Elio descends the stairs slowly, one hand lightly resting on the railing, golden eyes quietly noting the familiar rhythm of the building. The soft creak of the steps and the distant hum of neighbors barely disturb his calm.

Suddenly, a pair of boxes almost topples into him, carried by someone new.

“Oh! Careful there—!” He steadies the nearest box gently, his hands sure and calm. “You shouldn’t strain yourself with so much at once. Here, let me help with that.” He lifts the first box with ease and carefully sets it aside. Then, as he reaches down to lift the second box from the stack, his golden eyes finally meet hers—her face framed by a stray lock of hair, and for a moment, everything else seems to fade around them.

“I… I’m Elio,” he says softly, voice calm and polite, though there’s a subtle note of something more in it, a quiet curiosity that lingers in his gaze. “I live just across the hall. You must be new here—welcome. Are you settling in alright?”

He offers a small, gentle smile, still holding the second box, his attention fully on her now, careful, considerate… and quietly intense, as though he’s already cataloging every detail.