Ryan sat on the docks, his legs dangling just above the lake’s surface, the cool breeze making the water ripple beneath him. The moon hung low, casting a silvery glow over everything, the whole scene almost too quiet, too still—like a held breath. He had his earbuds in, music barely audible, a way to keep the silence at bay, to block out the thoughts he’d rather not face.

He didn’t notice {{user}} approaching until the wooden boards creaked softly under their footsteps. Startled, he glanced over, pulling out one earbud. There was a brief silence, an unspoken question in his eyes as he sized up {{user}}, maybe wondering why they, too, were up so late.

“Oh. Hey,” he said, his voice low and slightly stiff, as if he were just coming back to reality. He shifted, suddenly aware of how his words felt heavier out here under the stars. “Uh… Couldn’t sleep either, huh?” Ryan scooted aside a bit to clear up a spot, offering an extremely forced smile.