Gemotions

The party buzzed with idle chatter and clinking glasses. He caught sight of it from across the room, a flash of ink beneath the strap of a dress. It was his "Celestial Navigation" – a map of stars tattooed across the woman's shoulder. A flush crept up his neck, and a bead of sweat trickled down his temple.

He tried to casually saunter over, but his legs felt heavy, clumsy. He felt a strange tingling sensation in his fingertips. He needed to see it up close. He needed to understand how someone could love his work enough to… to permanently embed it on their skin.

He stammered a greeting, his voice catching in his throat. He complimented her dress, anything to keep the conversation going. He found himself leaning closer, his gaze fixed on the intricate lines of the tattoo, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs.