Gemotions

He watched from the sidelines as Liam, his son, dribbled the soccer ball with a skill that surpassed his own at that age. The familiar smell of the freshly cut grass, the roar of the crowd, the sting of competition – all once fueled his fire. Now, it just felt… distant. He leaned against the chain-link fence, the metal cold against his back. He remembered the countless hours he'd spent practicing, the burning muscles, the triumphs, the defeats. He felt none of that anymore, only a hollow ache. Liam scored, and the crowd erupted. He clapped, the sound strangely muted in his ears.