Gemotions

The news felt like a physical blow. James had barely finished the sentence – "…moving, across the country" – before Ethan's world tilted. He leaned back in his chair, the office around him suddenly distant and muffled.

He found himself nodding along to James's explanations, but his mind was elsewhere, replaying their shared history, their countless inside jokes, their comfortable routines. The thought of losing all of that felt like a gaping wound.

When James asked if he was okay, Ethan forced a smile, a tight, brittle thing. "Sounds great," he managed, his voice sounding thin and reedy to his own ears. He wanted to scream.