"Where are we going?"
Dan smiled as he guided a blindfolded Phil with gentle enthusiasm, as the older boy tripped over his feet. "Phil, for the last time, if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise! Anyone would think you hadn't been blindfolded and lead in to a forest before."
"That would be a fair assumption to make."
"Shut up, Phil."
Dan loved this. Them. The ease of their conversation, how he felt he could say anything or do anything and it would be okay, Phil wouldn't judge him. He would still care for him.
Dan had woken up at 6am, despite the pain of rising quite so early, simply to set everything up. He wanted it to be perfect. He wanted to remember this moment for the rest of their lives.
"We're here." Dan whispered to Phil, lightly kissing his cheek as he slid his arms around the boys waist. Phil removed his blindfold as quickly as he could, fumbling with the knots in excitement. As he pulled it off, Dan felt nervous for the first time, worrying this was a terrible idea, that Phil wouldn't like it. Having poured his heart and soul into this, Dan couldn't help but feel vulnerable.
Phil gasped, he turned towards Dan and smiled, before walking towards the set-up in front of him.
Dan had found this spot when he was about 16 - he used to come to this forest when he felt things were getting on top of him. He used to walk the trail he made, to the top of the hill overlooking a beautiful lake which he hoped no one else knew about. It was his, it had always been his. But he wanted to share it with Phil.
He had looped fairy lights around the trees surrounding the clearing, set up a tent big enough for the two of them, prepared a campfire ready to be lit. He had laid out a picnic blanket, but left the food inside the tent to avoid it being eaten by animals in the meantime. He wanted it all to be perfect.
"Dan.. You did this all.. For me?" Phil said in disbelief, turning to his boyfriend with tears in his eyes.
"I wanted everything to be perfect." Dan said simply, smiling at the older boy.
He laid out the picnic he had prepared, containing all of Phil's favourite foods and 7 different kinds of Pocky.
Night settled in and the two boys sat beside each other, staring at the fire as the embers flickered out.
"Dan.. Thank you so much. I can't believe you did all this for me." Phil looked at Dan with adoration in his eyes. Dan kissed him lightly on the forehead and let out a nervous sigh.
"If I'm honest.. I had a reason. I wanted it to be absolutely perfect and I wanted us to remember this night forever." He stood up and walked to the tent rummaging through his bag of necessary essentials until his hands found a small, velvet box. He slowly walked towards Phil, who had an inquisitive look on his face. He turned to face him and slowly bent down one one knee. He desperately ignored the butterflies in his stomach as his shaky hands opened the box, revealing a simple gold band.
"It was my Dad's.. Before he passed away. Mum didn't want to bury him with it. She wanted me to wear it when I got married. When I realised I was gay, I decided to give to the person I loved and wanted to spend my life with. And.. Thats you, Phil. Will.. Will you marry me?" Dan looked up at Phil, trying to gage his reaction. He had tears in his eyes.
"Of course I'll marry you! Oh my goodness!" He pulled Dan to him and kissed him passionately, feeling happiness spread throughout them and between them. They broke apart and Dan slid the ring on to Phil's finger. He kissed his hand gently as he did so, looking in to his fiancée's crystal blue eyes.
He loved him more than anything.
He knew this was forever.