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“Are you sure you want to do this?” Misto laughed as Tugger, once again, called for a break, slumping down on a nearby rock. The forest around them chittered with life, but there definitely wasn’t another Cat for miles.
He did and he didn’t. Hiking was, undoubtedly, dreadful, and Tugger hated it. Walking was fine, but an endless uphill slog was not how he envisioned today going. He wasn’t unfit, not by a long shot, but it had been two hours and they still weren’t there!
“Of course!” he replied stubbornly. He did desperately want to get to the end of this hike. There, according to his research, was a beautiful hidden waterfall, which would make the perfect backdrop for what he had planned. The internet had made out like the path there was an easy stroll, not this Everest climb! But the plan was the plan, and Tugger had meticulously thought out every other detail.
“Do you want me to carry something for you?” Misto joked. He could and would actually do it though, Tugger thought. Being a principal dancer at the ballet meant his boyfriend was in god-like shape. Additionally, he actually enjoyed hiking.
“I’d say my heart, but you already have that,” Tugger said, blowing him a kiss. He received an eye-roll in return.
“You’re a terrible flirt,” Misto groaned, but he was definitely trying not to smile. “Come on.” He took Tugger’s paws and easily pulled him upright again. Tugger kept hold of one of them and swung it as they walked. It was worth it, really, to see Misto enjoy himself so much. He chatted mindlessly as they followed the forest trail further, telling Tugger all about his last rehearsal, the birds they saw in the trees, the cake Tugger baked last week… this, that, and everything, really. Tugger engaged as much as he could whilst trying to hide how much he was panting for breath. Misto only chattered uninhibitedly like this when he was completely comfortable with whoever he was around, and Tugger was insanely proud to tick that box.
Finally, FINALLY, after another 20 minutes that felt like 20 years, they rounded a bend and came face to face with the waterfall. Misto let out a little gasp, dropping Tugger’s paw as he darted over to the little pool beneath to get a closer look. Tugger gave as big a whoop as his strained lungs allowed, and dived into his backpack to pull out the massive camera and tripod he had brought. Misto looked back, and snorted at the sight.
“No wonder you’re exhausted, lugging all that around with you! What’s wrong with a couple of phone shots?”
“Oi! It’s a heck of an achievement I made it up here, I want high quality evidence of this moment!”
This moment, that would hopefully be so much more than reaching the finish line. Tugger clicked everything into place, making sure the shot would be perfectly lined up, before tapping the record function.
“Sparkles! Take a photo with me!” he called, bounding round in front of the lens. From here, the camera would perfectly capture them, with the pretty waterfall in the background. Tugger may look slightly dishevelled, but Misto looked glorious, and there was nothing a touch of photoshop couldn’t fix!
Misto smiled, and came over to where Tugger now stood. He turned to face the camera, but Tugger manoeuvred him so they were facing each other, camera on the right, waterfall on the left.
“Trust me,” he murmured, seeing Misto’s quizzical look.
“I do, I just didn’t realise you were into photography all of a sudden. Not that that’s surprising, mind you.”
Tugger laughed. True, his interests and hobbies changed like the tides, all except one – the interest-turned-love he had for the Cat before him. The one and only Cat who had ever made him keen to settle down.
“Close your eyes,” he murmured, floating one paw over Misto’s eyes, the other over his own pocket.
“What are you up to?” Misto smiled, but closed his eyes anyway.
Oh, Everlasting, don’t get scared now!
Everything around them faded into the background. Tugger took a deep breath, and got down on one knee. He pulled the engagement collar box out of his pocket, and took Misto’s paw in his own.
“Open?” he said, trying to sound braver than he felt. A pause followed, in which Tugger was too nervous to look up.
“T- Tugger?”
“Marry me?” Tugger asked, gathering the nerve to look up into Misto’s eyes. A wide range of emotions crossed his face, from surprise, to amazement, and eventually to joy as he nodded furiously. He had teared up a bit, which seemed to be stopping him from actually saying anything, but his grip on Tugger’s paw was unbelievably tight. A lump rose in Tugger’s own throat as the weight lifted off his chest. He rose to his paws, grabbed his new fiancé, and lifted and twirled him in a circle, cheering all the while.
“Yes!” Misto managed to gasp, laughing at Tugger’s exuberant display of pure delight. He tugged the box to see the collar closer. “Put it on?”
Tugger did, and felt his own eyes get dangerously watery as he clasped it closed around Misto’s neck.
“How do I look?”
“So beautiful baby, you have no idea.”
Misto laughed, and pulled Tugger into a kiss.
Tugger hated hiking, but this was worth it. The camera should have caught every second of this perfect moment, and he doubted anything would ever sour his mood again! Not even realising he now had another two-and-a-half-hour trek back to civilisation.