First Night
It seemed to be another night on the island of Madagascar, except that this night was very quickly proving to be different from other nights for one reason: it had been a few hours since the celebration party for King Julien and Queen Julia, the new rulers of the lemurs, and the nightlife was starting to die down as the various residents were beginning to return to their homes to rest for the night. Among the lemurs that were starting to leave, Julien and Julia happened to be two of them in particular. The new royal lemurs were currently on their way back to Julien's hut, with the latter still thrilled about the night's events. As the two were walking side by side towards the baobab tree, where Julien's hut could be located on top of one of the large branches, Julia let out a big sigh as she stretched her arms up in the air before turning her head to Julien. "Ah… what a night this has been! I didn't think that party was ever going to end." Julia said, with a big grin on her face from how much fun she had been having during the night. Julien felt a big smile much like hers show on his face from hearing how much she had enjoyed herself before he let out a hearty laugh as he nodded in agreement.
"I know, right? I have the feeling this won't be the last time, though? You know what I mean?" Julien cheekily asked. Julia let out a giggle in response as she knew exactly what Julien was talking about. During their coronation party the previous night, the foosa had attacked and captured all of the lemurs with the expectation of Julien and Julia themselves, Maurice and Clover. Thankfully, thanks to their combined efforts and with a little help from a boom box Julien found in the Cove of Wonders, the two managed to succeed in rescuing the other lemurs as well as preventing themselves from being eaten in the process. So now that all of the madness from the day's events had blown over, Julien and Julia figured that it was time to head back to their hut for some much needed rest. After a few more moments of giggling from her, Julia nodded in agreement.
"I know just what you mean. I don't have any doubts that not one day will ever get boring around here, especially since now we're the ones in charge." Julia replied. For her, this was quite the big deal since thanks to everything that had occurred over the last two days, she was now the first queen of Madagascar, an honour that she was certain she would hold in high regard and a title she would do her best to live up to. Julien felt his grin increase in size while he was listening to Julia say this, and he happily nodded in agreement before reaching over to place an arm around her and pull her over to hold her close, leaving Julia staring in surprise before the smile quickly returned to her face as she placed a hand on Julien's chest before resting her head against him.
"Oh, you said it, Julia! We're going to do the best we can to make sure we give everyone as much fun times as possible. After all, this'll only be one of the many perks of our new job!" Julien agreed. There was also another reason the two were looking forward to have the new title of King and Queen, respectively; during the time of the aftermath in their efforts to rescue the other lemurs, Julien and Julia had shared two kisses over the span of this one night. The first was right after their rescue mission proved to be a success and Julia was the one to give it to Julien as a reward for his heroism, and then the two shared their second kiss during the celebration party that had taken place this night. Needless to say, for the two, especially since they had been close friends since they were little lemurs, this night had been quite the dream come true for both of them.
"No kidding there, Julien. Things are certainly going to be different around here from tonight onwards." Julia agreed. Julien happily nodded in agreement as he knew that Julia couldn't be more right about that. Things were most certainly going to be different with him and Julia running the show from now on, and they were going to make sure everyone would be in on the fun in the process. So with this, the two started to continue their walk back towards Julien's hut.
Sometime later, the two had arrived at the front door of Julien's hut. As Julien opened the door to let them inside, Julia felt a smile of excitement immediately grow on her face before she clasped her hands together while Julien let out a content sigh. "Ah… it feels great to be back home." Julien commented. After he said this, he turned his head to see Julia let out a squeal of excitement before she ran off ahead into the room while he watched her in surprise before she leapt toward the bed and landed on it. "Julia? What are you doing?" Julien asked, showing an expression of puzzlement as he walked inside the room as he was starting to wonder why Julia was so thrilled about being in the room when she had been a regular visitor to his place. As Julia let out a laugh of delight, she sat up to notice Julien walking over to him before she jumped back up on her feet.
"What else do you think? I'm making myself at home, of course! To think I only used to visit this place, but now it's become my home as well. Oh, this is so exciting!" Julia happily cheered. Julien stared at her in surprise for a few moments before he felt a bright smile cross his face before he nodded in agreement and made his way over to the bed before sitting down on it as Julia sat down right beside him.
