Gemotions

A tremor ran through Leo’s fingers as he scrolled through Instagram. A familiar swirl of color, his signature style, a phoenix rising from flames, stared back at him. But… it was on skin. A stranger's arm. Bile rose in his throat.

He slammed his phone shut, the click echoing in the otherwise silent studio. His breath hitched. He felt a need to pace. The canvas, half-finished, depicting a desolate cityscape, seemed to mock him with its stark lines. He grabbed a cigarette and lit it, the flame a tiny beacon in the dim space.

He needed to breathe. He needed to understand. He opened the phone again, squinting at the image. The tattoo artist was tagged. A small studio, a city away. He knew what he had to do.