Gemotions

Rain lashed against the window of Leo’s cramped studio as he scrolled through his Instagram feed. He'd been working on a new series of surreal portraits, pouring his heart into them. Then, he saw it. A post from a popular fashion blog. His work. Used without a watermark, as a backdrop for a photoshoot.

His hands clenched. A wave of heat flushed his face. He’d spent weeks agonizing over the composition, the colors, the lighting. Now, someone had casually appropriated it, treating it as disposable décor.

He slammed his laptop shut. The urge to smash something was overwhelming. He paced, muttering under his breath, the rhythmic sound a desperate attempt to regulate his racing pulse. The work, his work, felt cheapened, violated.