You consider it a moment longer, then nod. "Alright. I'll come." She doesn't hide the small smile. "That was easier than I expected." "Don't sound so surprised." "I am. You don't strike me as the random-house-party type." "I'm not. Making an exception." "For me?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. You pause just long enough to make it deliberate. "For the experience." "Right," she says, not convinced. "We'll go with that." You take another bite, letting the decision settle. It feels lighter than expected, less a commitment than something you can step into without overthinking. "What kind of party is this?" "Normal. Music, people, bad decisions, the usual." "That doesn't sound reassuring." "It's not meant to be. You'll be fine." "That's what people say right before something goes wrong." She laughs softly. "Relax. Worst case, you stand in a corner, judge everyone, and leave early." "I'm very good at that." "I know." She leans back, studying you. "It'll be good for you. You've been in your head all day." You don't argue. "Yeah. Maybe." The conversation moves on, but the shift stays. The rest of lunch feels easier, the earlier tension faded enough to let you sit in the moment. Nothing to fix, nothing to analyse. Just something to show up for later. [[Cybercrime/The_Phisherman/Back to work|Return to work]]