Simba's Pain
By Mr_Toast

Hey guys, here's another story that I just randomly came up with. It's funny just how easily these things will just come to you. Anyway if you want something specific in the future just request it, and I'll see if I can make it happen. With that said I hope to see you guys again, Enjoy!

For all his life, Simba never had any friends. Sure he was the prince, but no one ever gave him much of a chance to prove himself. He had tried to work his way into friend groups before, but every time he did, it ended up with him failing and humiliating himself.

Simba had given up on trying to make friends, and just decided to try to live his life the best he could. He often was found talking to himself or doing other weird things which made the other cubs wonder about his sanity.

He often overheard them talking about him behind his back, saying about how he had no friends and talked to himself. These comments hurt, but nothing hurt worse than having to live every day, knowing that the girl he loved, Nala, would never love him back.

Simba had tried to prove himself to her before, but it always ended with him failing and her laughing at him. It was one thing when some random cub laughed at him, but when he saw Nala laughing and making fun of him… It pained him more than anything else.

As far as bullying went, no one wanted to mess with him because if they did, they had to answer to Mufasa, the king of the pride lands. Even though he was their king, and would do anything to protect his pride, people still feared his angry and less understanding side. No one knew that Mufasa didn't care about Simba or even love him, but they still didn't want to take the risk.

Simba was currently walking away from the waterhole, where all the other cubs would hang out and play. He didn't like to go there because whenever he did, the Cubs would always talk about how clumsy and stupid he was.

Simba was deep in thought, thinking about what else he could do to get a friend or two when he striped over a root sticking out of the ground and landed face first in the dirt. Of course, knowing Simba's luck, almost everyone saw it and those who didn't, gathered around to see what happened. All the cubs started to laugh and make jokes about how clumsy he was.

"Oh umm… Hehe... My bad…" Simba said faking a laugh trying to play the whole thing off. He quickly ran off into the tall grass to avoid embarrassing himself in front of the entire pride again.

Nala was walking through the tall grass after finishing up a hunting lesson from her mother when someone ran straight into her. "Hey watch where you're going! Idiot" She snapped. She usually wasn't this hostile and was a very kind person. But right now she was mad at her mother for forcer her to do something she didn't want to do.

Simba looked over to see who he hit, and instantly felt that same pain as always when he heard Nala make fun of him. He felt like crying right then and there and could feel some tears building up in the back of his eyes, but put his feelings aside for now.

"I'm so sorry, please forgive me" Simba said almost begging for forgiveness. Nala also saw who it was and wasn't surprised to see that Simba had run into her.

"Fina, just watch where you going next time" Nala said before turning continuing on her path. She felt bad for being mean to Simba, and for the most part, she didn't know why. It was mostly because of the trend. Everyone else was mean to him, so she was too.

"Stupid!" Simba said to himself and hit himself in the head. He knew he deserved it so that's why he did it. Nala turned around unsure of what he was doing. She was surprised to see that he was using physical violence as a means of punishment on himself.

Simba just sighed and started to walk away. Nala followed closely through the whole time to try to hear what he was muttering to himself.

She could hear that he was having a conversation with himself, pretending to be two different people, telling the other one how he was a failure and a screw-up, and the other one just agreed. Nala heard this a pitied him a bit, she was a little sad to hear that he was beating himself up and the only thing he could talk about what all the negativity he was shown every day.

He walked over to a pond, with a tree just off the shore, The tree had a few larger vines running down it that he used for a hammock. There were various rocks and pieces of wood that were set up in a specific way, and writing on some larger surrounding rocks.

Simba walked over to the pond and started to talk to his reflection. Nala was leaning forward to try to better hear his conversation, when she stepped on a stick, cracking it in the process, and alerted Simba.

Simba quickly turned around to see that Nala had followed him and was currently stalking him. "Um... Hi…" Simba said unsure of what to say or do. No one had ever been in this area beside him as far as he knew, and certainly, no one ever followed around a loser like him.

