The sun rose silently over the horizon, turning the sky a yellowish-orange shade. Inside a small den on the side of a tall hill lay a hyena and a meerkat, Timon and Shenzi asleep, Timon in his small grass nest and Shenzi sleeping next to him. Timon snored away softly until a small ray of light hit his face, specifically his eye. He groaned and placed a lazy hand over his eyes and turned to the side. But the sun was still leaking through his fingers, so he groaned again and finally got up, squinting at the sun in his eyes. He stood up and stretched his arms high, then stretched downward to touch his toes, his back cracking loudly. After he was done, he slowly crawled out of his nest and yawned. He really had to move his nest somewhere else, it was annoying that he couldn't sleep in even for a few seconds without the sun stabbing his face. Then a small snore brought his attention towards his girlfriend, Shenzi.
Yep, his girlfriend. Still his girlfriend after about five years of dating, after all the hardship, after she finally moved in, they were still dating. Timon smiled at her as she snored peacefully, her bangs falling up and down in front of her face as she did. He envied how she could always sleep in without the sun in her face, but decided to let her sleep. They lived in a small den in between the Pridelands and the Elephant Graveyard. Luckily, Simba had stopped patrolling the border of the Graveyard after the hyenas had 'run off', and focused more on the Outlands. Timon had suggested the area because of how close it was to the Graveyard, so Banzai and Ed could visit if they wanted and Shenzi wasn't so far from home.
As quietly as he could, Timon walked towards the den entrance and carefully made his way down the ravine. When he got to the bottom, he immediately started to look around for a log or boulder where he could hopefully find some breakfast. He kept looking until his gaze rested on a nearby moss-covered log.
A smile grew on his face. "Aha," he said and made his way over to it. Once he did, he looked around it for a hole or any weak spot his hand could fit through. After a few seconds of feeling the log, he finally found a hole at its base, just the right size for his hand and most of his arm to fit through. He placed his hand inside and began to feel around, his fingers brushing against the wings of a few beetles. Timon quickly grasped them and pulled his hand out, then bit into a big red one. Crunchy, just the way he liked them.
"I think I like them a little softer, y'know?" asked a voice suddenly. Timon yelped and jumped, landing on the ground as the other few beetles flew away. He looked up at the speaker, and smiled in relief. Shenzi smirked lightly. "I thought that after five years you'd be used to that by now."
Timon shook his head. "I don't think I'll even get used to that. You always catch me off guard, women!" He reprimanded playfully, making Shenzi giggle.
"It's a talent. And you were gonna get lunch without me?" she pouted in playful hurt with a sad tone in her voice.
"What? No!" Timon replied, getting to his feet and brushing himself off. "I just, didn't wanna wake you up. You looked so peaceful."
"Oh, so you watch me in my sleep?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Timon flushed. "No! I meant-!"
Shenzi shook her head and smiled. "I'm just kidding. Calm down." She then looked around the dry dirt land, the sun was now completely visible though still a decent distance from hitting its highest peak. The sky was now a pale blue with shades of orange and white here and there. "Well, since it's morning, I say we both just get something to eat." Then she looked back down at the meerkat and with an impish smile, added, "Though it looks like you got a head start."
Timon shrugged. "Well, if it makes you feel better, you scared most of what I was going to eat."
"I could tell," she replied. "You gonna be okay while I'm gone?"
"Shenzi, we've been together for five years now and nothing's tried to get me yet."
"Well, can't a girl be concerned about her boyfriend?" she asked, her eyes full of concern.
The meerkat sighed, and flashed her a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, you go hunt. A girl as pretty as you needs her energy."
"Okay." Shenzi replied and nuzzled his chest. Timon hugged her head before they parted and Shenzi walked off away from the den they shared. Timon let out a small sigh before going back to finding lunch. Sticking his arm back into the log, he felt around until feeling and grabbing at two more beetles. He chomped away happily and reached inside again before another voice interrupted him.
"I still don't see how Shenzi can eat those things." the voice, a male, said.
Timon turned around and looked up upon seeing Banzai and Ed standing in front of him. He raised a confused eyebrow. "What are you two doing here? I thought you hated getting up so early in the morning."
"Oh believe me we do," Banzai said as Ed yawned loudly. "But we got a serious issue that we need to talk about. Plus it was Max's idea." The hyena motioned down to his feet, where Max appeared from behind them not so happy to be up either.
"I just said sometime in the morning, I didn't say go and jerk me out of my sleep!" the meerkat said irritably.
Banzai rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well if I can't sleep then neither can you, deal with it." he replied. Then he faced Timon again. "Where's Shenzi?"
"She just left to go get breakfast, why?" Timon replied.
Banzai frowned in disappointment. "I was hoping to get both of you here but I guess you can tell her later. Right now, it's just the five of us."
"Five?" Timon asked.
