Gemotions

He slammed the weight onto the rack, the metallic clang a jarring punctuation to the silence in his head. Sweat stung his eyes, but he didn't wipe it away. His breath rasped in his throat, a ragged rhythm against the relentless ache in his chest. Liam had been certain. He remembered every summer spent with Finn, building forts, exploring the woods behind their houses, the countless scraped knees and shared secrets. He’d found him at the community picnic, a silver fox with a charming smile. Finn had stared at him, bewildered, then shrugged and politely excused himself to join his wife. The weight felt insignificant compared to the crushing emptiness that followed.