"Hi…" Nala replied, embarrassed by the situation she found herself to be in. She wanted to just turn tail and run away as the whole thing had never happened but she knew that if she did, he would most likely also think she was weird.

"So what are you doing here?" Simba asked. He was a little concerned about what she would think of his 'friends'. He had a huge crush on her and didn't want her to think that he was an even bigger loser than she thought.

"Just looking around…" Nala said as she exited the brush and walked over to where Simba was. "So what are these rocks and wooden things supposed to be?" Nala asked while picking one up. The wood was carved and the stones were slightly chiseled.

"Oh, those are my friends" Simba said. "I come here during the day and talk to them. They provide me with something to do. If you want I can…" He paused seeing the look she was giving him. He immediately realized what he told her and began to scold himself for making him look so stupid in front of her.

"Your friends…" Nala asked unsure of what he meant. They were just wood and rock, not even living flesh or bone.

"Yea, I don't have any real friends, and I get lonely talking to myself all day, so I come here and pretend I have real ones, that like me and want to play a game" Simba said in a depressed tone. He decided to be honest with her because she already knew half the story and was sure to make fun of him for it.

Nala felt horrible for Simba at that intense. He had no friends and had to create imaginary ones that would like him so he didn't go crazy. "I'm sorry, so… like how do they work?" Nala asked because she was confused and just didn't know what else to say.

"Well, I can't really play with them, but I can talk to them, and pretend that they like me and stuff. It's a lot more complicated than it sounds though. I'm trying to find new things we can do together, but it's been hard lately" Simba said smiling as he picked up a wooden one.

Nala was just stunned by how honest he was like he didn't care if she made fun of him or not. "And who is that?" Nala asked pointing to the one in his hand.

"Oh... Uhhh… They don't have names… I just refer to them as guys and dudes…" Simba said a little disappointed he didn't name them yet.

Nala just looked at each one, and after seeing each one, her pity for Simba just kept growing. "So why don't you try and make some real friends?" Nala asked.

"I've tried, a lot actually, but everyone rejects me and makes fun of me. I don't know what's wrong with me, I'm still trying to find out myself, But when I do, I'm going to try to fix it so that people will like me and want to hang out with me, real people, and real friends" Simba said looking down at his reflection.

"What do you mean 'What's wrong with you' ?" Nala asked unsure of what he meant. He might act a little crazy, but that's only because he wants to be normal, and she can't see or find anything wrong with him.

"I'm not sure, But whatever it is, it makes people not want to talk to me, or be near me, or be friends with me. They also try to stay as far away from me as possible. I'm not allowed to sleep with the other cubs, I've tried before but Chumvi and his friends beat me up and now I sleep here. So do you know what's wrong with me?" Simba asked.

Nala just felt the pain in her chest build up. She felt horrible for all the times she participated in the laughing and joke making of him. "I don't know what's wrong with you, Why don't you ask your mom for help?" Nala asked… Unknowing of the answer.

Simba just frowned and a few tears left his eyes. "I don't have a mom… She passed away giving birth to me, and my dad neglects me because he blames me for her death. The only reason he doesn't completely neglect me is that of my mother wishes and do to the fact that this kingdom needs an heir. If you don't mind me asking, What is having a mom like? I've always wondered but since no one talks to me, I haven't found out" Simba said in a depressed and hurt voice.

Nala just felt a stray tear leave her eye but quickly wiped it away. She didn't know that Simba's mother had died, and his father neglected him. She couldn't imagine the pain Simba felt in his early cubs days. No one to feed him, No one to help him, No one to comfort him, No one loves him… "It's like… like having a friend… One that you could tell anything to and they would never see you as a different person" Nala said looking away as a few tears fell from her face that she didn't want Simba to see them.

"Oh… Never mind then…" Simba said in a sad tone. He didn't know what having a true friend was like, so he could never understand what having a mom was like.

"So how come I never see you around?" Nala asked. She almost never saw Simba around, especially in the den, and she only really saw him around the waterhole from time to time.

"Oh, I spend all day here. And I only go back to the den a few hours after the sun has set to eat" Simba said starting to move some of the wood and rocks around.

