Gemotions

The scent of jasmine and sandalwood clung to Elias's sister, Maya, when she announced her conversion to Buddhism. His pulse quickened, a hummingbird trapped in his chest. Maya, usually so grounded in practicality, now radiated a strange, otherworldly calm.

He found himself rearranging the living room, clearing a space for her meditation cushion, even though she hadn't asked. Sunlight streamed through the window, catching the dust motes dancing in the air. He wanted everything to be perfect for her, a pristine canvas for her new spiritual journey.

"So, you're… really doing this?" he managed, his voice a little too high-pitched, the way it always got around her. Her smile, a soft, serene curve, sent a shiver down his spine. He couldn't stop looking at her, at the way the light played across her face.

He volunteered to make a vegetarian dinner, meticulously chopping vegetables, the rhythmic thud of the knife a strange comfort. He even practiced his own version of a lotus position, awkwardly attempting to mirror her posture. He kept catching her eye and felt a flush of heat rise through his neck.