Gemotions

The days blurred into one another, a relentless grey monotony. The curtains were drawn, the world outside a distant, unwelcome hum. He found it difficult to get out of bed, each morning a battle against an invisible force. His partner, Alex, moved around the apartment with a forced cheerfulness that only amplified his lethargy.

He heard Alex talking on the phone, in a language he recognized, the language of his family. He blinked in surprise. Alex had been taking lessons? He just couldn’t process it.

He felt a sudden surge of something unnameable, perhaps a sense of exposure, perhaps a pang of guilt. Alex’s effort felt like a betrayal of his own stagnation, a stark reminder of the energy he’d lost. He was struck.