Disclaimer: I do not own The Lion King or anything associated with it, as it is property of Disney.
A/N: Ahem… Since I was four years old, I have adored Disney's The Lion King. I saw the movie in theaters a couple times, watched the VHS copy way more than I probably should have, and proudly carried my Shenzi plush around wherever I went – the hyenas were my absolute favorite. I sought out as much hyena merchandise as I could as a kid (which unfortunately didn't amount to much), I listened to "Be Prepared" so often I remembered the lyrics by heart at age six, and most importantly, I shipped Shenzi and Banzai together long before I knew what pairings were. There was just something about the two that clicked, and I swear that despite being at such a young age, I somehow managed to understand what all the looks and exchanges really meant. Sure, they are clearly great friends, but those little moments between the two suggested that yeah, they are totally more than friends. When I got out of my "too old for Disney" phase and re-watched TLK, I fell in love with the pair all over again, this time being able to pinpoint exactly what little details in their scenes made me so supportive of the pair in the first place, and I sought out fanfiction of 'em almost immediately. I didn't write any myself, as I never had any ideas for what to write with these two, and it seemed like many other fans had more than enough plot-bunnies of their own to suffice. I saw the musical recently and suddenly my craving for seeing more of the hyena trio came rushing back. More than that, I needed read about my OTP. I needed cute romantic balls of feelings about these two, damn it, and I needed it now!
And thus, sparks of inspiration hit me, and this series of one-shots was born. This first one was actually the first one I wrote, and it was born out of a need to see the pair play-fight. Keep in mind they aren't necessarily in any order, and that some are very short. Please R+R and enjoy!
Short Summary: It wasn't often, but occasionally Banzai got one up on her.
Clever
"Banzai, if I've beat you in nearly every fight we've had since we were kids, what makes you think you'll beat me now?" Shenzi taunted, a smirk on her face as she cracked her neck.
The male hyena grinned mischievously as he and his ever-present female companion circled one another in the secluded cavern. The muscles in his legs flexed in preparation for the leap he was about to make. Even after several years of the playful fights they had, he could feel his brain buzz in anticipation. There was just something in the way she moved and those quick snap-decisions she made during these fights that just made his heart flutter. He didn't care who won, but the feeling of her paws holding him down as she gave one of those glamorous triumphant smiles made everything worth it.
A moment more, and Banzai leapt through the air as a nearby vent gave off a blast of steam. Shenzi dodged to the right, taking only a second to pounce on his side, pushing him down to the ground with her weight on his middle, causing them to roll.
Banzai made a snap at her shoulder, not biting hard enough to break the skin, but enough to grasp hold and fling her away. He rolled over and stood back up, watching as she rolled onto her belly.
If it were anyone else, he would've pounced on her as soon as she tried to get up. But the way she looked at the moment, with her bangs slightly messy and her fur showing hints of sweat while the green glow of their surroundings lit up her eyes was quite a distraction.
Shenzi took the opportunity and pounced on him, pushing his shoulders into the dirt. Banzai felt the wind get knocked out of him as he hit the ground. Shenzi stood over him, her paws on either sides of his shoulders and legs, her lips curled into a smile before pulling back to reveal long, pointed canines.
"Pinned ya again. I win," she gloated.
The male hyena gave another wicked grin. "Oh, I dunno about that."
Before the girl could question that, Banzai grabbed her by the insides of front legs and rolled them both over, putting Shenzi on her back while he kept his weight on top of her. Their muzzles nearly touching, Banzai smirked. "Looks like Iwin, chica."
Shenzi was a bit baffled. She hadn't seen that coming. It was kind of...impressive. Clever, even.
But she wasn't one to lose.
She leaned in closer to his mouth, watching as his eyes widened when she gave his lips a slow lick. A dreamy expression came over his face.
"I'm pretty sure I won first," she affirmed in a husky, seductive tone as she gently pushed him off of her. "Got that?"
His dreamy expression deepened. She could practically see the hearts hovering over his head. "Sure thing, babe."
"Good. Oh, and Banzai?"
"Yeah?"
"First, this is for almost beating me," She leaned over and licked his cheek.
"And secondly," Suddenly, Shenzi swatted him hard over the head with her paw, "That's for letting your opponent get up!"
As Shenzi sauntered away, Banzai rubbed the spot on his head where she hit him. It hurt, but she had been right. It was a stupid mistake.
Then again, the fact that she kissed him, not once but twice, totally made up for it. He felt himself grin as he stored the memory away, vowing not to forget it.
"'ey, bird brain! Are you gonna sit there all day in a daze or what?" Shenzi called after him from farther away, a smirk back on her face.
He ran to catch up, and as always, padded along beside her.
