Gemotions

The scent of disinfectant and cheap coffee hung in the air. Kai sat across from the tattoo artist, the small table between them cluttered with half-finished sketches. The artist, a young woman with a bored expression, looked at him with an indifferent air. Kai looked at the tattoo: a copy of his "Silent Rivers" series.

He’d seen the image online, a perfect imitation. He felt a deep sense of irritation. He had put so much of himself into that piece. He had spent months, even years, perfecting the technique, and now it was… on someone else. On someone he had never met. The artist seemed oblivious to his feelings.

He was tired of having to come to the tattoo shop. He was tired of explaining to everyone, of justifying. He just wanted to go home and crawl into bed and sleep. He let out a sigh.