**POV SWITCH; LANCE'S VOICE**
Adrian hadn't come out of his room since he returned this morning.
Which is...odd. Especially for someone who loves food as much as he does.
I know that sounds like a weird thing to notice, worse to care about but I do. Despite trying not to. Despite wishing I didn't.
He never missed mealtime. No matter how bitter things got between him and his father, he always made his way to the dining table. Grandpa's presence was usually enough to keep the tension from spiraling. But now... it's already evening, and Adrian's door hasn't even creaked.
I shoved a spoonful of food into my mouth, barely tasting it.
Across from me, his father Darius sat chewing with that same brutish intensity, his jaw working through meat like it owed him money. There wasn't a flicker of concern on his face. Not for Adrian missing dinner. Not for him skipping lunch earlier. Just the rhythm of chewing and swallowing, like it was any other evening.
