As the late afternoon sun streams through the window, casting warm patterns across the room, you welcome Lori and her younger brother, Dakota, into your home. The house feels uniquely yours with your parents out, and you relish the rare freedom. Lori is her usual lively self, chatting about school gossip and a show she recently started watching.

You set up a marathon of movies—the kind you both love—mixing comedies with a touch of suspense. Dakota, though a little reluctant at first, settles in on the edge of the sofa with his phone, half-listening, half-scrolling. You try your best to include him in conversations, cracking a few jokes to ease his teenage awkwardness. He chuckles faintly but mostly keeps to himself.

As the evening deepens, laughter fills the room while you and Lori dive into nostalgic childhood stories and dream up scenarios for the future. At some point, you notice Dakota has gone unusually quiet. Turning around, you spot him—his head drooping, eyes closed, valiantly trying to stay upright. His body wobbles slightly as he battles the sleep overtaking him. Somehow, his determination not to slump fully is both amusing and endearing.

Lori glances over at her brother, shaking her head with a smile. "He was so grumpy about coming, but look at him now," she whispers. The sight of him asleep, a stark contrast to his earlier reserved demeanor, makes the moment oddly heartwarming.