(A/N: I don't own the song "If You Believe" by Lisa Kelly. Plus, here's a little heads-up: Vitawny cuts herself. It might be triggering. Also, I recommend hearing the song as you read the part with it. It'll just make reading it better. ;])


Meanwhile, a glum Vitawny walked slowly to a desolate area, where she sighed sadly as she flopped down by a river. She knew that she shouldn't be overreacting to Max saying they're "just friends", because they were! She just wished he knew how she felt about him, so they could be more than friends. But she knew that would never happen; He clearly showed that he wasn't into her, and Sylvia scared her a bit.

"Idiot," Vitawny muttered, referring to herself. She thought of herself as an idiot for going after a guy who wasn't even into her. "Stupid idiot!" She slapped herself in the face, before without thinking, scratching her wrist roughly with her claws. She didn't cut too deep, but it was enough for blood to leak out of her fresh claw wounds. "He's not into you!" Vitawny said harshly to herself, gazing at her reflection in the river. "Get it through your head, you stupid bimbo!"

"Vitawny?" Shenzi's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Are you okay?" She walked over to her older stepsister.

"Um, y-yeah," She nodded in assurance, "I'm fine."

"What happened to your wrist?" Shenzi asked her, her eyebrows furrowed with curiosity. Vitawny looked down, and widened her eyes upon realizing her intentionally-wounded wrist was in plain sight, so in a panic, she hid it behind her back.

"Uh, w-what do you mean?" She smiled nervously. Shenzi gave her "the look"; aka a raised eyebrow, and half-shut eyes showing she wasn't convinced, so Vitawny gave in, and reluctantly revealed her wrist.

Shenzi gasped in shock upon seeing the still-leaking scratches. "Vitawny, why'd you do this?!" She asked her, "And I heard you call yourself an idiot; Why'd you do that too?"

"'Cause I am an idiot, alright?!" Vitawny blurted out, scaring her younger stepsister. Before Shenzi could ask why, she continued. "Because Max is so clearly not into me, so I'm an idiot for going after him!" "… How do you know that Max isn't into you?" Shenzi tried. "'Cause he said we're "just friends!"" Vitawny exclaimed, "That means that's all we wants to be with me!"

"Vitawny, just because he said you're "just friends" with him, doesn't mean that's all he wants to be," Shenzi explained, "It means you're… just friends!... For now, at least. I don't think he even knows that you like him."

"But how do I tell him?" Vitawny asked her, "I'm just afraid of being rejected."

"Well…" Shenzi hesitated, "How about I ask him what he's looking for in a girl, and if you have one or more of those traits, then show it or them around him."

"But how will that show Max that I like him?"

"Then… just hint it to him until he catches on," Shenzi suggested.

"How?"

"Just… flirt," Shenzi giggled, "Act all flirty around him, and he should be able to catch on. Or, if you gather up enough courage, just tell him how you feel."

"… O-okay," The redhead nodded, "Um, can you ask him what he likes in a girl first?"

"No problem," Shenzi nodded, "I'll ask him when or if we ever get alone with each other. Just… try and be patient."

"I will," Vitawny nodded.


After a few days, Shenzi finally got Max alone with her; Vitawny was still patient as ever, but was getting antsy. She was hoping that she was the kind of girl that Max would like; He was her perfect guy, after all. "So, what do you need?" Max asked Shenzi.

"Well, I need to ask you something," She replied.

"You're not going to ask me to be your boyfriend, are you?" He joked.

"No," Shenzi giggled, "You and I both know very well that I already have Timon. Anyway, what I want to ask you is: What exactly do you like in a girl? Just curious."

"Well," Max thought aloud, "I would mostly like it if a girl wasn't a stupid idiot like Timon is." Shenzi couldn't help but giggle. "And uh, also a girl who likes digging tunnels. Oh! And a girl that could sing good. It'd be nice to have a girlfriend who could sing with me, and not hurt my ears." Shenzi giggled again, while rolling her eyes.

"Okay," She nodded, "Thanks. Well… bye." She shrugged before walking away.

"Uh… bye," Max had his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, before slowly walking away. "Okay…"


"So the traits that Max is looking for in a girl are smart, enjoys digging tunnels, and sings good," Shenzi explained to Vitawny later that day.

"Interesting," Vitawny nodded, "I do like digging tunnels, and I don't think I'm stupid," She giggled.

"I know!" Shenzi exclaimed, catching her attention, "You could sing! Max would love that!"

"That's good!" Vitawny smiled excitedly, "There's just one teensy-weensy problem with that: I can't sing!"

"Yes, you can!" Shenzi insisted, "You're a great singer; Max will be impressed with you, I promise. What do you say?"

Vitawny thought about it for a few seconds, before making her decision. "What should I sing?" Shenzi smiled in ecstasy.


