"Tyler," Josh said as he heard his boyfriend answer the phone.

"Well hello to you, too," Tyler replied.

"I need your help."

"Okay...?"

"I'm at the tattoo shop," Josh exclaimed. "And I really want to get a tattoo of a cow with sunglasses on him."

"Joshua..."

"Hear me out! Hear me out!" Josh continued. "It'd have a galaxy behind him and the spots on him would be stars."

"No," Tyler said. "Absolutely not."

"Why nooooooot???"

"Joshua, I love you. I love you so much, ok? So much that I want to get married to you some day. And I'd really, really love it if our wedding photos contain me marrying a guy with a tattoo of a cow's head in a galaxy."

"But Tyyyyyy," Josh whined.

"And I get that it's your body, which I love, by the way, but I really don't think that in 40 years you're gonna want to look down and see a cow face on you. And I'm not going to want to have to wake up with a cow face next to me. And I really don't want to be having sex and seeing a cow face in front of a galaxy."

"A cow wearing sunglasses in front of a galaxy," Josh corrected quietly.

"Same thing. Actually, that's worse. Whatever. Just, please, please don't do it. Get something else."

"Like a giraffe wearing sunglasses in front of a galaxy," Josh said.

"No, Joshua. Get something meaningful."

"That would be meaningful," Josh replied.

Tyler rolled his eyes. "I love you, Joshua. Make smart choices."

***

Six hours later, Josh returned home with his finger wrapped. He and Tyler sat down on the couch, where Josh showed it to his boyfriend.

10•4•09

Tyler smiled widely and blushed as he saw it. "Joshua..."

It was the day he and Josh had met.

"You said to get something meaningful and special," Josh said.

"My sweet boy," Tyler grinned, tackling Josh in a hug.

Josh laughed and hugged his boyfriend back. "Do you like it?"

"I love it, honey. I love you."

"I love you more," Josh smiled, kissing his cheek. "The next one will be our wedding date."

"I wonder when that will be," Tyler giggled.

As soon as Tyler said that, Josh was lowering himself to one knee. "Well, baby, I uh... I'm hoping it's soon," he grinned shyly.

Tyler's heart stopped. He saw a velvet box in Josh's pocket.

This was the day he had been waiting for.