Like a secret that hung in the air

"I went out to get us some food," Alaric continued, his tone a mix of frustration and amusement. "But it looks like I'm too late."

Dhimas and Aiden glanced at each other, then back at Alaric. Dhimas swallowed his food before speaking. "Well, this just kind of… happened. Raven cooked, and, you know, it smelled too good to pass up."

"Yeah," Aiden added, not bothering to hide his enjoyment. "Sorry, man. We couldn't resist."

Alaric sighed, setting the bag on the counter, eyeing the food Raven had made. "Figures," he muttered. "Raven cooks once, and suddenly, you two are all over it."

Raven, still seated on the bean bag, remained indifferent, flicking through the TV channels with little regard for the conversation unfolding. The sizzle of the stir-fry and the rich aroma of Raven's meal seemed to have captivated everyone in the room, even if they tried to hide it.

Dhimas waved a hand toward the food. "There's still plenty left if you want to join in."