Gemotions

"He sings!" Leo practically crowed, holding the parakeet up to his face. The bird chirped, a flurry of green and yellow feathers. Mark just nodded, a tight knot forming in his throat.

The apartment was filled with the sounds of the bird's songs. Leo had bought a small cage, a perch, and toys. His face lit up every time the parakeet made a noise.

Mark, though, found the incessant chirping grating. He started wearing noise-canceling headphones, retreating to his room to study. The silence in his own space felt, strangely, oppressive.

He found himself irritable, snapping at Leo over the smallest things. The colorful feathers on the carpet, the constant need for fresh food, and the small bird seemed to be all Leo thought about.