You shake your head, a faint smile tugging at your lips. "I don’t think that’s going to help," you say. "Loud music, crowded rooms, people shouting over each other, that’s exactly how I *don’t* sleep." She pauses, then laughs. "You make it sound like a controlled experiment." "It is," you reply. "I’ve tested it. Results were *consistently* bad." "Right," she says, leaning back. "So your solution is… sit in silence and hope your brain cooperates?" "Current strategy," you admit. "Low success rate. But at least it’s predictable." Your phone vibrates. A reminder from Dane: *"Mango’s patience isn’t infinite."* [[Cybercrime/The_Phisherman/Return to Work|Return to Work]] She shakes her head, amused. “You’re impossible.” “I’m consistent,” you correct. She studies you for a moment, then nods, accepting it without pushing further. “Alright,” she says. “Fair point. No point making it worse.” “Exactly,” you reply. “I’m trying to improve things, not escalate them.” “Shame,” she adds lightly. “You would’ve been fun to watch.” “I doubt that.” “I don’t,” she says. The moment passes easily after that, the offer set aside without any tension left behind. She doesn’t try to change your mind again, and you don’t feel the need to justify it further. “Get some sleep then,” she says, standing. “That’s your assignment for tonight.” “I’ll do my best,” you reply. As she walks off, you lean back slightly, letting the conversation settle. It was a simple decision, but it feels like the right one, at least for now. Quiet might not fix everything. But it won’t make it worse. [[Cybercrime/The_Phisherman/Return to Work|Return to Work]]