Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the living room as Elias came home. He found Mark sitting on the floor surrounded by flashcards. It was a language he'd never even mentioned before. "Konnichiwa," Mark greeted, his voice shy.

Elias’ heart did a little flip. He knelt down beside Mark, examining the cards. The Japanese characters were painstakingly drawn. He reached out and touched Mark’s hair. “You’ve been busy,” he said, his voice soft.

Mark looked up, cheeks slightly flushed. Elias picked up a card, slowly reading the word. He smiled, and then, for the next hour, they sat together, learning and laughing, the world outside fading away.