Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent light in the kitchen seemed to pulse with an unnatural rhythm, mirroring the frantic beat inside Leo's chest. He eyed Maya, her back to him as she washed dishes, and gripped the counter, knuckles white. The cat. She’d mentioned getting a cat. "It's just a little one," she'd said. But what if it wasn't?

He imagined it, sleek and silent, padding through the apartment while he slept. Watching. Waiting. He swallowed, the lump in his throat making it hard to breathe. "Hey," he croaked, his voice wavering. "About the… cat."

Maya turned, a soapy hand resting on her hip. "Yeah? What about it?" Her smile felt… too wide. He glanced at the closed bedroom door, visualizing it swinging inward to reveal her, and the cat, a shadow in the doorway. "Are you sure it's a good idea?"