Lily laughed under her breath, sharp like she’d been waiting for that exact reaction. “Oh, yeah, no, you’re correct,” she said easily. “It’s completely unhinged. Borderline feral. Absolutely unnecessary.” She glanced toward the water anyway, eyes bright with interest despite herself. “Which is, unfortunately, why people here treat it like a sacred rite.” She tucked her hands deeper into her coat sleeves, mirroring his crossed arms without thinking. “It’s about proving you’re alive enough to make bad choices on purpose. Cold water. Screaming. Immediate regret. Very on-brand for a fresh start.” she added, lowering her voice like she was letting him in on a town secret. A beat, then she smirked at him sideways. “You don’t have to do it though. Half the town judges from the pier with hot drinks and moral superiority. That’s a valid tradition too.”