEHOON ❫
let's talk about skater boy!hoon who frequents skate parks often with his friends, just hanging out and chilling, etc. his first meeting with you would be the classic literally falling for a person trope. bro would be trying out some sick, new trick in front of the others and you'd yell out a quick hi to someone there, only for your voice to Distract him and cause him to trip and fall right at your feet... not the best impression, but it's okay because he's more than happy about the outcome : you patching him back up <3
⋅ ˚ ଳ ₊ ‧ others utc
౨ৎ ˖ 満行亜丸 — ❪ MITSUYUKI AMARU ❫
being a little specific here, but seeing childhood best friend amaru (i'm never Getting over this trope sue me), who you have kinda lost contact with, come in to the convenience store you work at. it's bound to be a little awkward, you haven't spoken in ages, after all. but after he keeps coming to the store, specifically during early hours (think 4 AM) almost exclusively during your shifts only, you end up (amusedly) striking a conversation ><
౨ৎ ˖ 이동화 — ❪ LEE DONGHWA ❫
being at a thrift store and reaching for the same item. could be a cute hoodie, piece of jewelry, cool shoes — you'd maybe be a little annoyed at first but when you guys would get to talking, you'd find out both your tastes are actually pretty similar? plus his sense of style is kinda fire if you're being honest... you'd end up spending the whole day shopping together (probably even get a bite to eat ><), with plans already made to meet up again soon 🫣🫣
౨ৎ ˖ 장주왕 — ❪ JANG JUWANG ❫
i'm such a sucker for strangers to lovers. pretty boy juwang who you see during your commute almost everyday and who naturally has your attention drawn towards himself with practically no effort. however, the most you do is exchange glances or smiles, occasionally. until one time you both happen to be the only two people stranded on the bus/metro/train and can't help but start talking because the vehicle hasn't moved for almost two whole hours now and you're bored...
౨ৎ ˖ 최민제 — ❪ CHOI MINJE ❫
basketball team captain minje who's known for being just the absolute epitome of perfection. he's nice to everyone, great at sports and number 1 in his grade for all subjects. it's a little intimidating, making him to hard to approach, even. but one day, you chance upon the school roof with its usually locked door slightly ajar. curiosity finds you venturing outside .. only to come face to face with minje.
minje, with his collar unbuttoned, tie loose, hair messy due to the breeze (and an adorably shocked expression). and suddenly, you've become the one person he's comfortable showing his other, not-as-perfect side to .. <3
౨ৎ ˖ 岡本圭樹 — ❪ OKAMOTO KEIJU ❫
gamer keiju gamer keiju!! you're both avid fans of the same video game and have a vague sense of competitiveness between each other which is only fueled when you end up playing together (via means of mutual friends). there's definitely tension brewing, considering he most definitely considers you his rival, but eventually cue him having to eat up all his words and ask you for help because of this one boss fight he just can't seem to win :/
౨ৎ ˖ 이동현 — ❪ LEE DONGHYEON ❫
DUDE OKAY. him in his hockey era right? you, being nothing if not a diligent student with a shit ton of school spirit, go to show your support to the school team during one of their home matches... only for donghyeon, the star player, to end up bumping into you right before and spilling his water all over your clothes... he ends up having to give you his jersey to wear and, yes, everyone does think you're dating. lowkey, neither of you really deny anything and before you even know it, you've been crowned the it couple of the school. huh?
hello! I saw that you had your requests open, so could I ask for headcannons of what Tai lung would be like in a relationship? Thank you!
In a relationship with Tai Lung
When we talk about being in a relationship with Tai Lung, we start in the past. When he was still young and training under Shifu's wing
At that age he was disciplant about his kung fu training, resilent and hard working. But when could find a moment of rest or to catch a breathe, he would go to you. For him, you were a source of calm and peace; the only one who can think about anything else besides kung fu and making his master proud
It was always small dates. Walking together at the valley, eating rice and veggies under the peach tree in bloom, or just talking about trivial or silly things under the same tree. This was his favorite moments, but his pride won't let him admit it. Why? Because your beautiful voice was so soothe to his ears, that he would fall asleep next to you. And he would purr at your touch when you carress him gently.