"Yes, it is. I don't know how this night could be any better beside having you stay with me for the first time." Julien agreed, placing an arm around Julia to hold her close and reaching over to take one of her hands in his other hand. The two then slowly turned their heads to look each other in the eyes, simply enjoying the feeling of being in each other's company after everything they had been through over the course of the day. Julia let out a quiet giggle in response to this comment before she nodded in agreement.
"Neither can I. And you want to know what the best part about me being here with you is?" she asked. Julien turned his glance up to think for a few moments before he nodded in agreement. "I'll get to see your face when I wake up every morning." Julia softly stated. Julien quickly felt his smile increase in size at this soft reply.
"Yes… you're right. I don't know if anything else will make this night better than just spending it with you." Julien sincerely replied. Julia felt her smile grow as well, as the two new royal lemurs simply kept their glances on each other and seeming like they didn't want to take their eyes off each other, before they leaned forward to start nuzzling their heads together with their eyes closed, keeping their hands together all the while.
However, after a few seconds of silence passed between them, Julia opened her eyes and lifted her head up in surprise as she seemed to spot something on the other side of the room. "Hmm? What's that?" Julia wondered to herself. As Julien opened his eyes upon hearing his lovely new mate's comment, he was met with a surprise as she stood up from the bed and walked over to the other end of the room before stopping once she got to the cupboard, and then she started to have a closer look at it while Julien followed just behind her.
"What is it, Julia? What are you looking at?" Julien asked, showing an expression of puzzlement as he was wondering what it was that could have gotten Julia's attention. Julia had a closer scan at the cupboard for a few moments before she turned her head to him.
"I'm not sure what it is, but… I get a feeling there might be something behind this cupboard that I haven't noticed before." Julia commented. Julien showed an expression of surprise at this statement and placed a hand under his chin to think it over, as he was starting to wonder if she had a point; after all, he had lived in this one hut for basically his whole life and he was still finding things that he didn't initially realise were there. Figuring that maybe it would be best to find out for herself, Julia walked over to the side of the cupboard and started to push it aside… revealing that there was a small lever embedded in the wall. As Julien watched her, he turned his head to notice the lever and his eyes quickly grew wide in fascination, while Julia was walking back over once she had finishing pushing the cupboard and she could only stare in puzzlement.
"That's strange… I don't remember seeing this lever before." Julia murmured to herself, raising an eyebrow in surprise as she was starting to wonder just what this could be doing hiding in a part of the room like this. Julien quickly felt a smile of interest cross his face before he rushed over to it, while Julia turned her head to him.
"Well, let's find out what it does!" Julien happily suggested. Before Julia could have a chance to say anything in response, Julien ran over to the lever and placed his hands on the lever before pushing it down. After he did this, he and Julia were met with a surprise as they heard the sound of something creaking above their heads. The two turned their heads up to figure out the cause of it and they both let out gasps of awe in unison: the roof of the hut was slowly opening up to reveal a clear open view of the night sky. There was silence for a few moments before Julia slowly showed a smile of awe while Julien could only stare in amazement at the sight he was witnessing.
"Wow… the night sky looks so beautiful tonight." Julia whispered, staring up at the sky in amazement as she could see all of the stars twinkling over their heads. Julien slowly walked over to where Julia was standing and turned his head upwards to find that she was right: the night sky was filled with several stars shining above their heads, and now they have an open view of the display in their own room. As Julia continued to stare at the night sky in awestruck silence, she turned her head to Julien as he was left at a loss of words. "I didn't think our room would have something like this." she commented.
"Neither did I…" Julien agreed, slowly nodding as he was still trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Fortunately, after a few seconds, a big smile slowly came to his face as it all made sense. "Ha ha, this is amazing! Now we have our own retractable roof!" Julien exclaimed. As Julia turned her glance to him with a smile of amusement upon seeing his excitement, she was met with a surprise as Julien wrapped his arms around her. "Julia, how did you know that this was here?" he asked.
Julia stared in surprise silence for a few moments before she gave a shrug in response. "I… really don't have any idea. I just noticed something that caught my attention and wanted to find out what it was. I've got to say, it's great having something like this. Now we'll have a wonderful view of the night sky when it's clear." Julia replied, with her and Julien turning their head up to the night sky to watch all of the stars shining over their heads. "It really is a beautiful sight." Julia then added.
