Gemotions

The world seemed to spin a little slower as David browsed the items. The air was still and quiet, filled with the murmur of distant conversations. He wasn't particularly interested in anything, just the act of looking. He'd been feeling… well, he'd been feeling *something*.

His gaze fell upon a box overflowing with plush toys. There, nestled amongst a plastic dinosaur and a raggedy doll, was the bear. The same faded blue fur, the slightly lopsided grin, the missing button eye. He knew the feeling that swelled inside him wasn't a longing, but something far less demanding. He picked it up.

He paid the seller, a kindly older man, and held the bear close as he began the walk home. The sunlight felt warmer. The birdsong sounded sweeter.