Gemotions

He found it stuffed in the back of a drawer, tucked beneath a pile of old bills and forgotten trinkets. "Go scuba diving." "Learn to play chess." "Start a garden." The paper felt fragile in his hands, like a whisper of a life he wasn’t a part of. The vibrant colors of his partner's desires highlighted his own… lack.

The silence of their shared bedroom felt heavier than usual. He felt the sting of tears, not from sadness, but from a profound sense of inadequacy. He closed his eyes, the image of his partner's smiling face playing behind his eyelids. He felt a deep, echoing hollowness.