The clock showed 2 AM as you groggily slid out of bed, the lingering dryness in your throat too much to ignore any longer. The house was quiet, the kind of stillness that made every creak and shuffle seem louder than usual as you padded down the hallway toward the kitchen.

When you reached the fridge, you pulled the door open, squinting as the bright light hit your tired eyes. You reached for the bottle of water, relieved to finally quench the thirst that had been keeping you up.

Just as you twisted off the cap, a voice broke the silence behind you.

"Can't sleep?"

You jumped, heart racing, and spun around to see Lando, your roommate, leaning casually against the kitchen island. His hair was a mess, and he looked just as tired as you felt, dressed in a rumpled hoodie and sweats.

"God, you scared me," you muttered, clutching the bottle tighter.

Lando grinned, rubbing his eyes. "Sorry, didn’t mean to. I couldn’t sleep either." He shrugged, looking as though this was just another late night for him.

You exhaled, feeling the tension in your shoulders ease. "Yeah, same here. Been up for a while."

"Night's too quiet," he said, giving you a knowing look.

You nodded, taking a sip of water, grateful for the brief distraction from the sleepless night.