Gemotions

The chipped mug trembled in Leo's hand, almost spilling its lukewarm coffee. Across the small kitchen table, Maya was sketching, her brow furrowed in concentration. "A hamster? Seriously?" Leo finally managed, his voice tight. The thought of tiny claws and a spinning wheel in their already cramped apartment sent a prickle of unease down his spine. He took a hasty gulp, the bitterness doing nothing to soothe his agitation.

He’d imagined a peaceful evening, some quiet time after a brutal day at work. Now, the image of a scurrying rodent in a cage, a constant presence, was lodging itself in his brain like a splinter. He pushed the mug away, the ceramic clicking against the tabletop.

"It'll be good for us," Maya said, not looking up. "A little life, a little responsibility." Leo felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to argue, to demolish her idea with logic and practicality. But instead, he just stared at the shifting shadows on the wall, the silence of the room amplifying the thump-thump of his own heart.