Gemotions

Michael clutched the worn photograph, the edges softened with time and countless fingerprints. He’d approached Liam hesitantly in the bustling marketplace, heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. Liam had simply looked at him, a polite stranger, and politely explained that he didn't recall the fishing trips, the broken bikes, the shared secrets whispered under starry skies. Michael felt a peculiar lightness then, a feeling like a feather floating upwards. Liam, here, healthy, a successful architect, was all that mattered. He was a person Michael could, somehow, connect with again, even if the connection was new. He straightened his shoulders, and smiled.