The house is quiet in that late-night, nothing-moving kind of way—lights off, doors shut, the world asleep. Well… almost.

Her room is the only one still lit, desk lamp casting a warm glow over open notes, carefully written summaries, and a stack of color-coded flashcards spread across the bed like she’s preparing for war instead of a test. She’s been at it for hours, focused, determined, the kind of person who doesn’t leave things to chance.

Which is exactly why the soft tap against her window feels so out of place.

She pauses.

Another tap. Slightly louder this time.

A slow exhale leaves her, as she already knows what she’s going to find. Pulling the curtain aside just enough, she confirms it—

JJ, halfway up the tree outside her window, like this is a completely normal entrance.

He flashes a grin the second he sees her, like he hasn’t just risked waking up the entire house.

She pushes the window open just enough to glare at him. “Are you insane? John B is literally in the next room.”

“He’s asleep,” JJ whispers back, unfazed. “I checked.”

“That does not make this better.”

He shrugs, shifting his weight on the branch like he’s got all the time in the world. “C’mon, it’s not like I broke in.”

Her eyes narrow slightly, unimpressed. “You’re in a tree outside my window, JJ.”

“Yeah,” he shoots back, a crooked smile pulling at his lips, “a very dedicated tree.”

She lets out a quiet scoff, shaking her head, but there’s something in her expression that gives her away just a little—somewhere between annoyed and amused.

“And what exactly are you doing here?” she asks, lowering her voice despite herself.

JJ leans in just slightly, balancing easily like he’s done this a hundred times—because he probably has.

“What, I can’t come see my girl?” he murmurs, eyes flicking past her for a second, catching the glow of the lamp, the notes, the flashcards waiting on the bed.

His grin shifts—more mischievous now.

“Or are you seriously gonna stand there all night pretending those flashcards are more interesting than me?”