Time passes and the training intisifies. Oogway would soon decides if Tai Lung it's worthy to be the Dragon Warrior. Sadly, that means that you both couldn't see each other as much you wanted; but he assures you that he will be the Dragon Warrior, and that he would celebrate with you and Master Shifu. He wants to introduce you to his father, as his fiance!
But... That day wouldn't ever happen
That horrible day happened when you has to do some errants out of the Valley of Peace... When you arrived, it was like there was a war! You couldn't belive what was happening... And wort part, the villagers were screaming "It's Tai Lung! Tai Lung it's attacking the valley!!"
No, no... You couldn't belive it... You would say that he wouldn't never... But, you saw him! You saw your lover beserk, attacking the villagers, destroying houses and carts-- anything in his way. Oh, if he could have a moment of sanity-- just a brief moment when you called his name... And stare you terrerfied and heartbroken... Would it made him stop?
When Master Oogway defeated Tai Lung and the guards came to take him to Ghorh-Gom Jail, you were devastated. You pleaded to Master Shifu to free his son, that he truly didn't meant any damage ... But he did not listened to you, and shamed you fir being blind by love toward him.
You came to Ghorh-Gom, and he knew it. Before he was moved to the bottom of his jail, he heard you screaming from... Aboved? Down?? At the gates? He was still numb by his defeat, by his ángel, by the point-pressure shell... He could hear you screaming at the rhino guards, demanding to see him. Crying your name! All he could do was to endure. Endure it. ... Finally, when he was at the bottom, and no longer could hear you... He cried in silent without any tear
Heyy, long time no posting new one-shots. I was very busy these weeks. By the way, this is my first x reader one-shot. The idea was credited to @kungfu-panda-imagines. But before anyone could ask, I AM NOT YET READY TO OPEN ANY REQUESTS INVOLVING X READER, I apologize. So, enjoy the x reader one-shots ;)
Warning : very long one-shot
Summary :
Young Lord Shen was forced to socialize with other royal peacocks, on an archery session. And you were the only one who was willing to accompany him.
"He?!" "Yes, he." The other peacock frowned. "Lord Yi," You called him as he grinned mockingly. "I thought only peacocks allowed to attend, (Y/N)." "Lord Shen is a peacock. A royal peacock." You corrected him, but he turned his face away. "What kind of royal who never attended social gatherings like this?!" He commented. "Lord Yi.." you muttered, slightly annoyed. Lord Yi glanced at Shen, who was exchanging some conversations with few peacocks.
"He doesn't even bring a bow." He complained. "We can lend him one," As you suggested, Yi widened his eyes for a while, turning at you in disapproval. "We?! Nope, this is getting worse." He said, grabbing his own set of bow and arrows and walked away. "Where are you going?!" You asked, following him. All of sudden, he shouted, "I'M NOT GOING WITH THAT SICK SNOWBALL-LOOKING BIRD, LADY! YOU CAN GRAB YOUR SET AND FOLLOW US OR YOU CHOOSE TO STUCK WITH HIM." You widened your eyes, this sure drew attention to some royals. You sighed.
Now, Lord Shen was barely talking to any people. You approached him, carrying your archery set. As you went closer, you observed him. This Lord barely attended any social gatherings, not even the royal school. So this was also your first time talking to him in person. And the first thing you wanted to do was to check whether or not those rumors about him were true.
