Chapter 51:
A few hours had passed. Zuri opened her eyes and sat up, yawning. "Nothing like a power nap," she said to herself as she absentmindedly kicked some leaves off herself. She looked outside and widened her eyes, shocked at how dark it had gotten in what she thought was a few minutes. "Ahh! I fell asleep!" She looked at where Timon was lying and furrowed her brow. "The minute I take my eyes off him, he takes off again. I am so gonna kill that meerkat." She stood and walked outside the cave, past Sly. "If he's off looking for Titus again-!"
Sly felt the breeze Zuri created as she walked by, so he opened his eyes. "Hey, where's the fire?"
Zuri stopped and looked back at him. "Sorry I woke you, Sly. Timon's run off somewhere again. I'm gonna see if I can catch up to him."
"Shouldn't be too hard. Last time I saw him he went up to the top," Sly gestured upward with his finger. "Said he was gonna do some star gazing or something.
"Really," Zuri blinked. "Well, I guess if he's still awake, it's as good a time as any to talk to him." She went to leave, but stopped herself after a step. "Listen, Sly, about last night... I'm sorry that happened. I didn't mean to confuse you or hurt your feelings."
"Don't go worrying about it, Zuri. I had already forgotten it until you brought it up."
Zuri nervously smiled, "Sorry again."
"Like I said, don't worry about it. I'm glad you moved on with your life and found someone who makes you happy. I only hope I'll find someone like that someday."
"You will, Sly. I know it."
"To be honest, I was more confused about that 'mother's eyes' comment than I was sad about not starting over with you."
"I guess I should explain that-"
"You can explain it later. Go talk to Timon. You've both put it off long enough."
Zuri smiled, walked back over to Sly, and kissed him on the cheek. She then walked the path that would lead her to the very top of Pride Rock, where she saw Timon, lying on his back and looking up at the stars. She cleared her throat and said, "You enjoy open skies, don't you?"
Timon looked at her and sat up. "I like the fireflies. Sue me." He patted the ground next to him, inviting her to sit down. She did. They both sat in an awkward silence, one waiting for the other to break it. Finally, Timon began, "Zuri, I-"
Zuri began at the same moment. "Timon-" Zuri cleared her throat again.
"Go first. I know you've been wanting to talk to me for a few days."
She drew in a deep breath, slowly letting it out. "I guess I should start in saying... I'm sorry. I know you overheard Sly and me last night and..." She grimaced and looked down at the flower bracelet she was wearing. "I don't know how much you heard, but I'm ashamed I even said some of those things. I was just getting some things off my chest."
Timon noticed the flower bracelet. "Zuri... if you want to go back to Sly, just say it. I won't stop you." He began to stand. "After all, I heard you two exchange the 'L' word and lip-lock, and you do deserve the best... I admit I agree with Sudi on that part."
Zuri sputtered a bit as Timon moved to walk away, and then yanked on his tail to pull him back down. "Get back here!"
He grunted and landed on his backside. He rubbed it and growled softly, "Would you mind not doing that?"
"I'm not finished talking and you are not finished listening." Timon snorted slightly and folded his arms in front of his chest. "I'm not getting back together with Sly."
"Why not?" Timon looked confused.
"I thought I still loved him, but it didn't feel right. To be honest I don't even know how we ended up closing the gap like that."
"Eh, kissing cheeks sometimes leads to lips," Timon grimaced.
"I didn't feel anything... it was like kissing my uncle." Timon arched an eyebrow. "OK, maybe a little better than kissing my uncle." She exhaled softly and looked right at Timon. "But it wasn't anything like kissing you."
"But he was your first boyfriend. If he was still in the colony you'd-"
"I would still be engaged to Makali. Remember, Sly was beaten by Makali to prove he was worthy for me, and lost. And then you came along and took him outwith a single punch." Timon grinned and threw a punch in the air. "You and Sly may be alike in a lot of ways, but you're different in some ways, too."
"Yeah, I know... lazy and childish," Timon rolled his eyes.
Zuri grinned slightly as she crawled over to kneel behind Timon, rested her paws on one of his shoulders, and rested her chin on her paws. "There's a lot more to you than that. I can't think of any differences right off the top of my head, but I can think of reasons why I did fall for you."
Timon glanced at her. "I'm listening."