Julien kept his attention on the night sky for a few moments before turning his glance over to Julia. "It sure is… but if you ask me, I think I've found something more beautiful." he commented. Julia turned her head to him in surprise upon hearing this comment.
"Really? Where?" she asked, as she was starting to wonder what Julien could possibly see that was more beautiful than a view of the night sky just over their heads. Julien felt his smile slowly grow as he was eager to say this to Julia before he gave his reply.
"I'm looking right at her." Julien softly replied. Julia let out a gasp of amazement at this simple reply before she felt a shy smile show on her face, which she was certain was close to turning red right now. Julien showed a smile of amusement at Julia's reaction before he turned around to look her in the eyes, taking both of her hands in his; there was something that he wanted to say to her. "Julia… I know that we've been both friends for as far back as when we were young and that now we're king and queen. I don't know what kinds of things we'll have to deal with or what we'll go through, but if there's one thing I know for certain, it's this. Nothing would make all of it worthwhile more… than having you by my side to support me, to let me know of the things I do wrong when I make a mistake, and just being there for me when I need support more than anything." Julien gently explained, feeling a sincere smile cross his face as he was speaking; he had so much he wanted to tell Julia and if there was any better for him to do it, it had to be now.
Julia could only stare in amazement hearing all of this before she was able to give a reply. "Julien… what are you trying to say to me?" she asked. She then turned her glance up to think it over as she felt as though there was something Julien was trying to tell her that he wouldn't let her on about. "I know for certain that this doesn't sound like the Julien I know all too well talking. I have the feeling that you might be up to something, but I don't know what it is…" Before Julia could continue any further, she was met with a surprise as Julien placed a finger over her lips, like he was telling her to be quiet without actually saying it so he could have a chance to speak.
"Yes… I know this doesn't sound like me right now, Julia. But that's because there's something I have to say that I haven't told anyone about… until now. There is something special I want to tell you." Julien replied. Julia stared in surprise for a few moments before she nodded in understanding, seemingly willing to let him continue, to which he removed his finger from her lips before he continued. "Julia… for the longest time, I've held feelings for you that go beyond the friendship we've always shared. Unfortunately, I never said anything because I always felt that I was too good for you, what with me being a prince and all. Plus, I was scared that you would possibly reject me because I'm not quite your ideal guy. But now, with the two of us being together the way we are, I don't feel the same way anymore. I can finally show you all the feelings I've held for you that I used to be afraid to act on. I can tell you the one thing that I've always wanted to say to you for the longest time." Julien continued. He then paused for a few moments to wait for Julia's reaction, and he was met with her staring in amazement at his honest confession before she slowly showed a big smile. Seeing just how happy she seemed to be, Julien quietly took a deep breath as he felt that he was ready: he was going to tell Julia the one thing he had always wanted to say to her for as long as he could remember, but was too afraid of how she would react to do so. After a few moments passed, Julien exhaled before he finally spoke.
"Julia… Tiako ianao." In their native language, those two words translated to 'I love you', a true confession of one's feelings reserved only for the lemur they cared for and valued above all others, a confession… that came from the heart. Julia could only stare in stunned silence at the sound of Julien's sincere confession, and there was silence for a few moments before she felt a big smile cross her face and tears of happiness slowly building in her eyes. This was the one thing she had wanted to say to him as well, and now she had finally heard him say it.
"Julien…" Julia quietly whispered, feeling as though her voice was close to breaking from immense joy. Julien felt an expression of worry briefly cross his face upon seeing Julia's tear-filled eyes, but it quickly faded as Julia threw her arms around him, causing him to stumble a few steps backwards from shock. Once Julien was able to recover from that stumble, he turned his glance to Julia to see the big smile she had on her face along with her tears of happiness. "I can't believe I just heard you say that! I've just heard you confess your feelings for me; those two words are something I've been waiting to hear you say for such a long time, and now you have!" Julia cried, feeling her tears starting to flow down her face and leave a few wet stains in her fur. As Julien watched her in silence, he showed a comforting smile before she let go of him to brush her tears out of her eyes before turning her glance up to him.
