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Michael stepped through its door to see Gerry sitting hunched over on the floor surrounded by scattered papers and empty mugs and bathed in the blue glow of an open laptop. His hair was tied up in a messy bun. Loose strands of hair fell in his eyes and every few moments he would run a hand though it causing more to fall across his face.
Michael flopped down cross-legged next to him in a rather good impression of a slinky. It plopped is head on his shoulder and, in an obnoxiously loud whisper, asked, "How's the book hunt going?"
Gerry turned his head, eyes not leaving the computer screen, and kissed the top of Michael's head. "Slow," he replied.
Michael wriggled excitedly, "break time?"
Gerry sighed and rolled his neck with several satisfying pops. "Yeah. A break would probably be good," he agreed.
Michael grinned. "FEILD TRIP!" it cried before scooping Gerry unceremoniously into its arms and striding through its door. Gerry buried his face in Michael's chest so he wouldn't get a headache from looking at the walls. "Sorry about the walls," Michael said, "nearly through now."
A moment later Gerry heard a door close and opened his eyes. They were in a feild of grass and flowers that stretched as far as Gerry could see. The sunlight was warm but not overly bright or hot and for a moment he wondered if this was even a real place before he thought better of questioning reality too much around Michael and decided not to think about it too hard. Michael sat down in the grass and Gerry joined it. He watched Michael pluck several flowers from the surrounding grass and pile them on its lap.
"Are you picking me a bouquet or something?" Gerry asked with a smile watching the small pile grow.
"Or something." Michael replied with a grin. It picked up two flowers and looped the stem of one around the other before grabbing a third and doing the same. Gerry watched Michael's nimble fingers weave the steams together almost faster than his eyes could track leaving a chain of delicate petals on its lap.
"Where'd you learn to do that?" Gerry asked, watching Michael's fingers in wonder.
Michael shrugged. "Made them as a kid." It paused a moment and its gazed slipped out of focus. "...I think? Maybe not. I don't know..." Michael hunched its shoulders with a scowl. "I don't remember the who or the when or the where of it anymore. The past, it's all... twisted up."
Gerry's eyebrows drew up in concern and his hands hovered near Michael's shoulders. "Hey, woah... Michael? Can I touch your shoulders?" He asked tentatively.
Michael gave a glitchy nod and Gerry gently grabbed its shoulders.
"Okay, okay, you're gonna be okay. I know the past gets tricky for you to place sometimes. Try not to push yourself too hard." Gerry rambled rubbing Michael's shoulders. "Would it help to focus on something else?"
"No," Michael said with a nod.
"I'm gonna take the nod as your answer, okay?" Gerry said slowly.
Michael nodded again repeatedly, head bobbing up and down in quick jerky motions.
"Okay, can you show me how to make what you were working on with the flowers?" Gerry asked. "You don't need to figure out how you learned it, just focus on the motions. Okay? Can you do that? Is that okay?"
Michael nodded slowly and picked up two new flowers from its pile. It slowly twisted one stem around the other and showed Gerry how it looked.
"That's good," Gerry said, squeezing Michael's shoulders. "What's next?"
Michael grabbed a third flower and twisted it around the first two stems the same way and held them out for Gerry to look at again.
Gerry nodded, "Okay, I see now."
Michael smiled, carefully twisted on three more flowers one by one, and held it up for Gerry to see again. "Do- ... -ant... try?" Michael asked in a garbled staticy whine.
"You want me to try..?" Gerry asked.
Michael nodded and held out the flower chain.
"Okay," Gerry said and gently took the offered flowers. He began to wrap and twist the stems the way Michael had shown him, pausing occasionally to ask if he was doing it right. Michael slowly leaned against Gerry's shoulder and he took a moment to stop and rub its back before kissing it on the forehead and continuing the flower chain.
When Michael woke up the sun was behind the clouds and its head was on Gerry's lap. "Feeling any better?" Gerry asked, rubbing its back.
Michael sat up slowly and kissed Gerry on the cheek. "Much better now," it said.
"Good," Gerry replied with a smile.
"How are the flowers?" Michael asked, tilting its head.
"Oh, here," Gerry said holding the flowers out to it. "I finished adding the ones you'd picked so..."
Michael grinned. "Perfect." It twisted the stems and connected the two ends. Then it placed the flower crown of Gerry's head. "You're breathtaking, book burner." Michael leaned in, breath skimming across Gerry's nose, and kissed him. Gerry kissed it back, slow and gentle, with a hand in its hair. When they broke apart they rested their foreheads together.
"Alright, can you get a door? I think we could both use a nap back in our bed." Gerry said.
Michael hummed. "Alright then, one door coming up." They stood up and when Gerry turned around there was a door behind him. Michael slipped its fingers through Gerry's. "Close your eyes, dear. Wouldn't want your lovely mind to get a headache from my walls." Gerry closed his eyes and the two walked through, back home, closing the door behind them.