You looked at his feathers--white feathers. You knew there was such thing in this world, even if it was called a "curse". His expression was cold and intimidating, as if he himself wanted to snap at anyone at this point. The best thing you could guess was that he was forced into socializing. And lastly..that pair of metal talons he wore, that made the "clink clank" sound everytime he walked in. Why did this peacock needed a talon to wear? You had been hearing rumors that he was quite invested in science. Was it because he loved it? Or, was his feet--
"I am not going." He stated quietly, but firm enough to snap you out of your thoughts. "..but-" "I said I won't." He slightly raised his voice. "Why? Is it because you don't bring your own set? I'll lend you mine." "No need to-" "Son." Lord Shen glanced back, looking at the other two peacocks behind him. They seemed to be his parents. "Fine." The young peacock Lord sighed. He grabbed your set. "Guide." He said shortly, looking at you in annoyance. You sighed, "Follow me,"
--
Both of you walked beneath the tiny forest behind a palace. It had a beautiful view, but also a suitable place for archery, you thought. Though, this was not yet the place they were prepared to use for the archery event. As you two walked, there were barely any exchange of words between you. You were still trying to find the right topics to bring up. While Lord Shen looked distracted, or purposefully avoiding eye contacts. "..Lord Shen," you called him. However, he glanced for one second before turning back into the view. "Lord-" "Just say it." He said, a hint of annoyance in his words. "Have you been doing archery before?" You asked. To your surprise, he actually glanced back at you. "I am." He answered. "Oh, you are still." You started to smile. "Since when?" "Since I was born." You sighed, grinning at his sarcasm. "What are you actually wanting to say?!" He asked, confusing you. "What do you mean?" "Don't act." "I'm not?!" I said, confused. Lord Shen sighed in defeat, looking away again. You started to think that he heard what Lord Yi shouted back then.
"..are we supposed to walk there?" "Hm?" You snapped out of your thoughts once again, realizing that Lord Shen had stopped at a crossroads. "Is that a way to the archery area?" He asked once again, raising one of his eyebrows. You blinked few times. "OH! Right," You walked back into him, realizing that you took the wrong path. "We are supposed to walk to the left..wait. How did you know where to go?!" You asked him. "It's..forget about it." He said, about to walk away. "What if I don't want to?!" You said. "Why?!" "Because this is my house?! You are one of the royal peacocks who attend here annually, and I'm pretty sure none of you must have remembered the tracks." He was slightly caught off-guard, but Shen quickly composed himself. He was annoyed, but also didn't expect a seriousness in your voice.
He grabbed your hand and guided you to the edge of a nearby cliff. "Look." He pointed out. You narrowed your eyes at the sight, bending to the point of almost tripping yourself off the cliff. "Tell me if I'm wrong, that is the archery area, isn't it?!" Lord Shen asked. "Oh, you're right. It is! How can you see it in such distance, Lord Shen?" You asked him, as he looked away. You could see a little smirk he showed, but quickly brushed away after a second. "You have poor eyesights." He said. "Hm, but maybe it's you who has the eye of a hawk." You complimented him, observing his slightly blushing cheek's feathers. He feigned a cough, before walking forward. "Since you are being nothing but squeaks and stupid, I guess I should be the one to lead you to the area now." You rolled your eyes. "I have a feeling you looked at a map." "No, I didn't."
As Shen started to lead you to the archery area, he turned to be the one who "squeaked" a lot now. He talked about theories, logics, his inventions, and such. It was quite a tell-tale for you, an interesting one, not sure how the other peacocks would react to this side of him. Were you just curious of him? Maybe.
--
Now, you two finally arrived at the archery area. And as expected, everyone was looking at you in discomfort, whispering at each other. You glanced at Lord Shen, seeing his annoyed but also ignorant face. They might questioned why you lent him your own set, silently being upset at you. However, they were still busy with their own archery set.
"..so?" Lord Shen finally asked. "So, umm.." your eyes travelled throughout the area, until you found a perfect place to settle down. "Are you going first, Lord Shen?" You asked him. Lord Shen looked at the bow. "Alri-" "Can't believe that you two manage to get a spot." You turned yourself to the voice, revealing Lord Yi who had just arrived. "Lord Yi, where were you?" "Anywhere except with you guys." Yi responded sinisterly, glancing at Shen. He returned the glance with a lot more serious glare. "Why are you here?!" Yi asked. "I don't understand what you want to ask." Shen responded. "Why don't you keep isolating yourself?!" Lord Shen glanced at him sharply as he continued to bother him. "Well, Lord Yi. Why are you still here?! We all have a target to aim." You cut their conversations, subtly asking Yi to mind his own business. Lord Yi only responded with a huff as he walked beside you, revealing that your spot was near each other, to the point of any conversations between you could be heard by each other.
