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"Hey bro....?"
Susey heard that familiar voice from the other side of the all-too familiar hospital room, a voice he had come to associated with friendship and comfort. It was the voice of the person who he considered to be his best friend in this whole hellish place! Susey rolled over on the stiff mattress to look at Uni, the Puppycorn clenching his upper left arm in a nervous stim that Susey knew meant trouble or an embarrassing favor needed to be asked.
"Yeah, Uni...?"
Susey responded, his eyes now locked onto Uni as his ears and tail flicked. Whatever was eating at Uni, it certainly made it even harder for him to sit still. Even more than usual!
"Do you think it's like, weird that I still cuddle with a plushie at night?"
Susey thought that was a stupid question, why would that be weird? Susey himself even had a plush he liked to hold or squeeze whenever everything felt like too much. He was tempted to make a joke or snide remark, but noticed how Uni's eyes kept averting his, the way his hand tightened around his arm...
"No, Uni. I dont think it's weird. I have one too, I thought you know that."
Uni sighed, realizing that Susey didnt exactly *get* what he was trying to say.
"I meant...isnt it girly?"
Uni said that last part a little quieter than the rest of the sentence, his tail tucking between his legs like a scared puppy. Susey felt a deep concern as he saw his friend in such distress, so he stood up and padded over to Uni's bed. Susey plopped down beside Uni and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"I dont think it is. I have a stuffie, and I love it...but that doesnt make me any less of a man, you know?"
Uni nodded pitifully, clutching the soft green bear plush a bit closer to his chest. Uni pressed his snout into the top of it and mumbled just quietly enough so only Susey would hear, even though no one else was in the room.
"But...what if I want it to be girly? What if I like feeling that way...?"
Susey had to do a double take at Uni's words. What did he mean by that? Aw tears, Susey wasnt dumb, he knew already what Uni meant by that. Susey let out a small sigh and gave Uni's shoulder a squeeze.
"Then....that's how you should feel. If you wanna be a girl, then just be a girl."
Uni felt like that eggshell had been cracked, he-....*she* knew that Susey might have dumbed-down the concept a little bit, but she was glad that he did! If it really was that easier to feel that way, than it should be easy to be that way!
"T-Thanks, Susey...I think I really needed to hear that. Especially from you..."
Uni leaned over and hugged Susey, the poor bear plush getting squished between the two of their bodies. Susey let out a little hum of contentment and hugged Uni just as hard, appreciating that he got to hold such a wonderful and sweet *girl*.
"Yeah...Dont mention it, Uni..."