AN: Wasn't feel too good tonight, lots of stuff was running through my head. Decided to write some and out came this. I could have probably done better but ahwell.

-SM

These days were listless, quiet. Fall had started to fade into the quietness that was winter. The zoo was getting less and less visitors, which meant that the animals could have a lot more time to themselves. Julien included. He had been aching, not the kind of aches that you would get from physical pain. This was more than skin deep, it burned his insides; it made him sick to his stomach. The life of a zoo animal was hell compared to his life back in Madagascar, constant parties, living to leisure, not having to turn tricks for the dense humans for their amusement. Back in Madagascar all he had to do was keep his pack happy, who in turn would do their best to keep him happy. But who made him the happiest in his pack? Certainly not Mort…it was obvious that he only loved him for his feet, as he had so truthfully said. Maurice. A true friend, the only friend he's had. He made him happy. Maurice would never leave his side…and he was scared, scared that one day he would leave his side.

"Your highness, its time for your weekly grooming session." The aye-aye said dully, holding up a loofah and brush.

Julien looked to the other quietly, unsure of how to respond to him. He didn't need grooming, nor did he feel like it. He sighed and shook his head, turning to the view of his 'kingdom' watching a few of the animals go about their regular routines.

"Not in the mood," the lemur king muttered.

Maurice dropped the items on the floor and took a seat next to Julien, perplexed and yet relieved he didn't have to go about another cleaning routine. Julien didn't seem to notice his advisor's presence next to him, still staring off into nowhere.

"What's the matter my king?" he asked quietly.

The lemur shifted, giving a blank look to Maurice, "Dunno."

"How can you not know what's wrong with yourself?" he challenged Julien.

It was obvious he didn't care about his set of rules at this point; Julien only shrugged and kept staring vacantly into Maurice's face.

"C'mon, you can tell me what's wrong. I'm your advisor—your friend." He corrected.

"I don't know what is wrong Maurice! Stop pestering me!" the taller one hissed, jumping to his feet.

"Leave me alone," he demanded, crawling up to his throne and curling up behind his tail to tune out anything else he had to say.

The aye-aye sighed and decided to clean up the habitat a little, picking up some of the grooming supplies, putting more air into the bouncy and usual maintenance that Alice didn't seem to care about doing.

"You don know what's wrong…you just never tell me anything"

Time passed throughout the day, Julien lying curled up in his throne, which Maurice assumed he was sleeping. The sun had set, and the chimes have rung, signaling that the zoo was now closed to the public.

"Your highness, I got some food for us to eat. I told Mort to go pester the penguins for awhile…I am sure you didn't want him to be around while you're in this state." He muttered, setting the blue bowl on the stone platform. Julien got up quietly, rubbing his eyes which have gone from a bright yellow to a dim orange over the course of the day. He didn't say a word as he crawled down from the ladder and sat on the ground, picking through the small bowl of lychees.

Maurice stood there, watching the mute mammal unshell one and eat at the white flesh in a gentle manner. He knelt down next to Julien and examined his eyes, a frown coming over his muzzle.

"Julien, have you been crying?"

Julien took his time finishing his first berry and set the remains next to him, looking into the worried eyes of his assistant.

"Of course not, kings don't cry, are you stupid?" he spat harshly, peeling the case off another berry and eating at it.

Maurice looked into the bowl of fruit that was slowly depleting. As the berries were going, so was his patience.

The aye-aye muttered in response, "then why are your eyes redder than usual?"

Julien sighed and started at his fourth fruit, "It's called sleeping I am not a cry baby." He defended.

Maurice gave out a grunt of frustration and stood to his feet, taking the bowl away and setting it to the side, he knew he would regret this later, but something needed to be done.

"I didn't call you a cry baby; now tell me, what is wrong Julien? I am done playing this game."

The king watched as his food was dragged away, which seemed to be his only fixation at the moment.

"Give me back my food," Julien said.

"No, not until you tell me why you were crying and what the hell has been up with your attitude." Maurice said his tone raising.

"I haven't been crying, and I haven't had any changing in my attitude." In turn the lemur king had gotten up and walked over to his bowl of food, reaching for it but being denied from Maurice's paw slapping his away.

"Bull." He growled.

Julien rubbed his paw and decided to give up this effort. He sat back down, back facing to his advisor, the long tail curling around his waist.

"Maurice? Do you…like being my assistant?"

The question caught him off guard, but Maurice answered, "Of course I do, why wouldn't I?" he replied automatically.

Maurice picked up the soft sounds of Julien's sniffles, making the irritation from inside slowly dissipate.

"Your highness I-"

"Because…because I am such a horrible lemur king." The sentence almost didn't sound coherent through all of the shaky breaths and sobs that were coming from the king's mouth.

"I treat you like the dirt I step on. I make you do things that I know you don't like doing."

The aye-aye moved closer and lightly put a paw to Julien's arm, trying to comfort him.

"Julien…you aren't a bad king,"
"Don't lie to me Maurice! I know you are knowing that I am!" he sobbed out.

Maurice stepped closer, wrapping his arms around the hunched over bawling wad of fur.

"You hate me, why do you continue to be my friend?" Julien asked bitterly, his violent shakes starting to slow down, along with his gasping and cut off breaths as he felt the embrace of the older lemur around him.

Maurice moved his arms towards Julien's core and soothingly rubbed at his stomach, attempting to calm him, "I don't hate you, your highness. You know that, we've been friends since we were born…" he cooed.

The taller lemur began letting down this wall of insecurity, his tail retracting from his waist. Julien's paws began to trace over Maurice's, feeling the warmth radiate off them.

"Why are you still being my friend?" he asked again.

The stumpier mammal grabbed Julien's paws and gave them a light squeeze, "because…I care for you. No…I don't care for you, Julien. I love you…" Maurice whispered out into his ear, nuzzling into the other's neck.

Julien's expression faltered, tears still streaming down his cheeks. He gave the bigger paws a gentle squeeze in return, a quiet sob starting up again.

"I love you too Maurice." The lemur king choked out through his fit.

Maurice smiled, giving a Julien's tear stricken cheek a kiss.

Julien felt a light breath leave from his lips, "Don't ever leave me. Okay?"

"I promise I won't…King Julien"

My King.