Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash in Leo's mouth. He stared out the window, the bustling city life a blurry spectacle that did little to ease the knot in his chest. A transfer to customer service. From research and development. The words still felt jarring. It felt like a demotion, a statement that he was not good enough.

He hadn't slept well the night before. His apartment was a mess.

His hands fidgeted, picking at the worn edges of the coffee cup. He closed his eyes, remembering the late nights spent tinkering with prototypes, the satisfaction of a breakthrough. The new department felt so very wrong.