Author's Note:
Hello, everyone. I'd like to present to you a lovely Winnie–the–Pooh fiction I found. It is not my interest to take credit for this; I only want to share this beautiful piece of art with you all. I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Disclaimer:
Winnie–the–Pooh © A. A. Milne.
Story © Anonymous author.

One–shot:
"Roo Wants A Dad"

Certainly there had always been something. From nearly the moment Kanga and Roo had arrived to the Hundred Acre Wood, Tigger had tried his best to always present himself as the perfect model of a gentleman as he understood how to the lovely single mother. It was a rather inexplicable phenomenon to most of the inhabitants of the wood, but whenever Tigger was near Kanga, he felt the need to turn on his natural charm to its max. It was even more inexplicable the way he seemed to transform from a bouncing Tigger to a giggling sheep whenever Kanga called him 'dear'. Whether it was obvious to anyone or everyone who knew them, Tigger had an innocent crush on Mrs. Kanga… Although it was quite clear she wasn't a Mrs. anymore.

Instead, it was Roo who received Tigger's attention more than his mother. The little nipper was Tigger's best bouncing buddy. There was a natural spark of friendship and love that existed from day one. Soon, they became practically inseparable. For Tigger had finally found someone else who loved bouncing as much as him, and Roo had finally found the strong male influence sorely lacking in his home.

It was their bond which first opened Kanga's heart to the lovable, striped bouncer. She quickly noticed the way Tigger treated her son and it warmed her through and through. Kanga grew fonder and fonder of Tigger as he grew closer and closer to her son. Of course, it started out as innocent as Tigger's crush. She pitied him, cared for him in his times of need, or called him dear more times than she maybe should. In short, many would often mistake it for her motherly tendencies, but a closer look from someone who knew about such matters would see it as the first step toward something more.

Their relationship continued on for some time in this manner: Tigger blushing whenever he came to see Roo and Kanga treating him just a little bit more special than the others. However, it began to take a sharp turn. All at once, Kanga found herself depending on Tigger, worrying about Tigger, going out of her way to make sure Tigger was okay. Likewise, Tigger found himself growing bolder around Kanga, even holding her hand and comforting her when she needed it. It didn't take long for this to lead them to a new understanding of their deeper feelings for one another.

No longer could Kanga consider Tigger to be like a son just because Roo considered him to be a big brother, and no longer could Tigger strictly consider himself Roo's big brother, although he would never tell Roo this. Both were finally aware of a very different kind of love. But it was a precarious situation indeed for the two inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood. What would the others think? What would Roo think? It was confusing enough for them, let alone without others knowing about it and offering their own two cents. Rabbit especially would probably do his best to ruin things for them with his usual "It simply isn't done…" mantra. Kanga was too polite and nurturing to ever want to hurt any of her friends and Tigger… well, he was loveable, but not the most graceful in awkward situations and rather on the clueless side of things at times. What were the two poor animals to do?

At last, the chance finally came for them to face their predicament face to face.

"The little guy's finally asleep," Tigger announced with his trademark chuckle as he came from Roo's room.

After spending the day with Tigger and Tigger having joined them for supper, Roo had requested Tigger tell him a bedtime story and tuck him in that night. Kanga had agreed, smiling with her secret thoughts of how it made her love Tigger even more. She was certain no one else in the Hundred Acre Wood, excluding herself, loved Roo more than Tigger and what better reason could there be for wanting him to be with them all the time?

"That's nice," Kanga responded as she put aside her knitting and stood from her chair. "Would you like a cup of tea, darling?" No longer did she only call him dear when they were alone. She headed toward the kitchen to start a pot of water boiling, already knowing his answer.

"A cup of tea is exac–a–tac–a–ly what I would like, thank you." He smiled and joined her at the stove. "You know me so well." Kanga was also the only one in the Wood who knew him well enough to know how to make tea the way he liked it. She returned the smile as his lips tickled her ear a little.

As they stood there waiting for the water to boil, Tigger, rather subconsciously, placed an arm about Kanga's shoulders and she found herself resting her head on his shoulder in turn. It was a feeling she could get used to, but would never want to for fear it would be less enjoyable than it was at that very moment. She gave a contented sigh.

"If only it could be like this every night, Tigger…"

"Then I would be a very happy Tigger, indeed–y," Tigger chuckled again, before adding: "But, uh… why can't it be like this… again…?" He scratched his head with his free hand.

