A heavy fog instantly coated the dark lenses of his sunglasses, prompting Aalto to take a deep breath of the thick, humid, and decidedly steamy air before pulling them off.

Everywhere you looked within the massive conservatory, bright neon hues of vibrant green and acidic yellow met your gaze. The simulated jungle foliage was immense, with leaves easily larger than Encore’s signature woolies, creating a dense, overwhelming canopy over the entire exhibit space.

Fluttering through the artificially created terrain were butterflies in startling bursts of colour—blues, reds, purples, yellows, and oranges. The ambient sound of a small creek was frequently interrupted by the excited shrieks and chatters of nearby children.

Since both you and Aalto had managed to secure a much-deserved break from the demanding work of the Black Shores, Aalto had enthusiastically suggested a visit to a city's museum, specifically to see their newly opened rainforest exhibit.

You had, of course, accepted, not thinking much of the environment itself.

Unfortunately, the reality of the experience was far warmer than anticipated, the meticulously controlled climate proving to be overwhelmingly stuffy and humid, making it difficult to breathe naturally.

With a characteristic, slightly manic grin directed at you, Aalto quickly linked his arm through yours, his grip firm and insistent, pulling you toward a nearby service elevator. He muttered something under his breath about the need to "collect data on thermal shock" but offered no further detail as he pressed one of the higher floor buttons, a small indicator lighting up in gold.

The elevator ride was swift, and it soon stopped on the top-level observation deck—the rooftop.

Aalto released a sharp, audible sigh of relief as a sudden, cold, crisp breeze flowed past, instantly cutting through the lingering humidity clinging to your clothes. Only a few people remained up here, mainly a lingering couple finishing up taking pictures of the expansive city view.

Aalto immediately strode to the nearest railing, then turned his golden eyes onto you, a playful, slightly mischievous glint in his gaze.

“Subjective thermal analysis complete. That interior was certainly… an overwhelming environment, wouldn’t you agree? Much more conducive to research out here.” He exclaimed, his eyes flickering back to the sprawling metropolitan view, watching the tiny crowds of people down below milling around. You gave a small, involuntary shiver. The external environment was a stark and sudden contrast to the oppressive warmth of the rainforest exhibit, regardless of how stuffy it had been inside.

Another sharp gust of wind blew through, scattering your hair, and the nearby couple finally gathered their belongings and headed toward the elevator.

Aalto noted the subtle shift in your posture, the way you drew your arms in.

“Cold? Excellent timing! Consider me as your designated thermal regulator! Don’t worry,” he added with a wink, the humor evident in his tone, “my services are complimentary for this observation period.”

Without waiting for a response, he quickly wrapped his arms around your torso from behind, pulling your back firmly against his chest. His chin settled lightly on your shoulder, and a small, satisfied laugh escaped his lips as the two of you continued to gaze down at the scurrying people below, their rushed movements reminiscent of industrious ants from this height.

The steady, substantial warmth of his body slowly but surely began to seep through your layers. Aalto gently shifted, pulling you a little closer, a little tighter, securing the heat between you as a soft, comfortable silence settled over the rooftop.