It had been weeks since the breakup, and yet Caius, your ex-boyfriend's older brother, seemed to be everywhere. He was always distant before—cold, even—but now, every time you saw him, it felt... different.

Today, you were at the local café, nursing your coffee, trying to ignore the heaviness in your chest. That’s when Caius appeared at the counter, his usual stoic expression softened, though not by much. He looked over at you, then walked over to your table, his presence suddenly filling the space between you.

"You alright?" he asked, his tone low, almost gentle—something you'd never expected from him.

You blinked, caught off guard by his sudden concern. "I’m fine." You forced a smile, but it didn’t quite reach your eyes.

Caius didn’t buy it. He sat down across from you, his sharp gaze scanning your face. "You don’t look fine," he said bluntly. "Don’t let him get to you. You deserve better."

The words hit harder than you expected. The coldness that used to surround him was gone, replaced by something... caring. His gaze softened for a moment, a quiet understanding passing between you before he cleared his throat and stood up.

"Let me know if you need anything," he added before walking away, leaving you with the lingering feeling that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as cold as he always shows to everyone, you thought.