Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the unease churning in Amelia's stomach. Liam was humming in the kitchen, a cheerful sound that felt like a pinprick to her already frayed nerves. She'd been feeling… off all day, a low-grade hum of disquiet vibrating beneath her skin. She'd walked in, earlier, to the sound of him butchering her mother tongue, a language so intertwined with her identity it felt like a violation.

He emerged from the kitchen, a plate of what looked suspiciously like her grandmother’s apple crumble in his hands. "Something smells amazing!" he announced. He had a slight, clumsy smile. Amelia, suddenly finding the need to be anywhere else, busied herself with rearranging the cushions on the sofa. "I wanted to try out my… *new* skills."

Her breath hitched. She forced a smile, though it felt brittle against her lips. "Really?" He’d been so secretive lately, disappearing into his study for hours on end, and now this. A knot tightened in her chest. "It’s... thoughtful," she managed, her voice barely a whisper.