A light pattering of hooves was heard, answering Timon as he looked over the two hyenas and saw his best friend, Pumbaa, come into view. He walked towards the others before stopping next to Banzai. "Am I late?" he asked.
"Nah, right on time." Max said and rubbed his eyes. "Now come on, I want to get this over with."
Banzai nodded as all five men walked towards the den, until a low growling was heard. Everyone turned around to see Ed holding his stomach with a nervous smile. Timon looked up at Banzai. "I'm gonna assume none of you bothered to eat something before coming here?"
Banzai nodded. "With Simba off patrol now a days, it seems to be so easy to forget that a guy's gotta eat."
Timon sighed. "Okay, breakfast first. Then we settle whatever issue you guys are here for."
"Great!" Banzai exclaimed as he and Ed ran like cheetahs in the same direction Shenzi had walked off to. It wasn't long before the insectivores could no longer see the two hyenas against the bright sun.
Pumbaa looked down at Timon and smiled. "Just like old times?"
Timon smiled back. "Just like old times." Then him, Pumbaa, and Max walked off into the direction of the moss-covered log where Timon had been eating few minutes before.
A few minutes later, all five men were inside the den eating away with little conversation. Banzai and Ed had found a decent impala and dragged it back to the den. Meanwhile Max, Pumbaa, and Timon had eaten the log clean and now stared as the two hyenas gnawed on the remains of their meal rather viciously. Max and Pumbaa had their backs to the hyenas, unable to watch their little massacre. But both found it hard to ignore their loud chomping and growling, while Timon was unaffected, five years with Shenzi seemed to numb the sound from his gag reflex.
When Banzai was done he smacked his lips and yawned. "Alright, we can talk now." he declared, while Ed still bit hard into a bone.
"How do you live with that?" Max said as he turned around slowly and faced Timon in annoyed confusion.
The redhead shrugged. "You get used to it, I guess."
"Oh, like you and you're loud crunching is easy to live with." Banzai retorted, mostly to Max.
The old meerkat glared. "At least I don't gnaw on the remains of my lunch like-!"
"Guys," Pumbaa said as he turned around as well. "Don't fight please. We didn't wake up this early to start fighting, we have a problem to discuss, remember?"
Banzai let out a small growl but nodded. Max crossed his arms and turned the other cheek towards his nephew. "Fine, okay Timon. We've come here because we all, surprisingly agreed that this is an issue."
Timon raised an eyebrow at his uncle. "Issue as in...?" he asked clueless.
"Last heard, Simba's gonna have a cub." Banzai said.
"And, how is that an issue involving me?" the redhead asked.
"Simba wants us to babysit." Pumbaa replied.
Timon thought about that for a minute, before realizing how this was an issue. If he babysat, it meant a lot less time with Shenzi, and visits would be pretty hard to cram in the picture. With the Outsiders posing a growing threat towards the Pridelands, not to mention Simba's new rules after the hyena incident, Timon wouldn't be off the hook so easily if he was found sneaking off. "Oh," was all he said.
Ed nodded before gibbering what Timon planned on doing. Timon didn't think far into it, as usual, so he shrugged. "I'll cross that river when I get to it."
Max face palmed before looking up at Banzai. "See, I told you he'd say that."
The hyena rolled his eyes. "Well that's settled, done and dusted." he replied before laying down where he was. "How's that fur ball and Nala doin' anyways?"
"Pretty good actually. But they were auguring on what the cub was going to be." he said and leaned on a small rock near him. "Simba bets it's a girl and Nala's hoping for a boy."
"Watch it be a girl," Ed gibbered and sat down near Banzai.
Timon looked over at the slightly demented hyena. "Don't jinx us, Ed. If it's a girl, I think I'll freak. Boys are a lot easier to teach about belching and digging for grubs and you know it."
"Yeah, bet you plan on teaching your kids that, right?" Max joked with a smirk.
Timon's eyes went a little wider at the word 'kids'. Kids, with Shenzi? Well, it sure sounded nice, but... "Don't ya' think it's a little too early for that?"
Banzai laughed and gave Max an approving smirk. Max merely rolled his eyes playfully. "Speaking of which," Max glanced back at Timon. "When are you going to pop the question to Shenzi, huh?"
At this, Banzai's smirk disappeared as he grew suddenly serious. "Yeah, when are you?"
Timon gulped audibly and flashed them a nervous smile. "I-I'll get to it. Y'know, w-when the time's right, yeah that's it."
"What question?" Pumbaa asked obliviously.
"As in, when's Timon gonna ask Shenzi to marry 'em." Banzai clarified.
"Oh," Pumbaa said. "You still haven't asked her yet?"
"Well, no." Timon confessed, scratching the back of his head.
"Well, you might want to hurry it up, Timon. Time's running out." Max said.
"What do you mean?"
