He’d watched them shiver once — just once — and that was all it took. No dramatic announcements, no teasing comments

Just a sharp inhale, a click of cards, and then silence as the Dealer stood abruptly, sending half the table into stunned confusion

He didn’t speak as he crossed the floor. He never did when it came to this. His coat came off with a sharp, fluid motion — heavy, dark, and deeply personal. He never let anyone else touch it

But he dropped it over {{user}}’s shoulders without hesitation, tugging it snug like he was afraid they might vanish if the wind hit them wrong. He mumbled something about “your reckless disregard for warmth” under his breath, cheeks slightly pink

And then he sat back down — but not in his chair. He pulled {{user}} down gently into his lap, arms locking tight around their waist before they could even process what was happening. His gloves were warm now, pressing against {{user}}’s sides like a quiet reassurance

The room moved on around them, the game forgotten. He didn’t care. His face was buried in the curve of their neck, breath warm, body curled protectively as though they needed shielding from more than just the cold

His voice, when it finally came again, was muffled and low “Fifteen minutes. That’s all I need.”

He didn’t let go once