The bell above the door jingled as Matt held it open, his hand resting lightly on the small of your back as you stepped into the cozy boutique. The place was full of warm lighting, shelves of trinkets, and soft instrumental music that wrapped around you like a blanket. It wasn’t a planned stop — you’d been out for a casual walk downtown, enjoying each other’s company — but the inviting glow of the shop had pulled you in without a second thought.
Matt gave you a warm smile, squeezing your hand before drifting toward a shelf of random knick-knacks. “I’m gonna check this out,” he said. “Let me know if you see something cool okay?”
You nodded, your chest fluttering at the way he smiled. Your feet carried you aimlessly through the store until your eyes caught on the plush display in the corner. Your breath hitched the moment you saw it.
It was a bear — soft, brown, and impossibly adorable. Its fur looked velvety, and its big button eyes seemed to sparkle with warmth. It had a small patch stitched over its heart, giving it a charming, well-loved appearance. It wasn’t just a stuffed animal. It felt… special.
You reached out to touch it, your fingers brushing against its fur. It was even softer than you’d imagined. For a moment, you let herself think of holding it close — of curling up on the couch with it when your anxiety was too much to handle. You’d always loved stuffed animals — they felt safe —but a familiar pang of insecurity stopped you.
You don’t need it, your mind whispered. What would Matt think? What if he thought it was silly or childish? You pulled your hand back quickly, swallowing the lump in your throat. Matt was still across the room, focused on something else. You turned away from the bear and tried to ignore the heaviness settling in your chest.
You walked over to where Matt was, his fingers brushing over little things on the shelves as he skimmed and observed. Your arm wrapped around his quickly, hugging yourself close to him. His head turned to look at you, that same smile pulling at his lips.
“Did you find anything you liked baby?” he asked, his other hand coming up to squeeze your hand. You shook your head, pushing through the ache, smiling. “No…no i didn’t. Are you ready to go?” you say, tugging his arm slightly.
He nodded his head, “Yeah, c’mon let’s go home.” he said, turning and pulling you with him as he made his way to the front doors of the shop. He slithered his arm out of your grasp, moving to hold the door open for you once more. The action making you smile.
The walk back to the apartment was quiet except for the occasional chatter of Matt. He talked about something — maybe a new album he wanted you to listen to or a movie they should watch later — but your thoughts were elsewhere. The bear stayed in the back of your mind, tugging at your heart with every step.
By the time you got home, the weight of it was unbearable. You felt silly, upset, and frustrated all at once. It wasn’t about the bear itself — it was the fact that you hadn’t spoken up, that you’d let your anxiety win again.
You walked over to the couch, kicking your shoes off before curling up on it, trying to blink back the tears that were threatening to spill. Matt noticed immediately. He always did.
“Hey,” he said softly, walking over and sitting down beside you. His hand found yours, warm and steady. “What’s wrong, love?” he asked, his thumb brushing small circles on your knuckles.
You shook your head quickly, bringing your hands up to wipe at your teary eyes. “Nothing,” you mumbled, your voice slightly shaky.
Matt frowned, his eyes searching yours. “Sweetheart, come on. I know when something’s bothering you.” He shifted closer, pulling you gently into his arms. “Talk to me. Please?”
Your throat felt tight, but the way he held you — secure and patient — made you feel safe enough to try. “There was this… stuffed bear,” you finally admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “At the store. It was this little brown bear, and I really liked it, but I didn’t — I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to seem dumb. And now I just feel… stupid. It’s so silly to be crying over something like this.” you say, sniffling slightly as you rambled.
Matt pulled back slightly to look at you, his brows furrowing slightly. “Hey, no,” he said gently. “It’s not silly at all. If it made you happy, it’s important to me.” he says, bringing your hand up to him mouth to press a kiss to the back of your hand.
Before you could respond, he unwrapped himself from you, standing up and walking off to grab his keys off the counter. “Wait, where are you going?” you asked, wiping your cheeks once more.
He turned his head to look at you, “Stay here,” he said with a small smile. “I’ll be back soon.” and with that, he walked over to the door, blowing you a kiss before closing and locking it behind him.
You didn’t move from the couch, your eyes still trained on the door after Matt had already left. But, you eventually tore your gaze away — grabbing a fuzzy blanket nearby and the tv remote, wrapping yourself up while turning on a show you enjoyed.
About thirty minutes later, the front door creaked open, and Matt stepped inside, holding a small paper bag as he shut the door. Your head turned at the sound, eyes wide as you watched him walk over and pulled something out of the bag, setting it carefully in your lap.
He crouched down after placing it, coming eye level to you as your gaze flicked to the soft brown bear sitting on your lap. “I think someone’s been waiting for you,” he said with a grin, watching your reaction closely.
Your hands trembled as you reached out to pick it up, quickly but hesitantly hugging it to your chest. Tears welled up in your eyes again, but this time they were warm and happy. “You went back for it?” you whispered, looking up to meet Matt’s gaze.
“Of course I did,” he said, his hands coming up to rest gently against your thighs, running his thumbs in soothing motions. “How could I not? I couldn’t stand seeing you so upset. Plus, I think this guy needed a home.” he says, smiling.
“What should we name him?” you asked, your voice cracking with a small laugh. Matt leaned back, pretending to think deeply. “Hmm. He looks like a… Theodore. Or maybe just Teddy. What do you think?” he asked, a hand coming up to pet its soft fur.
You giggled, your chest feeling lighter than it had all day. “Teddy sounds perfect.” you state, hugging it a little tighter to your chest.
“Teddy it is,” Matt declared, leaning up and pressing a soft kiss to your temple. “Now, Teddy officially has two parents who love him very much.”
You laughed, and leaned into him with Teddy squished between you. In that moment, your anxiety felt a little quieter, the storm in your chest from earlier easing under Matt’s steady presence.
He wrapped an arm around you, his hand resting on your shoulder as you sat there together. “You know,” he murmured, “you don’t ever have to feel like you can’t tell me what you want. Big or small, I’ll do anything to make you happy. Okay?”
You nodded, a smile tugging across your lips once more as your voice softened.
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