"Just ignore him, Lord Shen." You said, as Lord Shen steadied himself. He looked at the target, who was far away from you both. Shen drew taut, his feathers wrapped tightly around the grip. He narrowed his eyes on the target. Slowly, he was about to release, but..
SNAP! Another arrow was shoot towards the target, much to both of your surprise. It missed the center point, though. However, Shen didn't let go of his grip, instead slowly lowering his bow as you two heard a laugh. Glancing at the other side, you saw Lord Yi smirking at you both. "What? I just wanted to teach him how to aim, okay?!" He said mockingly out loud, to the point that few other peacocks paid attention to you three. "I mean, I'm sure he barely go out of his room. Let alone training. We all know why, poor Lord." Lord Shen let out a small irritated huff at the mocking, was about to turn back to the target to ignore him before he looked back..
Seeing you made your way towards Lord Yi before you pulled his robe and glared at him. "Very childish of you, Lord Yi. Very childish of you." Surprisingly, Lord Yi was quite taken aback by your sudden mood change. As if he had never seen you, narrowing your eyes at him, pulling his robes and gripping it very tight, as if you were about to fight him. "Um, (Y/N)-" "You know, Lord Yi. It's quite brave of you to be boastful and demanding, refusing to follow the rules me and my family had provided for you. I already gave you a few warnings and now you pushed me too far." You said coldly to him. "O-but w-what are you doing?" He asked, a hint of tremble in his voice."What am I doing?!" You let out a fake laugh out loud, "I am only teaching this poor Lord who got ignored by the rest of his family because he. Has. No. Talents. Not even the ability to rule his land." You said, insulting the Lord in return, as he gulped in shame. "He can only demand." You said before letting go of his robe as he tried to stand up. "Now, I heard some merchants are allowed to enter the gatherings to offer some foods and jewelries. Why don't you just bury your depressed self there?" You insulted him, followed by few chuckles from nearby peacocks. Lord Yi looked at you, and Shen, back and forth. Before turned away in shame, picking up his arrows and bow.
You turned back to Lord Shen, who seemed to be..distracted? "Oh, Lord Shen. Did that just disturb you?" You asked him nicely, and the change of your tone snapped him out of his thoughts. You walked towards him as he cleared his throat. "Ah, no. I'm not." He said, a little stuttering as he looked away. You sighed, "..well, I guess I was. How about we take a walk somewhere else?" He glanced at you in a curious way. "But, I thought the archery-" "It's okay if you don't want to do it." You explained, before whispering, "Let's just say my parents were also forcing me to ask you to join us." Lord Shen nodded a bit. "Alright," He said, before his eyes traveled back towards Lord Yi.
"..You're okay with waiting for a few seconds?" He asked you. "Eh?" You backed away as he pulled out three arrows, once again stood up and steadying himself. He whispered, "This is for you," "Wait, wait Lord Shen--what?!" You asked, confused and surprised that he decided to shoot three arrows at once. This also caught the attention of few peacocks nearby, including Lord Yi. Not wanting to wait longer, he drew his arrows, narrowing towards the target, and released them. And to your surprise,
One of them hit the target. Two of them missed. But they kind of made a symmetrical line from the point they hit. Just as you gasped in shock, the target board fell towards the ground as well.
Lord Shen smirked in triumph, glancing at Lord Yi who was also shocked by the sight, before he looked back at you. "It falls. Will that make you mad?" He asked to you. You laughed. "No, why would I?" You smiled at him. And surprisingly, he reciprocated that smile. But before you could react further, he already grabbed the archery set and walked away. "Great, these things are mine now." He said. You processed his words for a few seconds before hurrying towards him. "Okayyy..! So you are now a Master at archery. And you demand my archery set I LENT you?!" You asked him, but he didn't respond and instead closing his eyes in prideful way. "What are you going to demand next, the archery zone?!" You shot him an annoyed look. He stopped on his tracks, looking at you in seriousness. You almost backed away because of this. "..and what does this mean?!" "Hmm.." Lord Shen looked away. "Yes." He said shortly. "Oh, great. And I thought you want me." You muttered, before was met with his glare once again. "What is wrong with you-" "Nothing!" He said as he turned back on the tracks. "You know, I don't need to show you the tracks anymore since you can go on your own. But you don't want to admit you need a company." You teased him as he was still refusing to look at you. "So, what are we going to do now? Are you going to show me another thing you're an expert at?" You said, before he finally looked at you. A tiny smile formed on his beak. "Hmm..well.."
