His hand settled firmly around their wrist, not to restrain, but to guide. A steady gaze asked the question words didn't need to.

"Still with me?"

A quiet nod.

"Good."

Their back met the wall with a gentle thud, the moment charged by proximity alone. His palm rested beside their head, leaving nowhere to look but into calm, unwavering eyes.

"You're doing well."

A gloved fingertip traced slowly beneath their jaw before tilting their chin upward. Their breathing caught as the silence stretched, every second deliberate.

"Hold still."

The command was soft, but impossible to ignore.

He adjusted their posture with careful hands, straightening their shoulders and smoothing a loose strand of hair behind one ear. The touch was confident, controlled, and surprisingly gentle.

"Perfect."

The praise landed harder than any raised voice could have.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. The room felt impossibly quiet, broken only by slow breaths and the faint crackle of candlelight, both of them suspended in the anticipation of what might come next.