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He's warm. Kion snuggles closer to Janja, because he might not necessarily be cold but Janja's really warm and he wants to share that heat. Janja rests his chin on his own paws, and Kion lays his head to rest next to his, and closes his eyes. It's a nice moment, and he likes that he can feel Janja's heartbeat. It's soothing to hear, and he's glad his is not the only one racing.
They never talk when they're like this. They never do. He never tells anyone, and he's sure Janja doesn't either. They don't mention it to each other, so why would they bring it up to anyone else? Ono is the only other one who knows about it. He saw them one night, and then the next time it happened, he kept watch nearby. So no one else would find them, or so he claims.
Still, it's easy for him to forget the presence of his over-protective friend. He stays far away enough that he can still see, but so that he's not disturbing them.
Kion opens his eyes halfway, his mind drifting as he keeps track of Janja's heartbeat. He's sure it's in sync with his own. He wants to talk, but he doesn't dare. He's scared to, he's worried that he'll ruin it. Instead he watches some flowers move with the wind. It's a clear night, with just a light breeze going through. He could fall asleep if he wanted to, but he won't do that either. His family might wake up and see that he's not there, and then they'll come looking. He can't let them see him like this.
He tenses at the thought, and he feels Janja shift when he does. He looks and sees that Janja is staring at him, as though waiting for him to say something.
Still, he's silent, and just moves even closer to the hyena. Janja doesn't object, and moves one paw so that it's thrown over Kion's back. Kion lays his head back down, and Janja rests his chin on Kion's head. It makes Janja seem rather possessive, and Kion smiles at the thought. Usually he's the one wanting to get closer, and even though Janja never exactly pushes him away, he'd never really been certain that he was really welcome.
Not for the first time, he thinks about this odd relationship they have. During the day, more often than not, they're fighting. One fighting for the Pridelands, protecting the Circle of Life. The other fighting for the Outlands, trying to keep him and his clan alive by stealing from the Pridelands.
Then, on nights like this, they're silent and close and cuddling... He doesn't know what to call it and he never asks. He knows deep down but he won't say it. Days and nights shouldn't mix, nor should they.
Every time the sun rises he swears to himself that it was the last time, that he's never doing it again. But every time he ends up back here, in the warm embrace of his sworn enemy. It's pitiful, really.
He wants to speak, he wants to say something. Even if it's just a mundane comment about the weather. But he won't. He's scared and he hates it. He can't run but he can't stay. He needs to make a choice but he can't because no matter what he ends up doing he'll lose something important to him.
He feels himself getting tired and hears Janja yawn. They need sleep, so he stands reluctantly. He gives a hesitant smile to Janja, who doesn't meet his eyes. It feels odd, it's not as if they did anything truly horrific. But then again, he feels dirty too, so who is he to judge?
He turns and heads off to Pride Rock. He gives a polite nod to Ono as he passes, a silent sign of gratitude. He knows that Ono won't ever make him talk, that he'll wait until he's ready to decide something. But for now it's a secret that he'll pretend he doesn't even know, and that Kion will pretend doesn't even exist.
He considers for a moment what he wants to call it. He knows it, and he wants to say it. Four simple letters, that's all, and he's scared of it. Those four letters could make everything he knows turn against him and everything in his life would be ruined. It sickens him that he can't say it without such repercussions.
If he'd known love was this painful, he'd have been more careful.