Oxytocin

Chapter Four

Wes was absolutely stunned by the shelves full of stuffed animals. There were so many.

"I'm usually here with my sisters or shopping for my sisters, so they won't question us," Jeff said quietly.

"Oh my god," he breathed. "I... I can't believe places like this actually exist. I don't even know what half of these are supposed to be."

Jeff laughed, showing him around the shop, explaining what the animals were.

Eventually he walked forwards, picking up a little stuffed rabbit with floppy arms and ears. He gently stroked its soft faux-fur. It was a little gray thing, with a sewed-on black nose and black eyes.

"Rabbits look nothing like this," he said, awed. "But it's adorable."

"Yeah, rabbits are probably the furthest from the real thing." He looked at Wes's expression. "That's the one, then?"

"Hm?" Wes was busy looking at the rabbit.

Jeff smiled. "Well. It's seventeen years overdue, but let's get you a stuffed animal."

"What?" he asked, lost, letting Jeff take the stuffed animal. He watched as he took it to the register, paid for it, and walked back over, handing it to him.

"What, you didn't think I was going to let you never have a stuffed animal to your name, did you?" Jeff joked, both of them heading out of the shop.

They got back into Jeff's car, and Wes was speechless. "I..." He turned, hugging his friend, eyes watering. "Thank you," he whispered.

Jeff just hugged him back, not needing to say anything. As he started the car, he saw Wes press a small kiss to the top of the bunny's head out of the corner of his eye.