Misto lay alone in his bed. He was just about to fall asleep when he heard a loud thud from outside the entrance of his and Tugger's den. For a second he thought it might be a warning of sorts from Macavity until a familiar scent from outside caught his nose. He let out an irritated sigh as he went over to the entrance and looked out to see Tugger sitting on the ground grinning up at him. A familiar smell of booze and catnip was heavy on the Tom.
"Tugger, why is it when you go out for the night with Bombi that you insist on returning a disheveled mess smelling horribly of booze and nip?" He asked irritably.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine. I just decided to rest here before coming in." Tugger said a slight slurring in his speech.
"Right and that's why it sounded like you fell. Come on I'll help you make it to your bed." Misto said, holding out his hand for Tugger to take, but instead of taking Tugger used it to pull Misto down into his lap. "Tugger! What was that…?"
"Look." Tugger said, pointing to the sky. "You can see the stars better here."
"You're talking nonsense again. Come on, it's late. I don't want Munk yelling at us for being out here." Misto said, trying to stand up, but Tugger's grip n his waist wouldn't let him move.
"It's nice sitting out here and with you it seems romantic." Tugger said, leaning it to whisper into Misto's ear. Misto turned his head away from Tugger trying to avoid the smell the Tom's breath reeked of.
"Tugger, you smell horrible. We need to get you taken care of inside." Misto said, finally wriggling out of Tugger's grasp. He pulled the Tom to his feet and had to practically carry him into his bed. He laid Tugger down and before he could go to his own bed, Tugger had grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him into the bed. Misto's cheeks instantly turned a bright red. "What are you doing?"
"Well, I thought we could lay here and talk some." Tugger said, giving him a look only a kitten should be capable of. Misto sighed lying back next to Tugger.
"Fine, what do you want to talk about?"
"Well, how do you feel about me?" Tugger asked, in a voice that sounded more like the booze talking than Tugger.
"What are you going on about?" Misto asked looking at him in a manner that seemed to fit Demeter's more lecturing nature than the shy Tom's.
"Well, I like you. I mean really like you." Tugger said, pulling him close against his chest. "And I was wondering what you thought of me."
"Tugger, you're drunk and high. You need rest. You don't know what you're saying." Misto said, trying again to escape Tugger's grip on him.
"Misto, will you sleep with me?"
"What?"
"I won't do anything I promise, just sleep next to me please." He asked again using the same kittenish face as before. He knew Misto couldn't say no to it.
"Tugger, not the face. You know I can't say no." Misto sighed, giving in. "Alright, Tugger, I'll stay here and sleep instead of going the few steps it would take to go to my bed."
Tugger cheered like a kitten being allowed a treat. He wrapped his arms around Misto's waist and held him close, resting his head on Misto's chest. Misto looked down to see soon enough that Tugger had fallen asleep. Misto gently stroked his head fur. His heart began to ache as he thought back on all the things Tugger had said that evening, all the hints at feelings more than friendship. How he wished they were true and not just the ramblings of a drunken cat, which was also under the influence of nip. He finally got his mind to be quiet about the matter and his mind became engulfed in sleep.
Misto awoke the next day to see Tugger staring down at him. He noticed he was now laying in Tugger's lap the bigger Tom looking down at him uncharacteristically serious. Misto sat up, Tugger still looking down as Misto watched him concerned.
"Tugger, what's wrong? You're never serious." Misto asked concerned about his love. He leaned down to look into Tugger's face. His eyes were foggy as though he were seeing things other than what was in the room. "Tugger?" Misto persisted, his voice filled with worry and a touch of fear at this sudden change in character. Tugger shook his head before looking up at Misto.
"Oh, Misto, sorry I was thinking." Tugger said with a casual smile.
"About what?"
"About last night."
"I'm surprised you remember last night at all. You were such a mess." Misto said, sounding like he was about to launch into a lecture.
"Misto, shut up and listen for a minute." Tugger said, putting his finger over Misto's mouth, who was stunned into silence. "I know you think I babble when I come home from a night with Bombi, but I'm not drunk. Buzzed, yes but I never get so bad I don't know what I'm saying and the nip you smell is Bombi's smoking I get more second hand high than anything. I know you probably won't believe me about that, but I wanted to tell you so you would know everything I said last night…I meant." Tugger admitted. "I do really like you; actually you're the first person that I think I may actually love. I wouldn't know only because I've never felt this way before. Now that I've said all this will you please talk seriously about this with me?" Tugger asked. Misto looked up at him as though he were thinking through all that, before doing something that put the legendary Rum Tum Tugger at a loss for words.
He closed his eyes and licked Tugger's finger. Tugger removed his finger his cheeks actually being the ones to turn red.
"Misto what was that?" He asked after a moment of just staring at the smaller Tom.
"I thought it would be the best way to get you to move your finger so I could talk." Misto said, acting like it was completely normal for such a thing to happen. "Now, I do believe you, Tugger, as weird as that may be. I love you too, Tugger. I've known for a long time. I was just afraid you would reject me for it and kick me out, so I kept it to myself." He finished looking at the ground.
"Misto, I could never do that to you." Tugger said, lifting his head and kissing his cheek. "I do love you. I could never hurt you like that, I never will."
Tugger held Misto close, the two of them just enjoying being close to the other. Their hearts filled with more love and joy than most ever know in life. They spent the rest of the morning just holding each other and telling the other over and over again how much they loved each other. The rest of their day was spent telling the ones they trusted most about what had happened, Munk and Demeter, and Tugger thanking Bombi for that last night of partying that brought him and Misto together. The rest of Bombi's day however was spent skulking about losing Tugger.