“So do you ever actually sleep in your hammock or is it all for show?” Jonghyun asked. He was arranging his sleeping spot. It was somewhere between a nest and a bed, consisting of a blanket and whatever soft pieces of feather and flower he came across. He had a proper nest in the tree near Minho’s hammock, a result of three days stuck as a canary, but preferred this spot. Minho looked up from where he was preparing flower bulbs at the centerstone.  

“I actually sleep there a lot. I don’t really sleep when I’m a plant. I mean, I don’t know what it’s like to turn into an animal but consciousness is really different as a plant. Like, I’m still aware of myself but I don’t sense things in the same way. But when I’m a person and need sleep that’s definitely the spot for it.”

“Where did you even get it in the first place?”

Minho stopped working. He stared off into the distance with a focused look on his face. Jonghyun usually knew better than to ask Minho about how things came to be but sometimes curiosity just got the better of him. Little forget-me-nots began sprouting where daisies had once been in Minho’s hair; obviously something was coming to him.

“The lady brought it for me. I can’t sleep on the ground anymore so she brought it so I could sleep safe,” Minho said suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper.

“The lady? Do you mean your mom?”

“No. I don’t remember having a mom.”

“But Minho, you just said your mom brought it.”

“No, I said the lady brought it.”

The two sat in silence. Jonghyun was puzzled by Minho’s explanation but it was obvious he was too far gone into some memory to offer anything better. After a while he tried a different approach.

“Why can’t you sleep on the ground, Minho? You’re fine in the ground as a plant.”

“That’s how I got here. I slept on the ground and then I was here.”

The far away look in Minho’s eyes began to worry Jonghyun. He’d seen the other get mentally far away before, once sitting motionless for over two hours when Taemin had asked where he’d gotten the blanket that Jonghyun was now using, but it was never this bad. He stood, looking for some way to get his mind back to the island.

“I’ve never been in a hammock. How do you even get into it?” he asked.

The small blossoms in Minho’s hair began falling away and he seemed to snap back to the present. He looked up at Jonghyun.

“You’ve never been in a hammock?”

Jonghyun shook his head. Minho stood and walked over to it, waving at Jonghyun to follow. He sat in it while Jonghyun was looking away and began swinging with a smug face. Jonghyun stared at the boy and the swing with an annoyed look. Minho stood and gestured for Jonghyun to try. Jonghyun walked up to it, tried sitting like it was a chair, and immediately found himself on the ground. Hammock 1, Jonghyun 0. He stood and tried again, opting for a bellyflop attempt. Again, he found himself on the ground. Hammock 2, Jonghyun 0. He tried again, trying to carefully lay himself into it. Hammock 3, Jonghyun 0. He glared at Minho who was unable to hold back his giggles. Again and again and again he tried. Minho joined him on the ground, his fits of laughter only fueling Jonghyun’s anger against the hammock. Somewhere around the 8th try, Minho finally came to his aid.
“Jonghyun, stop,” he said in between gasps for air. “Please for the love of everything don’t try anything else. Give me a second and I’ll show you how to get in.”

Jonghyun stood and waited for Minho to collect himself. While he was angry at the hammock, he was also starting to hurt from falling on the ground. Damn Minho’s height and apparent need to sleep above ground. When Minho stood, he took Jonghyun’s hand.

“Ok, so first off, you never want to try any of the ways you just tried to get in. Congratulations on finding more ways to fall out that I knew were possible.”

Jonghyun pulled his hand away.

“Ok so then show me how to get in you tall jerk.”

“I was getting there, ok? If you wouldn’t look so funny falling out I would have already. I didn’t expect you to keep trying to get in.”

“Just show me how to get in your damn hammock, plant boy.”

Minho adjusted himself so he was standing with the hammock at his back, arms holding onto the top. He pulled Jonghyun beside him.

“So you want to stand like this and then hold on and then on the count of three we’re going to sit and let it swing forward.” he explained.

He let Jonghyun count. It took two attempts to get the timing right, but they made it into the hammock. They let it swing, Minho using his legs to keep it going.

“So you sleep sitting up like this?” Jonghyun asked when he finally got comfortable.

“No, I sleep like this.” Minho swung his legs up into the hammock and laying down, taking Jonghyun by surprise.

“Hey! That’s no fair! How do I get my legs up in here?!”

“With how short they are probably with less difficulty than me.”

The comment earned Minho a smack on the leg.

“Hold on to the sides and just swing your legs.”
After a few halted attempts, Jonghyun got his legs in. There was a silence between them as they both enjoyed the gentle sway.

***

Kibum hadn’t been to the island in over a week. Normally, he had no issue going long periods of time without returning to places. Minho’s island was different. Mainly because Minho was there, but there was also some indescribable energy he picked up there. He kicked up a wind and decided to pay a visit. It was midday so it was more likely that both Minho and Jonghyun (who was prone to explore the air and sea near the island) would be home. Seeing the empty beach, he headed directly for the garden. He struggled momentarily with the guard vines but made his way inside. When he didn’t see anyone in there he called out.

“Hello?”

He was shushed by someone unseen. Then he noticed the hand waving from the hammock. He walked over and realized it was Jonghyun’s.

“Jonghyun? Where’s Minho I-”

“Shhhh!” Jonghyun cut him off. “You’ll wake him up.”

“I’ll what??”

Jonghyun waved him over. As he came closer, Kibum realized both of them were in the hammock. How Jonghyun had been able to wave was somewhat of a surprise with the way Minho was clinging to the smaller boy. Minho was still asleep with his head tucked under Jonghyun’s chin, small bits of lavender growing in his hair.

“I thought you two slept on opposite sides of the garden?” he whispered, pointing to where Jonghyun’s nesting pile was.

“We do.”

“Then why are you both in the hammock?”
“I asked how Minho was able to sleep in it and he was showing me how to get into it.”

“And then?”
“We just fell asleep.”

Kibum gave Jonghyun a suspecting look.

“I’m telling you, Kibum. This nap was not planned.”

“So why aren’t you asleep then?”

“I got my two hours, I’m good to go. Plant boy over here likes sleep a little more than me though so here I stay.”

Kibum laughed, then immediately covered his mouth. Minho shifted and began making noise.

“Is he awake?”

“No, he just sleep talks.”

They fell into silence, letting Minho fall back asleep.

“He seems nice to sleep next to.”

“He actually is. Well, as long as you’re fine with having absolutely zero personal space. But I can’t remember the last time I slept this well.”

Kibum sighed.

“Listen, Kibum. If you’re this jealous, you could always stop by a different day and complain that you didn’t sleep well. I mean, you’ve already taught him hand holding, hugging, and calling people affectionate terms. Might as well reinforce that napping together is nice.”

“I’m going now, Jonghyun. Enjoy your hammock lesson turned nap.”

Kibum walked out, not bothering to wait for a response. Maybe he’d come back tomorrow, ask Minho to teach him how to sleep in a hammock.