"Julien… I never once considered you too good for me. If anything, I was always afraid that I wasn't good enough for you because I was only a common lemur. But that never seemed to bother you. You didn't care if I was below your status, you were just willing to spend time with me and have fun with me. And now I share an equal status with you and I couldn't be happier for that, because it means I don't have to worry about hiding everything I've always felt for you." Julia explained, feeling a big smile show on her face that the one thing she had always considered to only be a dream was becoming a reality right in front of her eyes; the one lemur she had been best friends with for as long as she could remember, even when there were times where she felt she wasn't worthy of that honour, had finally come out and confessed his feelings for her with those two special words, and now she finally had the freedom to do the same thing for him. "Tiako koa ianao, Julien. Tiako koa ianao." Julia softly stated.
Julien quickly felt his smile grow wide in joy upon hearing Julia's words, as he could understand what she was telling him in an instant. Her words translated to 'I love you too', the sign that the lemur one valued above all others reciprocated the feelings that they shared for them. From just hearing her say this, Julien was hearing Julia tell him that she felt the same way for him that he had always felt for her, and now the two of them were bound together as lovers and mates. As this realisation started to sink in, Julien felt his heart start to soar from his chest from joy and he showed no hesitance in grabbing Julia in his arms before spinning around in excitement.
"Oh, this is wonderful! This has officially become my best night ever!" Julien exclaimed, while Julia could only start giggling at his excitement that this was all a reality. After a few seconds, Julien stopped spinning and placed Julia back down on the floor in front of him before turning his head skywards and raising his arms in the air. "Oh, thank the gods! They have finally united us just as we're meant to be!" Julien praised; there was no doubt in his mind that the Sky Gods had a hand in making all of this a reality. Julia felt a smile of amusement cross her face before she raised a hand over her mouth in an effort to stifle her giggling over Julien's display of praise.
"They sure have, Julien. And I couldn't be any happier about it." Julia agreed, nodding as Julien started to lower his arms and turned his head back to her. After a few moments, Julia reached over to place her hands on both sides of Julien's face while he watched in surprise. "So then… how about we share our first official kiss?" she suggested. Julien quickly felt an expression of surprise cross his face, as there was something Julia seemed to be overlooking.
"Wait, wait, wait… First? What about those other two kisses we had? You know, after we rescued our peoples from the foosa?" he asked. Julia shook her head slightly with a smile of amusement at Julien's confusion over this situation before giving her reply.
"Those were just practice. But that doesn't make them any less special." Julia replied. It suddenly seemed to make sense to Julien after she said this as he then felt a bright smile start to cross his face. "Make sense to you now?" Julia then asked just to be on the safe side. Luckily, it seemed that she didn't have any reason to worry as Julien nodded in confirmation.
"Now it does. And I think that sounds like a perfect way to end this night." Julien replied. Julia let out a giggle once she knew that it all made sense to Julien, since she knew how he was often not very quick to catch on with certain things. So with this in mind, the two lemurs took each other's hands before turning their heads up to look into the other's eyes. After a few moments passed, they leaned forward to close the distance between them before their lips finally met, with Julien wrapping his arms around Julia's sides and Julia placing one hand behind Julien's head and the other on his back, seeming to only deepen their kiss. For the two of them, this was a dream that they believed wouldn't ever come true: not only were they both the King and Queen of Madagascar, but now they were finally being bound together as lovers and as mates, willing to stay by each other's side for the rest of their lives and always support each other. After what seemed to be a few minutes passed, the two finally separated without keeping their eyes off each other, simply enjoying the feelings of holding the other in their arms the way they were now. There was silence between them for a few moments before Julia was finally the one to break it.
"I've got to say, I think I'll put this down to being the best night ever for me as well." Julia commented. Julien showed a big smile at this comment before he nodded in agreement; that sounded like a good idea to him. But just then, Julia let out a yawn before turning her head back to him while he watched in surprise. "I don't know about you, but I could use a goodnight's sleep after all of that. We'll probably have a busy few days ahead of us." Julia said.
Julien stared at her in surprise for a few moments before the smile returned to his face and he nodded in agreement. "Yeah… so could I. But I know I'll probably never forget this night, Julia." he said. Julia could only feel her smile grow before she nodded in agreement.
"Neither will I, Julien. This will be a memory I'll always keep in my heart." Julia agreed.
So with this, hand in hand, the two started to make their way over to their bed to make themselves comfortable for the night. This would not only their first night together, but also the night where they finally confessed their feelings for each other and strengthened their bond beyond friendship, and towards love and courtship. For Julien and Julia, this would be a night neither of them would ever forget.