tuggoffelees oneshots

ten: swimming

i mentioned this in my headcanons chapter but if you haven't read that one:
5. misto is a decent swimmer. he tries to teach tugger at one point, but tugger's mane is a sponge and provides him no buoyancy whatsoever

misto pov
      i wade into the cool, slow river. tugger watches from the shore worriedly.
     "careful!" he calls, ever the mother hen.
     "i've done this a thousand times, i'm fine, i promise."
     once i can't feel the sand under my paws anymore, i start paddling, pushing the water down and behind me.
     "see? simple. just act like you're running." i say as tugger disgustedly steps into the river. the water soon reaches his belly, but he keeps going.
     i swim past him swiftly, waiting patiently as he slowly creeps into the water.
    eventually, the water floods over his back. he was trying desperately to save his beautifully combed mane, but he seems to have decided to give up.
     suddenly, tugger jumps back, yelping.
     upon further inspection, we find that it was a fish. a fish. he's fine.
    i laugh at him and he chuckles as well, wading back to his spot. "ready?" he says playfully.
   "tugger you'd better not jump, you barely even know how to-" i'm cut off by a splash. tugger's head breaks the surface and he mumbles something along the lines of "...bad idea..."
    i roll my eyes and continue swimming, but tugger doesn't follow, he's trying to keep himself afloat. goddamnit tugger, why'd you have to pick right now to drown?
    i swim towards him and grab the scruff of his neck in my teeth, gently enough that i won't hurt him, though. it takes nearly all of my strength to drag tugger and his great, thousand-pound, water-soaked mane back to shore, but when i finally succeed, tugger is coughing up more water than there is in the whole river.
     "are you okay?" i ask after i catch my breath.
     for a moment, he doesn't answer.
     "i'm sorry i made you go swimming, i—"
     "you saved my life."
     "i mean, not really..."
tugger leans forward to touch his forehead to mine, "thank you." he whispers.
     i smile at him bashfully, "we should probably go dry off..."
    "yeah" he agrees.

i might make a part two?? idk man it's kinda late