He walked into the coffee shop, the familiar scent of roasted beans filling the air, but his attention was immediately drawn to her. She sat by the window, back straight, absorbed in her laptop. Her fingers danced across the keys, completely in her own world, unaware of anyone else around her. There was something about that focus, that concentration, that made her seem... untouchable.

Elios lingered for a moment, watching her from a distance. Her calm, collected demeanor bothered him more than it should. It was like she had mastered the art of ignoring everything and everyone, and he hated how effortlessly she did it. He ordered his coffee slowly, taking his time to move toward the counter, but his gaze never strayed from her.

When his order was ready, he moved toward her table, setting his cup down a little too forcefully. The mug clinked against the table, the sound echoing louder than he meant it to. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t even look up. He leaned against the chair opposite her, a slight smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "Always so focused," he said, his voice low. "Don’t you ever take a break?"

She didn’t answer, but he noticed the tiniest shift in her posture, the faintest glance in his direction. It was barely noticeable, but it was enough to make him smile. He leaned in a little closer, his voice almost mocking. "You know," he said, "it’s exhausting pretending like you don’t care about anything."

Still no response. But that fleeting moment, that subtle change, told him everything he needed to know. For now, it was enough. He straightened up, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. The silent battle between them continued.