"You are not going to believe this. But I brought some fireworks."
--
Okayy did you guys survive reading the long paragraphs? I apologize, I was having a writer's block and I really wanted them to interact a lot before Y/N defended her newfound boyfriend colleague. I'm kind of careful when writing Shen, because he is such a complex character. I will be open to critics and suggestion though :D
a/n: i've been so into kfp latelyyy my biases are minje and keiju!! and i really like band-aid, crush, gas on it, electricity and twenty! their songs are nice and their vibe is really refreshing ugh i can't wait for them to come to my country. also i'm pretty new to publishing writing so i hope it's okay! :3
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Minje had a bit of a staring problem. He really couldn’t help it, though! Not when you were so pretty doing… whatever it was you were doing. It didn’t actually matter; he could probably even watch you meditate for hours on end.
He was well aware of the fanmade compilations on Twitter pointing out every instance his stare had lingered a bit too long on you, and the clip time totalled to just under ten minutes. Appalling, but somehow unsurprising. For him, at least. When he brought it up to Maru, the boy laughed so hard he couldn’t speak.
He knew he was being obvious. But what did it matter— you were kind of stupid when it came to the matters of his heart, even more so when they were in regards to you. Hell, the whole world could probably learn of his big fat crush on you before you even began to ponder the notion.
Lucky for you, Minje was nothing if not patient.
Even now as you clung to Iju, lips pouted as you squished and moulded the whining boy's cheeks to your whims, his eyes stayed fixated on you. Wide and unblinking, with his mouth slightly ajar and the corners lifted in the beginnings of a smile. The other members were chatting, trying to include Minje in the conversation every once in a while, but he could never quite snap out of his daze.
You were going on and on about how cute Iju was (they all reckoned ‘cute’ was your most used word… ever), but Minje thought you were far cuter— wait, that was kind of mean to Keiju. You were both cute, but he’d want to kiss and cuddle and smother you in affection over anyone else.
His heart nearly gave out when you moved on from Keiju and sat next to him, your head already finding his shoulder like it lived there (it did). Like it was second nature, he raised an arm tentatively, preparing to wrap it around you. You obliged and pressed your whole body against his. He smiled widely; the one that showed all his perfect teeth and made him look like an overgrown puppy. It seemed to be an unconscious habit whenever you were near.
And when you threw a leg over his lap— dear god, he wanted to hug you until death whisked him away. Donghwa gave him an all-knowing smirk, eyebrows wiggling dorkily while the ears of his target grew redder with every second. Minje shot him a look, then quickly returned his full focus to you. He knew he’d be searching for clips of this later, just to relive the moment over and over again. He could trust the fans for that, right?
Seriously, your hold on him needed to be studied in great detail.
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do not repost, republish, translate, or feed any of my works into ai. doing so will result in an immediate block ♡
Can ask for chubby reader (esp. in thights) x Tai Lung and Kai (separate)? I have a feeling that Kai may not care about it or like it while Tai Lung appeared a bit fatfobic at the end of kfp1 :< Or it's just me and it's fine
I'M ACTUALLY SO EXCITED TO DO THIS ONE
I feel like Tai Lung seemed fatfobic because he was just taking the piss outta Po, Tigress made comments too and that was probably to make him upset too
Tai Lung X Chubby!Reader
General Kai X Chubby!Reader
Tai Lung-
•... Thighs guy, just gotta get it out there, he loves it and the belly
•Anyone makes bad comments?... He's literally gonna kill them, not keeping it PG, they're missing forever now!
