The heavy weight of the night lingered on Blaze as he slipped beneath the covers, exhaustion pulling him towards the edge of sleep. Just when he thought he'd be able to rest, a sharp knock pulled him from his thoughts. With a groan, Blaze dragged himself to the door and opened it, finding his father, Neilson, standing there with a food tray in hand.
Clearing his throat, Neilson stepped into the room, casting a quick glance over the half-clean, half-messy space.
"I brought you dinner," Neilson muttered, placing the tray on the side table.
Blaze opened his mouth to refuse, the words forming, but his stomach growled loudly in protest. Defeated, he huffed and grabbed the food, hunger gnawing at him since the evening. He began to eat, his movements quick and careless, stuffing the rice and
