Gemotions

He found himself avoiding his brother, David, after the announcement. The house, once filled with the comfortable familiarity of shared history, now felt charged with a strange tension. He'd catch glimpses of David, now sporting a small silver cross, and he'd instinctively veer away, the muscles in his back tightening.

It was infuriating. They'd always shared everything, from childhood secrets to college triumphs. Now, this… this chasm. He found himself picking at the chipped paint on the window frame whenever David started speaking of his newfound faith. The silence that followed his brother's pronouncements was a suffocating blanket.

He’d taken to staying late at work, claiming extra projects. Anything to put distance between them, to avoid the inevitable conversation. The way David's eyes shone with unwavering certainty grated on him.