IT'S BACK. In case you thought I'd forgotten about it. ;) This lovely couple of boys was suggested to me...geez...ages ago by my dearest, Delphi. Hope it's up to par! The rest of the suggestions are still coming!

Ah, what a beautiful day. It was warm, there was a gentle breeze, the sun was shining, and it was just so catdamn peaceful. Alonzo happily trotted along the edge of the junkyard, feeling the sun warm his black and white fur. He smiled, as the breeze picked up. The air was clean and clear and smelled of nothing but garbage...except...what was that?

"Meow."

Oh, Everlasting Cat. Anyone but him.

Ever since Alonzo had admitted to liking toms, everyone's favorite Maine coon had been on his case. To be fair, Alonzo loved the attention, but he was not about to be another conquest. Mostly because his mother would kill him.

"What do you want, Tugger?" he asked curtly, haughtily lifting his chin and flicking his tail.

All Tugger did was grin, and Alonzo's resolve almost crumbled right there. So Tugger was gorgeous. Sure. Whatever. Alonzo was set to become one of the next protectors. He couldn't let one stupid, teenage tomcat be his undoing.

"I thought you looked lonely," Tugger purred, winking.

"You thought wrong."

Tugger's grin fell into a smirk. "Well." He stepped dangerously close to Alonzo. "I have just as much of a right to be here as you do, so I guess we're walking together."

Alonzo sighed and kept walking, trying to ignore the black and gold tom pressing up against his side.

"We don't hang out anymore, Alonzo."

"No," the black and white answered. "We don't."

"Why not? I miss you."

Tugger's sudden sincerity caught Alonzo off guard. "Because I came out as gay, and you started flirting with me relentlessly."

Tugger shrugged. "I can't help it if I have a crush on you."

"You have a crush on everyone," Alonzo scoffed.

"I flirt with everyone," Tugger grumbled.

Alonzo stopped dead in his tracks. "If this is some sort of ruse to get me to sleep with you, you can stop it. It's not happening."

Tugger looked genuinely offended. "I- No. I just want to hang out, that's all. I won't even flirt with you, if you don't want! Promise!"

Alonzo blinked. He was taken aback by Tugger's outburst, and, well, he liked it when Tugger flirted with him. Sure, he played hard to get, but was he...discouraging him? No one discouraged Tugger.

"I thought it was just for fun," Alonzo admitted. "I didn't think you were actually trying to..."

"Get your attention?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I was."

"Well, you have it, so say what you need to say."

This was a completely different side of Tugger that Alonzo had never seen. He was vulnerable. At least, he was acting like it.

Alonzo loved Tugger, as a friend. They had been friends since they were kittens, along with Munkustrap and Admetus and Demeter and Bomba. How was this just coming out?

Alonzo realized it came out when he came out.

"Do you...actually have a crush on me?"

Tugger huffed. "That's what I just said, isn't it? But it's okay if you just want to be friends. I just want to-"

He was cut off when Alonzo gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. "Wh- What was that?"

"I never knew you felt that way," Alonzo laughed. "We can..." He blushed. "We can give this a shot."

Tugger's smile was warmer and brighter than the sun. Alonzo smiled back.

Maybe he could let this stupid, teenage tomcat be his undoing.