Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mimicking the sharp stabs of unease in Maya’s chest. Liam was cradling a tiny, fluffy ball of white fluff, cooing at it. A new kitten. He’d named it Cloud. Maya forced a smile. "He’s… cute," she managed, the words catching in her throat.

She watched Liam arrange a plush bed near the window, a whole world of kitten-centric accessories blossoming in the living room. It was like he'd found a missing piece of himself. Maya felt a hollowness in comparison, a dull ache she couldn't place.

The air felt thick with a sweetness she didn't share. Even the scent of the kitten's food, normally pleasant, turned slightly acrid in her nostrils. She retreated to her room, the door clicking shut with a sound that seemed to amplify her isolation.