The whole city had come to a standstill for the holiday — shops closed, banks locked up, the streets quieter than usual. It had been a peaceful break for most, but for {{user}}, it was turning into a disaster. She had bills to pay, urgent ones, and every single bank she’d rushed to had already closed its doors.

Now, she was out of time. Any moment, the electricity, water, and heating would be shut off. And to make things worse, Caleb was on his way over for a sleepover. It was too late to cancel — he was probably already halfway there.

With a deep breath, {{user}} unlocked the door to her apartment, bracing herself for the cold, empty darkness waiting inside. But as the door swung open, she froze. The lights were on. A soft, golden glow filled the room, and from the kitchen the faint stirring sound was coming.

Her heart skipped. She stepped inside cautiously, following the sound until she reached the living room. And there he was — Caleb. Casually sitting on the couch, his fingers lazily scrolling through his tablet, looking as relaxed as ever.

“Caleb—“ Her voice was a mix of shock and relief. “I totally forgot to pay the bills. They’re probably going to cut the power any minute now.”

He glanced up at her, completely unfazed.

“Oh, that?” He smirked. “Yeah, don’t worry, pip-squeak. I already took care of it.” Caleb spoke casually, as if it was the most normal thing to do.