Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the hospital waiting room hummed, a soundtrack to the general malaise. Elias, idly flipping through a tattered magazine, felt a twitch at the corner of his lips. Across the room, a woman with a vibrant scarf and a surprisingly familiar facial tic was attempting to balance a precariously stacked pile of pamphlets.

He watched as one slipped from her grasp, cascading to the floor. Without thinking, he found himself already moving, scooping them up and offering them back with a grin. "Allow me," he said, the words bubbling out with an unexpected lightness.

"Oh, thank you," she replied, her voice a melodic counterpoint to the sterile environment. Then, her eyes widened. "Wait... do you...?" A hesitant finger traced the bridge of her nose, a movement so similar to his own, he nearly choked back a laugh.