•Prefers the cuddling position spooning, he likes being the big spoon because it just makes his ego better to make himself think he's more "Dominant" or whatever
•He doesn't mind if your the big spoon, you're really warm anyways so he does find it nicer, just will never ever admit that he loves it...
•Dates while eating noodles under a cherry blossom tree IS A MUST
•Insecure? He is actually... Alright at comforting you, he'd just tell you how nice u look and your perfect
You: "Nobody's perfect thoug-"
Tai Lung: "YOU ARE!!"
General Kai-
•LOVES IT.
•LOVES YOU.
•AAAAAAAAAAA-
•He's just really happy he has someone his size, headcanon is that he's always felt bigger than everyone which did cause insecurity in himself
•But with you? Confidence between him and you SPIRALED UP.
•Favourite part of the day is cuddling at night, is the same as Tai Lung when it comes to cuddling ngl
•Oh yeah! He kicks and punches in his sleep so be prepared!
After Tai lung’s escape from Chorh-Gom Prison, Reader struggles to come to terms with their past relationship and what holding onto old ties could possibly mean for the future. What matters more: loyalty, selfishness or their morality?
Chapter 1: Silent Wounds | Word Count: 2,067 | Read on Ao3
(fic notes are at the bottom)
Tags and Warnings: not much honestly, angsty, implied violence and trauma, reader is grieving and reflecting on past mistakes, Reader x Tai Lung, backstory heavy, a whiff of dialogue, POV Second Person (you/your/yours) GENDER NEUTRAL READER, NO USE OF Y/N
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
You woke up to a familiar dull darkness cascading through the thin walls of your room for what must’ve been the third time that night. Decades passed, and insomnia continued to be a familiar friend.
Tai Lung had taken to the Valley, engulfing it in flames close to midnight, and your body still held onto every second. Being woken up in a panic to news of an attack, an incursion that could only be seen as an orange blip from the Palace steps, only to find out upon reaching it that your lover had been the cause had stuck with you. Over the years, your brain erratically shuffled through the same handful of nightmares. A chopped up collection of details from that night, flashing over you again and again.
Though it was mostly a blur, it was exhausting. Waking up too hot or cold, sweat clinging to you as you came back to consciousness, desperately seeking solid ground.
No amount of heavy training or elixirs could keep you asleep for long and having to relive the worst night of your life made the grief bleed perpetually into each day. Did you not feel enough guilt already? Was this your penance? To continue being haunted by events that had never left your waking mind? What did the universe want from you? Every night, the same scenes played and not once did you find further clarity.
Recently you’d been plagued with a different dream. Instead of the rocky play by play of the Valley in ruins, fear plastered over the faces of innocent villagers, all you could see was him.
Flashes of black and gray. Bloodthirsty and cold. Devoid of the kindness you’d desperately tried to prove he was capable of so long ago.
A distorted mess of speckled fur and teeth; the only features that didn’t blend into the darkness were his golden eyes. It was a portrait of a monster only capable of violence. The only thing anyone could see in Tai Lung now.
You couldn’t get the image out of your mind, nor could you bring yourself back down to any sort of calm. You tossed and turned, the hours bleeding into one another until the hints of sunlight started to peek through the thin wall panels.
As a dull ache settled in, you decided to give up on sleep, trying to shake the exhaustion out of your limbs before shuffling into the communal kitchen to make some tea.
Yes, the dreams’ content had changed, but the pain was all the same and you’d endure like usual.
As cruel as life had seemingly been so far, you’d always seemed to adjust enough to live. Whether that was a blessing or a curse, you weren’t quite sure.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
As you leaned against the countertop for what felt like hours, waiting for loose leaf to steep, you kept a watchful eye (and ear) out for the sounds of Shifu coming to wake his faithful students.
You tried to limit your time with the Five as much as possible. And Shifu generally regarded you with a sense of pity, although he never said much. When he did it carried an awkward amount of detached pleasantries. Words that meant little out of context but between the two of you held enormous weight. Both of you did your best to ignore the elephant in the room. The two of you were tied together by the same scars, but it never did any good.
Shortly after Tai Lung’s imprisonment, he began to take on students who would eventually become the Furious Five, Tigress as an orphaned cub and the others when they were still young and vibrant.