A few days later, the two stepsisters had rehearsed the song more times than they could keep track of, wanting it to be absolutely perfect. Some meerkats were going to play the music for her. Now, it was time to put all that practicing to good use, and Vitawny was more nervous than ever. The fact that Max, the new love of her life, was going to be watching her didn't help with that. Vitawny was snapped out of her thoughts when the meerkats started playing the music. That was quick; She nervously waited for her cue.

"Time to turn the maple brilliant crimson," She started nervously.
"Time to turn the aspens sparkling gold,
Time to tumble apples from their branches
Time to turn the breezes crisp and cold
A chill unfolds the country side.
" So far so good; Vitawny glanced at Max, and he looked impressed. Phew!
"Kiss of morning mist upon the meadows
Scent of wood smoke swirling in the air
Signals that its high time for the harvest
Every pumpkin, peach and prickly pear
With ripened fruit to bear.
" When Shenzi gave her an encouraging smile and Timon gave her a thumbs up, her confidence boosted.
"If you believe, in who you are," Vitawny sang the chorus, as her bangs and mane flowed a bit in the gentle breeze.
"Who you were always meant to be
If you open up your heart
Then you'll set your spirit free,
In this time of the season
Every leaf on every tree
Will start to shine, come and see
Take my hand, come with me
And flyyyyyyy!
" She heard some of the audience, including Shenzi, Banzai and Timon, cheer for her long note, earning her another confidence boost as the music played and she waited for her cue.
"Always standing
Right beside you
One true friend
Is there to guide you.
" She heard more cheering from the audience.
"To believe in who you are
Who you were always meant to be
If you open up your heart
Then you'll set your spirit free,
In this time of the season
Every leaf on every tree
Will start to shine, come and see
Take my hand, come with me,
And flyyyyyyyy!
" Some whistling came from the audience amongst the cheers. Vitawny waited for her cue again, as she heard positive murmurs from the audience.

In the audience, Shenzi was smiling up at Max. "What do you think so far, huh?" She asked him quietly.

"She's great," Max nodded, smiling back, "She really is."

After a few seconds, Shenzi got a bit ecstatic. "Ooh, this is the best part!" She whispered quickly, before turning her attention to her stepsister.

"Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah! Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah!" Vitawny drew out melodiously, as a sun ray shined down on her by chance. As she sang, a broad smile grew on Max's face, as he gazed up at her. It then became official: He was in love. Smitten. Head over heels, or tail. Enamored. Infatuated. In love. With Vitawny Hyena! But he couldn't help it; the way the sun shined down on her, as her hair blew around in the breeze, and her eyes sparkled like sapphires, she looked so beautiful! And her shy, but sweet personality and her angelic singing voice just settled it; She was perfect. (A/N: Just imagine Max having that smile he had when Simba reclaimed his place as King. Trust me; it's adorable. X3)

After she finished, an almost deafening applause erupted from the audience, as she couldn't help but smile widely in ecstasy. But when she saw Max with that smile, her nervousness and anxiety shot up the wall; He just looked so adorable! And… handsome? Yep, definitely handsome. Her anxiety taking over, Vitawny did the first thing that came to her mind: Run.

"Vitawny!" She heard Shenzi yell out, but she ignored her and kept running, letting her nervousness take over.


After a minute, Vitawny was still running through the jungle, but skidded to a stop when Shenzi suddenly appeared in front of her. "Where are you going?" Shenzi asked her, looking obviously annoyed.

"Uh, n-nowhere," Vitawny claimed, a bit out of breath.

"Why'd you run?"

"I got nervous, okay?!"

"How come? Everyone was cheering for you!"

"It was… 'cause of Max!"

"What, Max? Why? You knew he was there."

"Well…" Vitawny hesitated, "He was giving me this… look."

"It wasn't a mean look, was it?" Shenzi asked her cautiously.

"No," The older hyena shook her head, "Max was smiling. And he looked so… so sweet! And I just panicked." Before Shenzi could talk, Vitawny continued. "He just makes me nervous in general; I get butterflies in my stomach whenever he's around, and especially when he talks to me."

"No offense, but what exactly do you see in him?" Shenzi asked her, "Not that he's bad or anything! I'm just curious, that's all."

"Well," Vitawny started, "He's been so sweet to me since we started living here. For me, it was love at first sight. Plus, he's not desperate like the other guys interested in me," She giggled, "And he's really funny, and overall fun to be with." Shenzi noticed a certain someone coming up cautiously behind Vitawny, who was oblivious, and couldn't help but smile. "Plus, he is so adorable, sweet, and handsome! And-!"

"And so right behind you," Shenzi grinned, pointing behind her stepsister. Vitawny gasped as she whipped around to face the meerkat she had a big crush on at first sight. "I'll leave you kids alone," Shenzi teased them before walking away without another word.