"Shenzi might get tired of waitin' and might move on to somebody else." Banzai said, then flashed them a charming smile any girl would've fallen for. He raised his eyebrows high, puffed out his chest, and sat up a little straighter. "Like me."
Ed glared at him slightly before poking his side with his paw. Banzai's eyes went wide in shock as he yelped and hunched down to protect his side, covering it with both paws. He then turned to face Ed and glared.
"You were askin' for it." Ed gibbered, unaffected by Banzai's threatening look.
"Like we were discussing," Max said irritably. He knew how easily the hyenas could get off topic with just a simple gesture or comment. "Timon, it's been a long time since you two got together, you can't tell me you haven't proposed yet."
"How come?" asked Pumbaa.
"It's just-" Timon started and cut himself off. He sighed, he really didn't know why he hadn't asked her before. There was no doubt that their relationship had taken that turn, so what was taking so long? "I don't know, do you think we're ready?"
Banzai's eyebrow went up in almost disgust. "What?" he demanded, but Timon knew Banzai well enough to know that he wasn't supposed to answer. "Do I think you're ready? Is that even a question?!" He immediately stood up and glared daggers at Timon.
"Well..." Timon let himself trail off and hung his head in shame.
"Timon, listen to me, will ya'? You and Shenzi have been together for five years now. Five years! Most people can't even get through six months!" Banzai screeched. "And remember who you're in love with too. You ain't in love with some run-on-the-mill meerkat chick, you're in love with Shenzi. A hyena, not to mention the matriarch of a whole hyena clan. And sure she could've found any other average hyena guy to be her mate. She could've fallen for some handsome, funny, strong-!" Then he suddenly cut himself off, the fire in his eyes replaced with realization and pain.
Timon looked up then, but didn't need to ask why he had stopped. When Banzai meant some 'handsome, funny, strong' hyena, he meant himself. Apparently he still hadn't gotten over the heartbreak of being unknowingly rejected by the only girl he actually liked. It took about a year for Banzai to rise out from the depression part and into the rage part. And it took six months for Shenzi to talk to him again after finding out what he had done. Then another two months for her to forgive him. Wanting to get off the uncomfortable subject, Timon cleared his throat and continued for the hyena. "She could've chosen any other guy that was in her species."
"Exactly!" Banzai yelled as if nothing had happened. "But who'd she choose?" Banzai stared and waited for Timon to respond, and when he didn't he growled. "Answer the rhetorical!"
"Me." the meerkat feebly replied.
"And if Shenzi's gonna choose you over some other guy who could at least defend himself, you need to treat her right!" He paused as if for a dramatic effect, or just to get a breather. The guy could get so out of breath being this passionate.
With every word Banzai yelled, guilt sunk deeper and deeper into Timon's chest until it was just about suffocating him. He let out another sigh and scratched the back of his head, for lack of having something to say.
Banzai rolled his eyes, but kept going in a calmer tone. "All I'm sayin' is that you've been together for a long time now. And if ya' don't feel ready yet, then when will you?"
"The guy's right, Timon." Max said. "If you're going to fall in love with someone way out of your league-" a small growl from Ed made him shut up and realize that he wasn't helping the situation. He bit his lip before clearing his throat and starting over. "I mean, uh, you need to stop holding Shenzi down just because you're afraid of being rejected. It took you this long to find someone to shut you up, and I'm not about to let you blow it because you're too chicken to say something." He looked over at Ed, who nodded in approval.
A long silence followed as none of them knew how to convince Timon any further, until he said, "Well, there is this really pretty flower in the Oasis, I could give it to her and...pop the question?"
"Then what are you waitin' for?" Banzai asked with a small smirk.
Timon smiled wide then. "Nothin'." he said. "You're right, it's not fair that I'm keeping Shenzi down like this. I know she loves me, and it's about time I show her I feel the same!"
"That's the spirit, Timon!" Pumbaa said happily.
"I'm gonna ask Shenzi to marry me!" Timon declared as he made his way towards the den entrance.
"But wait!" Banzai exclaimed suddenly. Timon's smile faltered as he stopped in his tracks and looked over at his soon-to-be-brother-in-law. "You ain't just gonna rush into this are you?"
Timon scratched the back of his head. "Eh, well-"
Banzai groaned. "Oye, what sort of mistake would ya' have made if Banzai ain't here, man? You can't just blunt ask her out of nowhere, it has to be memorial, she has to know you feel it!"
"Well what should I do?"
"You gotta be real romantic with it. So wait for a moment when it's just you two, get the mood set. Then after that ask her, and be casual but at the same time show some feeling in it!"
Timon nodded then smirked. "I'll do that! How do you know so much about romance, Banzai?
"I've been in the romance business a looong time, Timon. I'm so good, Cupid offered me position as manager!" he grinned widely, and laughed. Everyone else chuckled at the joke, while Timon chuckled at what he was finally going to do. He was going to ask Shenzi Marie to marry him.
