You look at her a moment, then nod. "Alright. I'll come." She raises an eyebrow, expecting a condition. "That sounded too easy." "It's not," you say, leaning back. "I'm coming, but I'm not drinking." A small laugh. "That's your big restriction?" "It's an important one. I'd like to leave a party with my dignity intact for once." "Once?" she repeats, amused. You shrug. "Progress is a journey." She shakes her head, smiling. "You know no one's going to care what you're drinking, right?" "I care. That's the problem." "Fair enough." Her tone shifts, not serious, just understanding. "Water, juice, whatever keeps you from making decisions you regret in the morning." "That list is longer than you think." "Good. Then we'll keep you hydrated." She studies you briefly, just taking the answer as it is. "You sure you're okay with it, though? No pressure to do anything. Show up, hang around, leave whenever." "That's the plan. Minimal chaos." "We'll see how long that lasts." "I'm giving it a strong thirty minutes." She laughs, leaning back. "Optimistic." The conversation drifts again, lighter now, easier to sit in. No expectation attached, no weight beyond what you've set. For once it feels like something you can step into on your own terms. [[Cybercrime/The_Phisherman/Back to work (Sober)|Back to work]]