"Um," Max said awkwardly, his hand on the back of his neck, "I uh, I heard everything you said to Shenzi about me."

"You did?" Vitawny asked him nervously.

"Yeah," Max nodded, "It was… really sweet," He smiled.

"Really?" She smiled back timidly.

"Uh huh," Max nodded again, "So… you really like me the way you say you do?" He wanted to confirm it.

"Yeah," Vitawny nodded, "I do. A lot."

Max let his smile grow, as he decided to tell her the truth. "Well, Vit… the truth is… I like you too." Vitawny's blue eyes widened in surprise. He liked her? All this time?!

"… Y-you do?"

"Yeah," Max nodded, "No offense, but it wasn't exactly love at first sight for me," He chuckled as Vitawny smiled.

"None taken."

"Okay, good. Anyway, it was only because I've had a bad past with hyenas."

"I understand," Vitawny nodded.

"Thanks," Max smiled, "And the thing is, I thought you were a great friend a while after you started living here. But… after I heard you sing just a few minutes ago… I was, how you say, infatuated." Vitawny's smile grew as a timid blush grew on her cheeks under her pale fur.

"Like I said earlier, for me, it was love at first sight," She told him.

"Yea, sorry I wasn't so enthusiastic about meeting you," Max grinned sheepishly.

"It's okay," Vitawny nodded, "I understand."

"Thanks Vit," Max smiled at her, before silence wafted over them.

A few seconds later out of nowhere, they heard a familiar male voice. "Oh, c'mon! Just kiss already!" Banzai yelled to them, before leaving them alone. Vitawny giggled before falling silent again, as she and Max stared deep into each other's eyes, chocolate brown meeting sapphire blue. Before Vitawny knew it, Max's surprisingly soft lips were right on hers! She reciprocated the kiss as Max laid his right hand on her cheek, and she laid her paw at the base of his fingers. Shenzi smiled at the sweet scene before leaving them alone; it was almost perfectly identical to her and Timon's first kiss.

They drew apart after a few seconds, and Max drew his hand back slowly.

"Um… Can I ask you something?" They asked each other simultaneously. "Uh, you first. No, you! Ladies first!" Vitawny clamped her paws over her mouth in surprise at the latter.

"Did you just call me a lady?" Max chuckled.

"Sorry, it just slipped out," Vitawny giggled.

"It's okay," Max smiled, "Well, ladies first; Go ahead."

"Okay, um…" She timidly hesitated, "Well… willyoubemyboyfriend?!" She asked him a bit too quickly.

"… Huh?" Max's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, since he didn't understand what she said.

"Sorry; Um… will you be my boyfriend?" Vitawny asked him again, going a bit slower. Max smiled at her, flashing her the same smile he had a few minutes ago, except he was gazing down instead of upward.

"Of course I will," He responded. "I know this may be a silly thing to ask now, but will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes!" Vitawny smiled with joy, "Yes I will!" In ecstasy, she jumped in his arms, to his surprise and amusement. Max's smile grew as he hugged her close to him. He rested his cheek between her ears, as he rubbed his hands on her back. "Max?"

"Hmm?" He gazed down at her, pulling away a bit.

"Was my singing really that good?" She asked him shyly.

"Vit, you were amazing," He smiled, as he brushed her bangs away from her sapphire eyes, "You sounded like an angel; Seriously," He chuckled when Vitawny shook her head in denial.

"Please, I'm not that good," She told him.

"Yes you are," Max smirked, "You really are, kiddo."

Vitawny giggled at the new nickname. "Kiddo? I'm about as old as you!" She pointed out, still giggling.

"… Touché," He chuckled, before he rubbed his nose on hers, as she giggled, blushed, and reciprocated the cute Eskimo kiss. "Why don't we go find the others? They were all confused after you ran off like that. Not to mention concerned."

"Aww, okay," Vitawny playfully pouted. Even though she wanted to show everyone that she was fine, she wanted to be alone with Max more.

"Hey, no pouting at me," Max smirked, poking her sides as he said "no", making her squeak and giggle. "There's that smile." Her smile grew as her cheeks flushed pink under her pale fur. "Come on, let's go." He laid his arm on her shoulders, and walked to where the others were, with her following.


(A/N: Yay, finally! The Lion King and its characters don't belong to me, but Vitawny, Meredith, Candace, and Sylvia do. Originally, I was going to have Timon say "Oh, c'mon! Just kiss already!" To Max and Vitawny, but I decided to give Banzai more dialogue.)


Random Fact about BxB

I've been to Disneyland a few times, and California Adventure two times as of now, but I've never been to Disney World in Florida, though. I wish to stay in a Lion King Suite in the Art of Animation Resort, and meet Timon in the Animal Kingdom.