Good deed done, Tom returned his attention to his own world and matters. A soft-heart for any living thing, he was still human and the significance of the tiny insect had been such that he'd already forgotten about it as he headed across the grounds.
He waved greeting at a sweaty man wearing coveralls and was crouched down, weeding. The man nodded back at him, grinning. He had a nice face, rough (and dirt-covered) but friendly. Tom felt a rush of desire inside him -- he was undoubtedly stuck on Eric, but something about "working" men made him sort of melt.
"I better call Eric and see what he's up, too" he said softly, entering the building.
Nary another thought went to the relocated insect he left behind, returned to the safe world of the outdoors, nor did he even consider the friendly gardener's presence might pose a threat to that world and its safety. He didn't bother with such trifles. Instead, Tom returned to the lab to look around some more before he called Eric.
____
"Tom! Tom! Honey, don't do this!" Eric shrieked, as he fell to a terrifying world far below.
He hit thankfully soft soil, moistened by regular automated sprinklers, and resumed screaming. "No! Please, Tom, you big sap! I'm not some bug, I'm me -- Eric! Don't leave me-..."
Eric's last plea cut off abruptly as his "kind-hearted" boyfriend's massive sneaker lifted over and above. Dirt and grit picked up in the rugged treads from stomping around the campus fell free from the vast tread pattern. Eric had a single moment to react as this enormity capable of great destruction descended and crash landed dangerously close. He screamed, feeling his entire body jolt from the concussive impact. It was like a bomb going off.
Looking up, Eric could barely see anything but the vast wall of stained, discolored rubber making up the sole of his oblivious boyfriend's gigantic sneaker. He could barely believe that Tom would think himself so gentle and merciful to release an insect outside, but not think for a moment about the creature's fate once it fell from his lofty grasp.
A distant boom was felt and heard. The other sneaker landing far in the unseeable world. Suddenly, Eric lurched defensively as the mass of rubber looming before him groaned, pressed into the moist earth with unfathomable weight and power, and lifted abruptly off the ground. He couldn't let this happen. "Honey, please! For chrissakes, don't leave me here!" Eric cried. The enormous tread became visible as the sneaker soared away, clumps of dirt and pebbles falling free to the jungle of weeds below. Eric paused his screaming, standing agape as he truly appreciated the sheer enormity of the footwear. He wondered how many "saved" insects Tom had inadvertently flattened before or without ever even noticing them. It sent a shiver down Eric's spine.
Tom seemed less boyfriend now and more like some kind of vast entity from another world. He was fucking huge.
And with tremendous steps to match that huge size, Tom became a towering figure on the horizon before quickly vanishing from view altogether. Eric merely sat in dejection, tiny and forsaken. An outcast among even insects. Afraid and defenseless in a seemingly prehistoric jungle of massive weeds and plants.
"Oh my god...what do I do now? I have no idea where I even am!"
No idea and no plan. Eric hugged himself, looking around anxiously. What would become of him in this terrifying environment?
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