"A few hours past sunset?! All the food is gone by then and what is left in cold and nasty. So what are you eating? And why do you come back so late?" Nala asked shocked that he waited that long out here before coming back to the den.

"Yea, I eat the scraps and stuff. It's always cold and chewy by then, but it's better than going hungry. Sometimes there's nothing left and I come back here hungry. And I used to eat at the same time as the other cubs, but since they got bigger and less dependant on their mothers, they push me away and I'm forced to wait until they finish, and then the adults finish" Simba said.

Nala didn't even know the feeling she was feeling right now. It physically hurt, if that was even possible. "I'm sorry…" Nala thought to herself. No friends, No mother, No one that loves him, No food… How come he's always so nice to everyone. "Simba, if everyone's always mean to you, then why are you always nice to them?" Nala asked.

"Well one day I hope that they will want to be friends, so I don't want them to see me a mean. I don't know when the day will come, or if it will even come, But when it does, I hope to be ready" Simba said getting up and laying down on the vines he uses as a hammock.

"That's nice… So how exactly do you live all of your own?" Nala asked curious to how he's been successful on living so long on his own at such a young age.

"Well like I said before, These are my friends who I can talk to. The pond is for cooling off on hot days and the tree is good for shade. I can relax on the hammock and sleep on that rock. I can take a bath in an unoccupied stream not to far from here… and that's about it" Simba said, looking around making sure he didn't forget anything.

"Wow… Well… I gotta go… bye" Nala said turning around and running off to head back to pride rock… to wait for Simba later that night.

"Bye" he whispered back, Shocked that she didn't make fun of him or even tease him at all.

(TLKTLKTLKTLKTLK)

Nala was pretending to be asleep, eyes the mouth of the den, where the remains of the antelope carcass remained. Today had been tiring on all the younger lionesses do to the fact that they spent the entire day training to be hunters, so all that's left was left from dinner that night was tendons and cartilage.

She was starting to think he wasn't coming until she saw him silently making his way over to inspect it as if he was trying to avoid detection. She saw him circle around it a few times, sniffing and biting at it a few times, before sighing, knowing that there was nothing left on it, and he decided to leave.

She saw he start to leave, with his ears flat against his head and slumped over and felt bad for him. She had never gone a night hungry before and only wondered how many times Simba had done it.

She quickly got up and decided to run after him. "Psst… Simba" Nala whispered getting his attention. She saw how this hair on the back of his neck shot up and his immediately spun around looking scared. She knew that he was bullied, but by the looks of it, they traumatize him to the point where he was afraid of even being in this place… His own home… and one day his throne.

"Y-yes," Simba said a still a little scared but at the same time a little relieved that is was only Nala.

"Are you hungry?" Nala asked, knowing the answer was yes, but wanted to see what kind of person he was at heart.

"Nope" he said back, which was a blatant lie. He was starving right now but didn't want to have to get Nala involved in his own problems. He knew that she cared about her ego and that hanging out with him would most definitely hurt it.

"Simba, I know that's a lie, be honest with me, when was the last time you ate?" Nala said moving up to where she was just a few inches away from him. She knew that he was hungry and thought that it was weird that he would lie to her just to try to avoid a simple conversation.

"Two days… Since the lionesses are being taught lessons all day now, food is harder to come by" Simba said looking at the ground.

"Two days?" Nala said a little louder than intended, causing Simba to look around to make sure no one woke up. Nala couldn't believe that he hadn't eaten in two days, he was a cub and constantly growing, which made him even more hungry than some adult lions at a time. She looked closer at him and saw that he was rather well defined.

Nala was able to see each and every muscle in his chest, flexing due to the cold breeze. She even saw some muscles she didn't know existed on him. All the other male cubs where rather blush do to them being lazy, and only moving around to try to impress the ladies.

"Hey its ok, I'll be fine, just go back to bed and don't worry about me" Simba said, wanting to get out of the area before anyone, especially Chumvi woke up.