Shifu planted his version of that night’s events in their minds early: the consequences without the actions. You were never one to justify murder or senseless violence but, Shifu had built Tai lung up to a pillar that could be reached by no one, including you. When it came time to choose the Dragon Warrior, it was far too late. But he never acknowledged this, at least never to you.
Thus, the Five never took kindly to you, and you couldn’t blame them necessarily. You were a complete wreck for the better part of a decade, the grief of Tai Lung’s absence a fresh, aching wound. You had lost not just him, but every coherent plan you’d had for your life at the time. And at the peak of your dysfunction, Shifu started taking in his new children. Training your replacements.
As they made the Jade Palace their new home, it only felt like further insult, a cruel reminder that you had failed at your only purpose in life.
For as long as you could remember, both you and Tai Lung had defended the Valley proudly. You’d risked your lives far more times than you could count and you were damn proud of it. But after his attack, your reputation soured quickly.
Even though you’d spent that dreadful night helping villagers and smothering fires, just as confused and horrified at the wreckage as they were, once Tai lung was captured and his prison sentence finalized, they started to examine you with a violent suspicion.
He was your partner after all.
When he wasn’t training, fighting, or accompanied by the Masters, he was by your side.
You were to be wed.
How could you not have known what he would do?
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
They thought it’d best to kick you out of the Palace for some time, hoping to quell people’s anger and unease. The general consensus was that the romantic partner of a violent convict didn’t deserve to stay in a gilded Palace, despite your history there and your iron-clad alibi.
Shifu was just as silent then as the day Tai Lung was denied the scroll, although it was ultimately his decision to get rid of you.
You argued briefly, a few hurtful quips, but you knew even if you didn’t beg that you were never going to leave with your dignity.
You had been raised for one sole purpose: to be a warrior. You had no other skills or opportunities. No prospects for work that would come quickly. Laying low in the Valley was not an option either. Everyone knew who you were, where you frequented in your off time.
You weren’t looking for trouble but you also weren’t dumb enough to test your luck. Even with Tai Lung in prison, many thought justice had not yet been served. And while you are more than capable of defending yourself, leaving “innocent” villagers a bloodied mess wouldn’t exactly help your reputation. You had your hands tied behind your back constantly, even though you’d been cast out of your nobility.
The bamboo forest proved to be your only friend then, the rows of almost identical, hypnotic patterns of layered greenery seemed to hide you well enough as you traveled with what little belongings you could carry comfortably on wheels. You traveled towards the outskirts, where the forest was clearly left untouched and lingered in those spaces for as long as you could hope to be reasonably safe.
You cycled through maps, making cyclic routes, so you’d land close to the Valley by the time you needed to replenish your supplies.
You didn’t ever think to come back fully. Robbery after robbery, you defended yourself halfway, like a cat declawed, and picked up the damaged pieces. Deep down you felt it was deserved. Other times, it felt good to finally lash out and release the anger you held through a practice that had been nothing but spiritual and righteous since you started. The grief, the betrayal from having lost the life, and the love you cherished came out in gnashing teeth and claws. Blood for blood. Smoke settled in your chest since that night and it could not be settled. You wondered then, while in that state, if that was how your lover felt when he decimated the valley, in a frenzy of flames.
Three months passed, you were traveling a common path when you heard the familiar flap of Zheng's wings from above you. And before he could clarify the mess of jumbled words he’d first managed to croak out, you knew why he was there.
Shifu’s sudden change of heart. Pity disguised as kindness. The suggestion of guilt.
Too little, too late.
But exhaustion had buried deep into your bones, and your patience had worn down to a thin, dulled line of thread. If you didn’t go “home”, something would happen to you or the next sorry fool who decided to rob you on the wrong day.
So you returned, and retired.
Your old room had since been cleared out, since there was nothing notable left to begin with. But Shifu, apparently sentimental, had left Tai Lung’s room untouched.
“Tai Lung’s room has not been cleared out as of yet. You are welcome to stay there, if not-“
“That’s fine.”
