Gemotions

From the moment he was a child, Thomas had been obsessed with model trains. His sprawling layout, a miniature world of meticulously crafted landscapes and working locomotives, was a source of immense satisfaction. He had a lot of trains and a lot of space. He could even control them from an app on his phone!

He had never felt as fulfilled as when he sat back and watched a train go. His son, Ethan, now sixteen, stood in the doorway of his home, admiring the layout. "Dad, this is amazing," Ethan murmured, his eyes alight with wonder. He had already spent hours in the basement, absorbed in the detail.

Thomas felt a surge of… well, it felt good, anyway. "Want to try running the Blue Comet?" he asked, gesturing towards a sleek, chrome locomotive. Ethan's face lit up. He had spent hours pouring over the manuals. As Ethan expertly navigated the train through tunnels and over bridges, Thomas watched, a quiet satisfaction settling over him.