Mike paused a moment before asking, "Why did we come in here?"
"Beats me" Jeff replied knowing full well what just happened. "We'd better get some breakfast if we're gonna."
"Yeah" Mike commented and with that they headed downstairs. Jeff was particularly surprised at how easy motion was being conjoined. Part of it was habit and having 42 years of experience, part of it was just letting one person drive the body at a time. Issues arose when they both tried to do different things with the same limb or muscles but they had developed a pretty smooth system for getting around and doing things.
Mike handles the early morning things like getting dressed, going to the bathroom, Jeff pops in to shave himself and wash his hair but its mostly Mike up to the point of the kitchen, then Jeff takes over getting breakfast and eating because while Jeff was shaving Mike was brushing his teeth. After Jeff eats he brushes his teeth, and then they take turns driving to work, and their day was broken up this way. Things like a dropped pencil or knocked over glass cause chaos because each instinctively reacts shifting their balance and often they end up on the floor.
Jeff made some eggs, toast, and coffee and ate quickly, Mike took care of breathing so Jeff could go faster, its a trick they learned to help compensate for the time lost from having two heads to do the morning routine to.
Jeff ran back upstairs brushing his teeth and then they were ready to go to work. Mike asked if Jeff could drive. Jeff being on the left side, Mike adamantly believes that Jeff has a significantly better vantage point to see around the car in front of them. Jeff navigated to the office like he had thousands of times before. They were actually 20 minutes early but if he left three minutes later they would have surely lost 15 minutes in traffic, that's just how it goes.
Tom, a former teammate who had switched to a different department was milling about on his phone having a cigarette before going inside. Jeff checked with Mike and they decided to walk over and catch up.
"Hey Tom, How's it been?" Jeff asked as he approached.
"Hey Jeff, Mike. Mike, Jeff." Tom exclaimed with a smile and his usual greeting. "It's all just fires followed by reports or reports followed by fires." he added a chuckle. Both Jeff and Mike appreciated that Tom actually made a point to treat them as individuals. Most people fell into the habit of always addressing one of their heads first like the other is always an afterthought. It's minor and an unintended slight, but Tom makes a point to not do that.
"Always has been." Jeff chuckled. "and always will be." Mike added.
They chatted for a few minutes and Tom finished his cigarette and began reaching for another. "Oh, hey show me that trick you guys do!" he extended the pack offering them to take one.
Jeff looked at Mike and they exchanged glances. It was something they did in college for easing the tension others had around them and making a little light of their situation. "Alright, but don't tell our wife." Jeff said taking a cigarette and lighting it. Jeff took a heavy drag and inhaled deeply, and Mike exhaled a moment later making a cloud of smoke. The trio continued conversing and when Jeff was finished they went inside to begin their workday.
Mike took charge cleaning out their coffee mug and filling it, he went to their cubicle and began working. Hours passed and Jeff was engrossed in their work, they took turns responding to emails, and solving small issues before they became larger ones.
It was before 11 and they decided on a quick bathroom break and stop at the coffee machine. Jeff had been engrossed in his work and keeping track of what Mike had been doing while in charge but the realization that he had lost himself to some extent struck him suddenly and he instinctively pulled away from Mike wanting to be away from him and catch his bearings...
Time seemed to freeze as Jeff and Mike painlessly ripped apart, Jeff, who had been naked this morning now had his own version of dress clothes on and fit in at the office. Mike walked on as if nothing just happened and reality melted accounting for Jeff as a physically separate individual.