"You make me laugh, you comfort me when I'm sad, you showed me how to have fun... and because of you I can feel love towards my father. And my father returns the feeling towards everyone else. No one could do that before you came along, not even Sly."
Timon was enjoying the compliments. "Go on."
She softly exhaled. "You made me feel like a somebody when I felt like a nobody. You made me feel... wanted. Happy. I hadn't felt that way in a long time." She sat up and pulled the flower bracelet off her wrist, leaned forward, and put it in his paws. "I was going to give this to you earlier, so you'd know that even though Sly came back into my life you and the kids are still going to be my top priority."
Timon looked at the bracelet, and then looked back at her. "Yeah?"
She nodded. "Yeah. That's what I had in mind when Yasmin gave it to me."
"Yasmin gave this to you?"
"Sure. Who did you think gave it to me? Sly?"
Timon sniffed the flowers and then shrugged. "Well, yes, at first. Then I was thinking Kito, since he's in a lot of trouble right now."
"You worry too much," Zuri grinned as she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "But I guess after I pressured you to say the 'L' word, I don't blame you." Timon grimaced slightly as Zuri walked around and sat down next to him. "I do agree with Sudi, though: I do deserve the best." She leaned against Timon and rested her head on his shoulder. "And I've already got it."
Timon was silent for a moment, and then he cleared his throat. "I loh... luh... lah..." He coughed and slapped a paw over his eyes. "Oy... you."
Zuri grimaced and lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him. "Gotta give you credit for trying anyway. I know you love me, and I love you..." She sighed and leaned backward, looking up at the stars. "But just once, I wish I could hear you say it." Timon looked at her, and then cleared his throat again. Zuri didn't look at him. "Don't choke on anything for my sake, Timon."
"Oh, I won't..." Timon said with a grin. He cracked his knuckles and shook them in the air briefly, loosening them up. He crawled in front of Zuri, blocking her view of the stars. She furrowed her brow and looked up at him, wondering what he was doing. He held up his right paw and extended his thumb, pointer finger, and pinkie, keeping the middle finger down. Zuri squinted and sat up, looking at the paw. "I'm... doing it right, aren't I?" Timon asked awkwardly. He yelped when Zuri suddenly jumped on him, causing them both to fall over, him on his back. He felt Zuri's arms around him and let out a relieved sigh. "I guess I was."
Zuri pushed herself up enough to look at him. "I didn't know you knew sign language."
"I don't. I told Sly about my problem and he told me about a sign that meant those words."
She blinked. "Sly? That Sly?" She pointed downward. Timon nodded. "You mean you two are getting along?"
"Well, we're not trying to rip each other's throats out anymore. But as his brother I'll have to work hard to get along with him."
"What? You mean you know he's Titus?"
Timon suddenly sat up and pushed her down onto her back in a playful manner, but he looked annoyed. "A-ha! So you did know and you kept it from me! You sneaky little-"
Zuri sat up a bit and returned the annoyed look. "One of the reasons I couldn't tell you was because you kept running off, Great Timon."
"OK, point taken..."
"Sorry again. But honestly, is this the kind of thing you should hear from your mate instead of your mother?"
Timon pouted his lips slightly. "That's a change..."
"What is?"
"You apologizing to me. There's never a camera around when you need one." He was suddenly pushed down onto his back and Zuri sat up, keeping her paws on him.
"What was that?"
Timon nervously grinned, "Umm... sorry?" He then paused, looking at the position Zuri and himself were in.
Zuri blinked. "What?"
"I think I remember why I had trouble saying the 'L' word... and it was your fault."
She looked insulted. She pulled Timon into a sitting position, and then pinned him back down to the ground. "My fault? What did I do?"
"Ow. First of all, can I sit up?" Zuri pouted her lips, thinking, and then nodded. She allowed Timon to sit up and sat down next to him. "It was right after our parents surprised us with this arranged-marriage thing and I took you on a tour of the oasis for the first time..."
To be continued...
Sign language, not a bad idea, eh? Actually I hadn't thought of it until earlier last week when I found a fan comic (I forget where I saw it and I wasn't familiar with the characters). One guy wished his girlfriend could say "I love you" just once (I dunno, there wasn't enough explanation... either mute and/or deaf) and she used sign language to say "I love you." I thought it was sweet. OK, next chapter'll be up soon. See ya then!