That was how you two seemed to get by. In long pauses, or tense words. You struggled to say the appropriate formalities, even through clenched teeth. Any sentence of gratitude towards your old master who’d now caused you so much pain felt repulsive.
He lingered, making a rare bout of eye contact, no doubt to look at the deep clashing colors of dull purple that covered your left eye.
You’ll need something warm for that.. It’ll help the blood flow.”
”Aww, thanks.” You replied bitterly, in a high-pitched tone that was far too juvenile and reminded of the fondness you’d once held for the red panda.
“I trust you remember where all the cleaning supplies are.” He turned away from you, his gruff voice echoed as he walked through the student's chambers. A hesitation, a continued skip in what should’ve been a normal step pattern sent a chill through you as you watched him disappear into one of the Palace’s many corridors. You knew exactly who he’d gotten it from.
And still, he’d left his room untampered with.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
While you stayed in the Palace, a lifetime of fighting put on pause, you had to be useful in other ways while you got back on your feet. Maintaining the training equipment. Organizing scrolls. Dusting. Things you never imagined yourself doing in a million years.
Years blended together slowly, and the townsfolk seemed to develop a tolerance to you. You managed to find and work short jobs. Graveyard shifts. Anything the average villager did not want to do. Things that were a tad bit too sketchy or dangerous for someone who had a family waiting for them. Unbeknownst to Shifu, you also took bounties.
You saved most of what you made, hoping it would be a plentiful nest egg when you finally left the Valley for good.
Your life had become somewhat stable, though it often felt like pieces of glass taped over, the deviations and cuts still very present under the surface. You had made due, found just enough to get by decently, but your past remained at the forefront. The jagged mold you continued to accommodate.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
After some time in the kitchen , you returned back to your- Tai Lung’s bedroom.
You could still recall the exact day it stopped smelling like him, when the lingering trace of his presence had finally left the room. You’d refused to make any changes to it until then, leaving your belongings in boxes. You still hesitated even now, as if your lack of furnishing would change anything. Two ghosts stayed here.
You sipped on your tea, the dark beverage serving as a much needed comfort to your heavy limbs. No one was awake yet, wouldn’t be for some time. The palace remained still. For now, in twilight, you could pretend things were the way they’d once been.
You’d heard somewhere that a warm drink replaced the feeling of another person’s presence. It mimicked their body heat.
It’d been a long time since you’d had that. A warm body on the other side of the bed. Taking up space in your room, on your shelves. The loneliness lingered, a wound rubbed raw and always aching.
The memory of Tai Lung would continue to torment you, in your waking hours or otherwise. There was seemingly no solution that would calm your heart, or bleeding mind that didn’t involve high treason.
So for now, an herbal tea and a midday nap would have to do.
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•
Notes (AO3):
Oh my god, oh my god, I’m so excited to post this!
The one day I decided to be productive is also the day AO3 went down for nine hours for a bookmark glitch. Still, I’m happy to be here. I’ve been maladaptive daydreaming since I was a kid and this is basically the self indulgent story I’ve always had put into words. I’m throughly excited to explore this a little further. I feel like KFP is such an underrated film series (excluding the 4th one cause what was that) and I really wish I lived in the universe where they put a little time and care into it. It’s my Roman Empire, I think.
This is a brief introduction, I have to establish a lot about Reader so you kind of understand where the rest of the story is coming from/going, and I will definitely switch POVs cause I really want a chance to explore the other characters a bit better (most notably Tai Lung). Anyways, I do hope you enjoy this! Chapter 2 will definitely come pretty quickly as it’s just following the Canon of the beginning of the first film. I cannot guarantee a schedule for the rest cause I don’t really have a solid framework yet for the plot.
Also, I don’t know why but the only song that I’ve been able to write this to is Animal Fear - Marika Hackman, its such a beautiful song and normally I have a playlist going or something for other fics but with this one its just been her on repeat. So yeah, there’s a million shameless references. There will continue to be.
….
Current: I think I’m gonna have multiple endings for this story and I’ve been planning it so far, im super excited to see where this go but i think it’ll be much easier to organize on tumblr. Anyways, hope you enjoy this!