"Alright, But promise me you'll get here earlier tomorrow so you'll have something to eat. Simba was greatly surprised when Nala said this to him. It almost made it sound as if she cared about him in a way, and by what he knew, no one cared about him.

Simba just nodded and turned around, hopping into the tall grass before running back to his little pond. Nala just sighed and turned around, heading back inside of the den.

(TLKTLKTLKTLKTLK)

Nala had decided to visit Simba again today, to try to find out if there was anything she could do to make him feel better.

When she arrived she saw the Simba was looking down into the water, talking to himself.
'So what would you do if she said yes?'

'Well I would treat her like a queen because I love her more than anything in this world, she might be mean to me, but I know there's goodness in her'

'You're crazy, a girl like her could never love a guy like you, you're unlovable and unwanted'

'you're right… but I have to try, I'll never know if I don't try'

'Yes you do, you know she'll reject you, they always reject you! When will you learn!'

Simba yelled that last part outbound simultaneously slamming his fist into a rock. Nala didn't even realize that Simba had a crush, and what made it worse, as he knew that she didn't love him back, yet he still wanted to try to tell her anyway.

"Simba?" Nala asked concerned for him. Simba just backed and turned around to see that Nala was standing behind him, his crush.

"Oh hey… You didn't see that did you…" He asked embarrassed by what he was doing.

"Yea… Anyway… Want to just socialize… talk?" Nala asked. She saw his face lite up and he smiles.

"Yes!... I mean… Yes" He said a little nervous. He always wanted someone real to talk to, and he had found a person who also happened to be his crush.

"Well I just want to know more about you" Nala said. All she knew what how terrible Simba's life was and how much he wanted a friend.

"Like?" Simba asked laughing a bit.

"Like what you do for fun" Nala added laughing a bit herself.

"Oh… I've never really had fun before…" Simba said kinda depressed. He had never had anyone to play with a younger cub, and he was almost one now. It was harder and harder to make friends as he got older do to friend groups becoming more and more open with each other, and less accepting of others.

"Oh… Well, what do you do in your free time?" Nala asked hoping to find out what he liked to do so she might be able to brighten his day.

"Oh, I like to play with my friends and pretend that the other cubs like me" He said with a smile. Simba saw the way Nala was looking at him, and his smile turned into a frown. "You think I'm crazy don't you?" Simba said with a frown. She was looking at him as if she was disgusted by him, and he knew that it was about time for the insults to come.

Nala didn't speak, but only moved up and examined him closely. She looked at him and saw that he was rather defined for a lion. A lot more muscular than the other lions his age despite not having eaten in two days. Nala gently raised her paw and glided it over the surface of his chest.

Nala could feel how bad Simba was shaking from fear and felt even more sorry for him. She couldn't even imagine how terrible his life could be, and that's only by judging the parts she knows about.

"No Simba, It's just that, Well, maybe you want a real friend, as I could maybe be your friend?" Nala said. She regretted being mean to him before, and right now didn't care what anyone else had to say about her.

"A friend? Why would you want to be my friend?" Simba asked. She was shocked that she would even consider being friends with a guy like him.

"She doesn't" Chumvi said as he jumped out from his hiding spot and pounced on Simba. He clawed his face before pushing him into the lake. Simba was caught off guard and ended up swallowing a bunch of water causing him to choke a bit.

Simba open his eyes after getting out of the pond, to see Chumvi and his friends all bumping paws, while Nala just sat, staring at him. Simba then realized that this was just a giant set up, a prank, so show just how much of a loser he could be, breaking his heart once again knowing his crush hated him.

After Chumvi left, Nala went over to help Simba. She didn't intend for Chumvi to be watching them and felt horrible that Simba was jumped and put into a lot of pain like that.

"Why?" Simba asked looking at her. The pain he felt from the scratch on his cheek was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. It wasn't only the fact that Nala set him up that hurt, but that fact that he thought he had a chance at happiness for once.

