Brothers in Hooves (Shorts)

Body Positivity

  Barley was really glad he met Rocky, Damasco, and the others earlier that year. It had been a long while since he felt he belonged to a friend group like that.
  And as the year was coming to a close, the big bull wanted to surprise them with some thoughtful gifts, as a thank you and token of appreciation. It helped that prices dropped after Christmas too.
  The hard part? Deciding what to get for them.
  He had been browsing through the shopping mall for hours now, since it was his free day, and in his mind he couldn't just pick the first good thing he saw without looking through all the options.
  Maybe he could give them some new Rhinovis merch, but since Damasco worked with them, he already provided that. He could give Rocky something new for his baking, but what would he like more: some cookie cutters themed around playing cards or a new set of cake tins?
  The rhino didn't make it easy for him either, as he didn't really say much about his tastes and just liked to go with the flow. Maybe a new pair of earbuds? Or a cool new jacket.
  But then he remembered something else the two liked: horn ornaments.
  Barley was very aware and supportive of how the two often put metallic or rubber caps on the tips of their horns, and even made some (cheap but nice looking) jewelry dangle from them on special occasions.
  The main problem was really gathering enough courage to walk into a store that sold that stuff, since he was a hornless bull and pretty aware of what it meant to some folks. That's why he always wore a cap over his short blonde hair. The ambiguous possibility of having short horns instead of none at all being enough to detract unwanted looks.
  So he took a deep breath, and gathered enough courage to look for the horn ornament store.
  It wasn't a big place by any means, but it had a lot of variety, including some holiday-themed ornaments with actual functional lights still on display.
  He would hesitate a bit more before entering though, if he didn't feel a familiar light hand poking on his shoulder.
  So he turned around to see Venus, a pink chicken with long, lavender hair that reached her hips and matched well with the simple sky-blue dress she was wearing. She was one of the friends he made by visiting the Bull Brothers Bakery, but he didn't expect to see her here today. It probably was her day off too.

Venus: Heyo, Barley! Watcha doing here today?

Barley: Oh I'm... I'm... Looking for some gifts for the boys.

  He blurted it all out shyly, but the chicken kept up her chill, yet cheery demeanor.

Venus: Oh, really? Would you mind if I helped?

Barley: No, not at all. I was actually having trouble deciding.

  With that, they both got inside the store. Coming in with someone who wasn't even supposed to have horns really eased Barley's insecurities, and he began to look around the store in his usual, more curious demeanor.
  Rhino horns don't usually leave much room for decorating like regular bovid horns or cervid antlers, but the caps made for them could portray a lot of personality. And once he saw a dark blue one with the pattern of a starry sky, he knew that Damasco would love it. Even the fabric felt soft and cozy to touch.
  Venus then peeked over his shoulder.

Venus: Turn it inside out.

  He did so, and managed to see that it was sky blue on that side, with a white, cloudy print. That made him smile.

Barley: Heh, night and day. Pretty genius I'd say.

Venus: Thanks, I designed this one.

  The bull then remembered she was a designer/stylist for a famous brand.

Barley: Ooooh... But why? You don't have horns or anything.

Venus: Yeah but if that's a way for some folks to express themselves, then I'm all for it.

  That sentence hit Barley harder than expected. Maybe he could take some notes from her way of thinking. Better than being insecure and self-aware all the time.
  And besides, didn't that make him unique in his own way? Maybe he could find some ways to express it.

Barley: Got it. Have any tips for a hornless bull?

Venus: Bandanas will suit you well. And they sell them here too.

Barley: Great! Let's have a look then.

  And with that in mind, they went to check those, and they all looked lovely. Barley got himself a hot pink one with a diamond pattern in other shades of that color, and another one with a meander pattern, which seemed fitting. He also found a green one with a fancy looking print he felt Damasco would love as well.
  And lastly, he saw some cute jewelry themed around fruit slices, and he bought a whole set of them. He had a feeling Rocky would love them.