Kanga smiled in spite of herself. She loved Tigger dearly, but no matter his age, he would always be like a child with a bit of short attention span.

"Because we have to think about the others, Tigger. Roo would certainly be confused and Christopher Robin might not approve and I shouldn't think any of our other friends would understand," she reminded him.

Honestly, it was hard to tell what anyone would think. At times they embraced each other and new things with open arms, but at other times they were not as easily convinced and often it took some sort of mishap or another to bring them around.

"Oh, yeah, right." He did remember as was evident by his somber tone. "It isn't fair." Tigger sounded like a whiny child, but for very good reason. "Well, maybe if we… no, that's not… Or we could… no, that's just ridicarus… There's always… hmm…" Tigger continued to ponder it carefully.

Kanga laughed delightfully until a soft voice startled them both from behind. Kanga's heart dropped as she realized how careless it was to have assumed Roo wouldn't wake up and find them.

Kanga and Tigger shared an awkward look of knowing before they both turned to look at the little joey. Perhaps he would just think their position friendly, Kanga thought. After all, physical contact wasn't exactly a taboo in the Hundred Acre Wood. And Tigger was already considered family.

"Why, Roo, what's the matter?" Kanga asked lovingly, hiding any guilt she might have.

"Well, my dream was getting a little scary so I decided to wake up before it could turn into a real nightmare," Roo answered.

"Why, that's very clever, Roo, dear." Kanga smiled as she hopped over to her son.

"Yeah, that's using the ol' noodle, buddy boy," Tigger added, warranting a smile from him.

"Would you like some tea before going back to bed?" Kanga asked and was answered with a quick nod. "Alright, the water should just be about done."

Sure enough, the teapot gave a whistle. She went back to the stove as Tigger and Roo sat down at the table.

Roo seemed unusually quiet, but Kanga assumed it was because he was still sleepy. However, a hesitant "Tigger…?" proved that perhaps he had been in quiet thought instead. "Don't be mad at me…" he finally added.

"Why would I be mad at you, Roo boy?" Tigger asked in confusion. There was another round of silence as Roo mustered up the courage to say whatever it was he wanted to say.

"Because… I–I… don't want you to be my bestest big brother anymore."

There was a loud gasp from Tigger, and a soft one from Kanga, as Roo wrung his hands and shirt guiltily.

"B–B–But I don't understand…" Tigger's feelings had certainly been injured by the boy's sudden confession. "Did I do something… wrong?"

"No, of course not, Tigger," Roo responded quickly and reassuringly, leaving his mother and Tigger even more confused. "It's just, uh, it's just… I've already got a momma, but I've… never had a papa and…" Roo gulped a little as he let his train of thought trail.

It was fortunate that Kanga had not yet grabbed the tray of tea things or else she was certain it would have fallen to the floor as she quickly processed what her son meant.

"Roo, dear, do you mean…?" Kanga moved closer to the table. "You would like…" She found herself unable to finish, almost afraid she was mistaken and any confession would make things worse. Roo nodded, however, and she turned and looked at Tigger with wide eyes. "I can't believe it."

"I can't believe it, too." Tigger looked back and forth between Kanga and Roo, but it was soon clear he wasn't quite as capable at following what had just happened. "But what exac–a–tac–a–ly can't we believe?"

Kanga looked at her son once more. "Roo, dear, would you like to finish telling Tigger what you wanted to say?" It was more of an encouragement than a question.

"Tigger, I don't want you to be my bestest big brother anymore because… I want you to be my bestest dad instead." Roo hung his head as though he were ashamed of admitting it. "If you don't wanna, I understand. But I'm sure momma wouldn't mind, right, momma?"

Kanga giggled at her son's innocence. "I certainly wouldn't mind. In fact, Roo, I love Tigger very much." She decided it was time to admit it to him.

She wondered how long he had wanted to ask Tigger to be his dad or if him seeing her and Tigger together had prompted the question. Could it be just as easy to tell everyone else in the Wood? Maybe they shouldn't have been so afraid.

"A–And I promise to be the bestest son ever," Roo continued, still trying to convince Tigger.

At this, Tigger finally spoke. "Why of course you would be, Roo boy!" His smile grew bigger than it had ever been as everything finally clicked in his mind and he understood fully what had just happened.

