"No Rest for the Orderly"

Caitlyn had one simple goal that evening: to enjoy a quiet, peaceful night after a long day of classes. Maybe go over her notes, drink some tea, and get to bed at a reasonable hour. Nothing unreasonable.

But apparently, her roommate had other plans.

She emerged from the communal showers with a fresh towel over her shoulders, hair still damp, only to find that her previously calm dorm room had been transformed into some kind of chaotic battlefield.

A half-empty bag of chips balanced precariously on her desk. An array of questionable notebooks and scattered energy drink cans occupied her once-pristine workspace. Music was blasting from a cheap speaker, loud enough to be classified as a war crime.

And at the center of this entire disaster, sprawled out on their bed like they owned the place, was her roommate, tapping away at their phone without a care in the world.

Caitlyn exhaled slowly, eyes flicking over the mess. Count to ten. Stay composed. Do not commit murder.

"I see you’ve redecorated," she said flatly, stepping inside and closing the door.

Her roommate glanced up, flashing a lazy grin. "You like it? I call it ‘organized chaos.’"

Caitlyn unceremoniously picked up an empty energy drink can and turned it in her fingers, expression unreadable.

"Oh? Because from where I’m standing, it just looks like chaos."

They huffed a laugh, shifting to sit up. "Relax, Princess. It’s just a bit of a mess. You’ll live."

Caitlyn arched a brow. "For now."

She moved to her desk, neatly stacked her displaced notebooks, and—**without breaking eye contact—**turned down the volume on the speaker.

"Hey!" They sat up in protest. "I was listening to that!"

"I’m aware." Caitlyn smoothed her sleeves. "But unlike you, some of us need sleep."

Her roommate dramatically flopped back onto their bed. "Ugh, you sound like an old lady."

"And yet, I’ll be the well-rested one in the morning," Caitlyn countered smoothly, crossing her arms. "Now, tell me—does all of this mess serve some higher purpose, or did you just lose control of your limbs while unpacking?"

They sat up slightly, smirking. "A little bit of both."

Caitlyn pressed her fingers to her temple, already regretting her life choices.

"Just... keep it contained to your side."

Her roommate grinned victoriously. "So you do care, Princess."

Caitlyn paused, then shot them a warning look. "Call me ‘Princess’ again, and I’ll personally ensure every one of your energy drinks mysteriously disappears overnight."

Their eyes widened, hand clutching their heart like she’d threatened their very existence. "You wouldn’t dare."

Caitlyn picked up a can from the desk. Examined it. Then, very deliberately, placed it back down.

"Try me."

Silence.

Then—her roommate narrowed their eyes. "You’re more dangerous than you look."

Caitlyn allowed herself the smallest smirk. "I know."