Author's Note: On Tumblr I was/am taking prompts for OTPs. The one this one used was "The Way You Said I Love You", tho I tried keeping this close to platonic but if you want it can also be taken as romantic~ [I ship it obviously~] this isn't a part of "Hurts Like Hell", least as of now it isn't, haha.
Also there is a severe lack of KiFu here. I will have to rectify this problem~
It had been a very long day for the entire Lion Guard. Problem after problem, it was practically never ending as the juvenile group struggled to reign in control of the situations. A stampede through the savanna, angry elephants who felt threatened by the giraffes, Janja and his clan... the list went on.
By the time the sun was setting over the hills, Kiongozi was both physically and mentally worn out. Beshte carried the collapsed forms of Bunga and Ono, too tired to carry on. Fuli braved her exhausted state alone as usual but the way she favored her front leg spoke volumes of her pain.
She'd pushed herself too much again.
Absently Kion lent her his shoulder to lean on, which the cheetah cub looked at in quiet reluctance. He smiled encouragingly and with a sigh from Fuli they were pressed together for support. Fuli gave him a look that basically said this was not to be spoken of again, she feircely prided herself in her independence.
The land was bathed in orange and it signified it was time to return home to get ready for a well earned rest. Kion looked forward to getting back to Pride Rock.
Beshte gave a noisy yawn, gently adjusting his two male friends on his great back. "I'm gonna get Little B back to Hakuna Mata falls," the hippo said. "I don't think Bunga's got the energy to get there himself."
Kion nodded his head, pausing with Fuli supported on his side. "Good idea Beshte, you going to be alright solo?"
"I'll be fine Kion, sides, Ono will keep me company for a while." He gazed at the tired egret who smiled sleepily from between Beshte's ears.
"Affirmative," the young bird said, perking his head and saluting a wing loyally.
"Okay," the lion cub replied, the edges of his maws twitching into a grin. His eyes felt like they weighed a ton as they threatened to shut. "Same time tomorrow guys?"
A chorus of agreements came to Kion and he beamed proudly. "We'll meet back at the lair then."
Bunga drowsily lifted his face up and raised his fist. "Yup! Also I can't feel my toes. Ow."
Kion chuckled as Fuli rolled her eyes, muttering to the lion beside her of how dramatic the honey badger was being. Even she was too tired to run her smart mouth. "Get some sleep Bunga, also, tell Timon and Pumbaa I say hi."
It was with that the Lion Guard bit farewell, chiming their usual chant of "Until the PrideLands end, Lion Guard defend!" Even if it wasn't as enthusiastic as usual. Now only Kion and Fuli remained. He continued to let Fuli brace herself against him but halfway towards Pride Rock she distanced herself, limping as she announced her leave.
Kion furrowed his brows worriedly. "You sure you'll be OK alone tonight Fuli?" He gestured to her foreleg, which was hovering above the ground.
She shrugged his worries off. "It's nothing Kion." A smirk graced her spotted face.
He wasn't convinced. "I dunno..."
"I probably just pulled a tendon, today was pretty intense," Fuli continued, trying to reassure the lion prince.
It wasn't working very well when he saw her nearly fall over herself when she began walking away, causing the cheetah cub to lighten her awkward stride. Before she was too far away, Kion trotted after her, quickly gaining distance.
"How about I sleep over with you tonight?" He offered, knowing Fuli wouldn't feel too comfortable in the den of Pride Rock. The cub was a nomad by nature, Fuli preferred her solitude over large groups. The fact she even spent much of her personal time with he and the Guard was flattering as is.
Fuli arched her brows at him as if Kion had grown a second head. "Kion..."
Rotating his large ears back at the edge in her tone, Kion grinned meekly. "It'll be fun?"
"You worry too much," Fuli sniffed, lifting her lithe head, her smirk was lopsided. "Will your dad the Lion King mind that his son is off with the little people?"
"Dad would probably be inviting you home honestly," Kion joked right back, matching her smirk.
"I'd just say no."
"Yeah but he's dad, not me." Boldly he stepped forward to stand beside her, once again brandishing his shoulder to offer support.
Fuli scoffed at him, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully at her male friend. Kion could tell his cheetah companion was weighing the pros and cons of accepting has proposal. Only Fuli of all animals would make it more complicated than necessary. Though her pain won out in the end and soon Kion found themselves arm-to-arm once again. Her head rested against his cheek.
She lead him to her recently claimed resting spot, which was just a patch of tall grass that could give camouflage. It didn't appear very warm, especially with how chilly the African nights were getting lately. He wondered how the girl could keep comfortable all by herself when she had no one else to share heat with.
"Here we are, home sweet home... for this week at least," Fuli said with a grin, slipping away from Kion's side to slither through the grass.
She peeled open an entry way and Kion followed, seeing that there was a small rut down in the ground. He wondered if Fuli dug it out herself or not. It didn't look like it would have room for two.
"Will I fit in there?"
"We won't know until you try, get your butt down here," Fuli teased, settling herself down in the makeshift bed. She lay partially in the shape of a cresent.
Kion lowered to make himself comfortable next to her, making a face at how little space his legs had. Fuli tucked her forelegs close to her chest, the two cubs were nose to nose. Kion had to stretch his front paws out so they were splayed across the cheetah's neck.
"How do you sleep like this?" He asked with a pout, trying to get into a cozy position, instead he only found his back pressing into a tiny stone in the dirt.
"Easy, I sleep alone." Cheekily she raised her brows at him. "You can still go home Kion."
"After getting you to say yes to this? Heck no!" Kion retorted, crinking his muzzle stubbornly.
He felt the cheetah laugh rather than heard it from how close together they were. The cubs grinned at one another. Fuli began to yawn, tongue curling up delicately. Kion made a little face as her breath tickled his whiskers.
"I don't know about you but I'm seriously beat." Fuli let her eyelids droop.
"Me too, we hardly caught a break at all today."
"Think tomorrow will be just as hectic?"
"Want the truth?"
"It would be nice Kion, yeah."
"I'm betting on it being even worse," he chuckled. Kion noticed Fuli subconciously rub at her front leg with her other paw. "You sure you'll be alright?"
"Honestly? Not really, but I don't have much of a choice in the matter do I?" Fuli ran her tongue over the injured ligament, Kion thought her leg looked pretty swollen.
She sighed and decided to lay her face against his shoulder, breath ruffling his honey colored fur. Kion gazed down at her leg with a bit of forlorn to his eyes. Without really thinking about it he began to rub his tongue against the injury, hoping to offer some relief.
He could feel her blink in surprise but she didn't complain, just let herself relax as her friend gave comfort to her worn being. Eventually Kion could tell Fuli was dozing off, especially at the sleepy purring of content she gave. Kion had begun to wash Fuli of any dirt he could see on her face and neck, chuffing softly in response. Soon he let his own face slump against her neck, equally tired.
There was a cold wind that blew against the two young big cats, their solution was to pile closer to each other. Faces pressed together and legs tangled, one would mistake the friends as a single entity. Bleary eyed Kion watched Fuli, who's green gaze were just tiny slits, trembling to remain visible. She smiled at him, obviously half awake.
"You're a good friend Kion," she whispered.
Kion just gave a happy chuff in response, too sleepy to trust himself to talk.
Humming as her breathing slowed, Fuli slurred out her words in a mumble. "I love you for that, thanks..."
She gave in to the sweet embrace of sleep. Kion followed her, holding the cheetah the entire night.