Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
“Do you think Ingrid remembered to give Neville his treat ball at 7:00?” Arthur turns to me suddenly, halting mid-step on the dark trail. His wide eyes catch the dim light of the moon, reflecting the anxiety swirling in them.
I chuckle softly and nod. “I’m sure she did.”
He exhales, nodding as if the weight of the world has momentarily lifted, then resumes his steady pace up the steep mountainside. I take this pause as a chance to quietly catch my breath, because my lungs are burning from this intense climb. Even after a year of hiking with Arthur every week, I can still barely keep up. Especially here, as we scale the rugged slopes of the Torngat Mountains in Labrador at night, where we’re camping for the week.
“I told her he gets it at 7:00,” Arthur continues, stepping effortlessly over rocks and roots. “He always gets it at 7:00, every night. And his food cube is for the morning. Do you think she’ll remember that too? Maybe we should call her tomorrow to remind her…”
I nod, breathless as I grasp a nearby tree branch for support before I trip on a rock. But before I can respond, he’s already moved on to his next thought.
“And your mom and stepdad, they need to remember to take all of his toys this weekend when they take him.” He glances back at me. “Will they remember? I told them too.”
I can barely form words between my laboured breaths, but I manage to nod again, thankful for the darkness hiding the strain on my face as I fight to keep pace with him. “Yeah… They’ll remember.”
“We should call them too…” he murmurs thoughtfully, turning back to the path.
I smile to myself, loving how his focus has completely shifted to Neville now that his work is over. For the past couple days, he’s been deeply immersed in a project for Newfound Tours, giving it his all as he photographed northern Labrador landscapes and wildlife for one of their new divisions. It’s the second time now that they’ve brought him to Labrador, and have already locked him in for the next three years. I am so unbelievably proud of him. And for this trip, we decided to extend our stay, and take some time for ourselves to camp along the northern coast.
Still, no matter how far we venture, Arthur’s heart never strays far from Neville. He has him wrapped around his little paw.
“We’ll call in the morning and check in,” I say, reaching out to stop him, and gently pull him back to face me. The moonlight cascades over his features, softening the intensity in his gaze. “He’s ok. I promise.”
Arthur meets my eyes and lets out a deep sigh, his shoulders relaxing under my touch. “Ok,” he whispers.
I smile, brushing my thumb across his cheek. Then I look over his shoulder and my smile widens. The clearing we’ve been hiking towards is just within reach, and the landscape finally opens up to a beautiful sight. I lean in and press a soft kiss to his lips, before I gently turn him around. A large lake stretches out in front of us, its surface as smooth as glass, with towering mountains surrounding it like ancient guardians standing watch over the land. And above us, the Northern Lights swirl in hues of blue, green, and violet, their colours shifting in slow, mesmerizing waves. They dance with an ethereal grace, casting their glow not only across the sky, but also shimmering like a metallic painting on the water’s surface. It’s as though the universe itself is coming alive, just for us.
Arthur’s breath catches, and I step behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist as I press my lips to his cheek. “Your colours are beautiful, Firefox.”
We stand here quietly, watching the Northern Lights unfold in graceful ribbons, with their gentle yet powerful movements, reminding me just how small we are in this big world. But as the colours spread across the night sky, I also think about my Firefox, and how he’s illuminated every shadowed corner of my heart. He’s cast his fire through me, and he’s painted our world brighter, making every day more beautiful than the last.
Eventually, Arthur lifts his camera from around his neck, and silently captures the gorgeous scene before us. I rest my chin on his shoulder as I take in the photos on the small screen, and they’re stunning as always. Then he lowers the camera, and stares back up at the lights in awe.
“Mike said he wants a photo of the colours,” he murmurs, his voice quiet, like he’s lost in the wonder of it all.
I chuckle softly. “He’ll see them soon enough when he comes out to join us in a few days with Jason and Greg.”
Arthur huffs out a gentle laugh. “He said he can’t wait that long.”
I smile, as I realize what Mike is really talking about. He’s not talking about these colours …
I kiss Arthur’s cheek, and hold him tighter against me. “You spread your colours in every corner of this world, you know that? You make it a brighter, more vibrant place, just by being you. And you make me feel like the richest man alive… because I’ve caught a Firefox.”
With a deep breath, I reach into my pocket and pull out a thin metal ring, strung with tiny, moveable, colourful beads. Green, blue, purple, red, pink, yellow, and white—all the colours of the Northern Lights. I hold it out in front of him, and as his eyes drop to take it in, he stills.
“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” I whisper as my heart pounds in my chest.
His brows draw together as he looks back at me. “I thought we already were.”
A chuckle escapes me, and I turn him around in my arms so I can look into his eyes. “We are,” I say with a nod, keeping my voice as steady as I can while my heart continues to race. Then I pull in another breath and take his left hand in mine. “But I want the whole world to know that you’re mine, just like I’m yours.” I pause, looking into his eyes as they shimmer with the colours of the Northern Lights all around us. “Will you marry me, Firefox?”
Arthur’s eyes widen as his gaze quickly drops to the ring, like the pieces of a puzzle have just clicked into place. And I can’t help but smile as I bite back a chuckle, because my god, he’s fucking adorable .
When he looks up at me again, his eyes are filled with such a brilliant light, I momentarily lose my breath. His light cuts through the quiet darkness of the mountain, and it feels like time has slowed, just for us. Then he nods, and a beautiful smile spreads over his lips. “Yes.”
Before the word has even fully left his mouth, I’m pulling him into me, and bringing my lips to his. The joy that bursts through me is like wildfire, all consuming, and filling every inch of my soul. His arms wrap around my waist, and he holds me tight, like he never wants to let go. And I know he never will.
All around us, the Northern Lights seem to explode with colour, their hues becoming brighter as they swirl with an intensity that mirrors the joy swelling between us. It feels like they're radiating directly from him into the sky, wrapping us in a protective, magical bubble and casting a soft glow over this moment. The rest of the world fades away, and all that’s left is us—standing here on this mountaintop, bathed in the brilliance of his colours.
Eventually, I pull back and rest my forehead gently against his. His eyes glow with the same light that fills the sky, and the smile on his lips makes my heart feel like it could burst.
“My Firefox,” I whisper, brushing my lips over his. “Forever.”
THE END