"Simba, you have to believe me, I had nothing to do with that, that was all them, I swear" Nala said examine that scratch he had on his cheek. It wasn't deep, but it was still bleeding and probably stung.

Simba just sighed and turned looking down at his reflection. Nala was standing there and just didn't know what to do. Simba wanted to believe her, he really did, but at the same time she had never done anything nice to him, and he didn't have a reason to believe her.

Nala just walked over to the pond and looked into the water at her own reflection as well. She didn't know why Simba had a hard life, but it seemed like no matter what she did, it was still going to be bad, as if intended to be that way.

"You know, I never met my mother, and I've always wondered what she looked like. My father never told me anything about her and never speaks of her. I've always wondered why the kings decided to take her away from me at birth, and give me this life, but I'm starting to wonder if that's they're way of telling me I was a mistake" Simba said looking towards the tree.

Nala looked over at him and peered into his eyes, and saw nothing. No light, or darkness. No emotions, like a void. She knew she would never understand him, and that he would most likely never open up to her, but at the same time, she felt like it was her job to try to get him to.

"My only dream is to one day find someone who loves me. No one has ever told me that they love me before, and I just want to know what it will feel like. I see the other cubs run up to their mothers and nuzzle with them, and play with them, and sleep safe and warm with them. I just want to know what that feels like. I just wish that I had a mom of my own, someone that I could talk to, someone that understood me. I understand that you might not like me and don't want to be my friend. You got your own life, and your friends, I would hate to have to separate you from them for your own causes. So if you want, you can go, but I'll always remember you. Simba said.

He noticed that the water looked disturbed, as if raindrops were hitting it, and looked over to see that Nala was crying. He didn't know what to say or do, and for a moment just sat there, silently watching her cry.

"Nala?" Simba asked, unsure of what to do. Every night he cried himself to sleep, he was alone, so right now he had no idea what he was supposed to do for her or how to help her stop.

"I'm sorry Simba, For everything. I don't know how you could live such a cruel life, and I couldn't even imagine the pain you must feel, But I'll be your friend if that helps" Nala said wiping her tears away looking at him.

"Nala do you love someone?" Simba asked randomly. Nala was surprised to hear him asking this question, but she was about to say No when she realized she did love someone, Him.

"Yes? Why?" Nala asked trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.

"Oh, Well I, Uh… You should go be with him, and try to make him happy, and not have to worry about me, I'll be ok" Simba said trying not to cry. He wanted to be able to marry Nala but he wanted her to be happy, and if she was with him, she would be happy.

Nala just got up, and kissed him… just like that. She didn't know why she did it, it just felt so right and it felt like what he needed at a time like this. She looked at Simba as he was unresponsive. She then just started to nuzzle into his chest, and found it rather comfortable.

"I am with the one I love" She said. Simba just stood there totally still. Nala, his crush, had just kissed him and was currently nuzzling him. All he did was put his head on top of her head and smile.

It was a dull reaction, and he knew it. For some reason, he thought that when, or if he would ever find love, he would be so happy to finally have someone to share it with, but this… this was perfect.

Nala felt this gesture and just let her entire body weight fall into Simba. She felt safe and warm in Simbas arms, like how she used to feel in her own mothers. She knew that she was meant for Simba and that Simba was meant for her, and would have no objections to spending her life with him.

Simba thought that he would find love by some miracle… But in fact… he just bumped into it. 'Accidental Love' it would seem. "I love you" Simba said after countless minutes of staying that way.

"I love you too" Nala said snuggling even deeper into his coat. It was weird, they were total opposites, but just like a magnet, opposites attract. One was happy and full of love, the other was dark and depressed, but the two were meant for each other… and no one knew why. All that was for certain was that both their lives would be changed for the better, and remain that way for the rest of time.

Well shit… that was depressing… Anyway, I'm not trying to be hard on my homie but at least the ending was happy… Anyway thanks for reading! Comment if you want me to make a chapter 2 because I'm totally down to make it… The Mourning After… Or… Idk just give me some ideas and I'll see what I can do. Thanks as always and see ya soon. Mr_Toast Out!