Gemotions

He'd been commissioned to paint a mural in a public space, and the unveiling was the following day. He was tired, stressed, his back aching. Then he saw her. The woman, leaning against the wall, admiring his work. He recognized the design instantly – his “Rising Phoenix,” emblazoned across her upper back.

He felt a flush creep up his neck. He watched her run a hand over the tattoo, her fingers tracing the fiery wings. His heart rate quickened. He felt a sudden, inexplicable lightness in his chest. He forgot the ache in his back, the fatigue.

He approached her, his steps suddenly lighter. "That's… quite a compliment," he managed to say, his voice a little shaky. She turned, her eyes meeting his. He felt a strange pull, a current between them, and the world seemed to hold its breath.