He began bouncing around excitedly, Roo hopping up onto the table –with no admonition from his mother for once– to bounce excitedly as well.

"Why, you and I could go bouncing every day and… Oh, wait… we already do that, but they would be extra special fatherly–sonly bounces, hoo–hoo–hoo–hoo! And we could do other fatherly–sonly things which of course are to be figured out and calca–u–lated at a further date that's not this one." His excitement caused him to spout his thoughts in a somewhat confusing manner.

He grabbed Roo's hands and they began bouncing around in circles. After a few moments, he let go and grabbed Kanga's hands and began bouncing her in circles as well, her laughing unexpectedly at the gesture.

"And… and…" Tigger suddenly stopped and looked at Kanga with a serious expression, a new and very rational thought forming in his Tigger brain. "And I can be with you all the time."

"Yes, Tigger, all the time." Kanga smiled as she squeezed his hands affirmatively.

They gazed at one another in silence for a moment, neither one entirely sure what came next. But just when both were certain they would no longer be able to breathe from how perfect they felt, Tigger turned his head slightly, breaking the mood.

He had noticed Roo from the corner of his eye. The little joey was smiling as he looked at the ground, but it was also obvious he was a little hesitant about everything that had taken place. After all, it was quite clear that his mother would now get quite a deal of Tigger's attention and it was only natural for him to feel just a little tad jealous. Of course, he didn't want to admit it either.

"Wait just a cotton–pickin' second." Tigger let go of one of Kanga's hands and grabbed one of Roo's. "I think I maybe shoulda said I can be with both of you all the time." He smiled and Roo's face lit up.

Kanga's heart warmed at this, knowing yet again that no one was more perfect for her and her son than Tigger.

"And we'll be a family!" Roo cheered. He eagerly grabbed his mother's free hand and the three proceeded to bounce around in a happy circle.

"Absitively, Roo boy!" Tigger laughed excitedly as they continued in their merry bouncing until he stopped suddenly. "But, uh…"

"What's the matter, Tigger?" After asking, Roo suddenly wondered if he were to always call him Tigger or if he would now need to call him by some paternal address. He would have to ask his mother about it later, he resolved.

"Well, I…" He let go of their hands and tapped his chin. "I get the feeling that something's not right and dis–out–of–order or etcetera." He thought some more before then exclaiming: "Of course! Silly me." He leaned down and whispered in Roo's ear.

"Oh!" Roo nodded before hopping out of the room.

Meanwhile Kanga watched in complete confusion, wondering what Tigger's dilemma was or what he had sent Roo to do. Her confusion grew as Roo returned with a very familiar locket in hand.

"Here you go, Tigger." He handed it to him with a wink.

"Thanks, Roo boy. Now to do this proper–like…" He returned the wink and then turned towards Kanga. She gasped in slight shock as he got down on one knee. It was the last thing she had expected, but it wasn't entirely unwanted either. "Mrs., uh… Ms.… Kanga, ma'am…" He gulped. It was a funny thing since he was already aware of how she felt, yet he still felt suddenly shy. "Would you let me be Roo's dad if it isn't too much trouble? I promise to be the bestest Tigger. I know how to be for both of ya and I'll only bounce on Saturdays if you want," he slightly rambled. "Whaddaya say?"

"Yeah, momma, what do ya say?" Roo chimed in.

Kanga tried to hold back tears of happiness. "Well… I say yes, of course!" Tigger leapt to his feet and hugged Kanga before she had the chance to even blink. She hugged him back as he spun them both around, bouncing a few times as he did. "On one condition," she managed to add suddenly and Tigger stopped. He looked at her in confusion. "You have to promise to bounce every day, not just on Saturdays." She smiled.

"Not a prob–a–lem, hoo–hoo–hoo–hoo!" Tigger responded happily.

"Yay!" Roo cheered. "And now that we're going to be a family, maybe Tigger can teach you the Super–Duper, Loopdy–Looper, Alley–Ooper bounce, momma!" Roo demonstrated the infamous bounce as he said it, bouncing all around the room as Tigger and Kanga watched proudly.

"We'll see, dear…" Kanga said with a slight chuckle, turning to face Tigger. "We'll see…" she said again as she hugged Tigger once more, only perhaps a bit tighter this time.

Thus was the night in the Hundred Acre Wood when Tigger, Kanga and Roo decided they would become a family much different than they already were.

The End.