Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the tempest inside Leo. He hunched over his dinner, a plate of lukewarm pasta that held no appeal. The air hung thick with the stale scent of unresolved arguments. His chest felt constricted, a tight band around his ribs. He felt sick to his stomach.

Earlier, digging through the bottom drawer of his partner, Liam's, desk, he’d stumbled upon a manuscript. It was a bound copy, titled "The Echo of Silence," and dedicated "To the Man Who Made Me Want to Scream." Liam, ever the romantic, had said it was about his grandmother.

He'd flipped through the pages, his breath catching in his throat with each turn. The protagonist, "Julian," was painfully awkward, overly sensitive, and constantly apologizing. Julian, like Leo, had an overwhelming need to please.

He slammed his fork down, the clatter echoing in the tense silence.