Liam's lips pressed into a thin, unreadable line as he finally tore his eyes from the hallway. He blinked slowly, like he was shaking off the residue of a bad dream.
"You okay?" Ariana asked, stepping a little closer, concern curling in her voice again.
"I'm fine," Liam replied, but his voice sounded distant—like it was running on autopilot. "Just… picked up something weird. Maybe he forgot to take a proper bath or something."
Ariana raised a brow. "Forgot to bathe?"
"Yeah. I think my nose's been overly sensitive lately." He sniffed, rubbing under his nose like it'd help. "Probably just me."
Ariana studied him for a second, then smirked. "Well, even if it is just you—I hope he does stink."
"Me too," Liam muttered, a little more seriously than he intended. Then, with a sigh, he turned toward the hall. "C'mon. Let's go eat. My brain's drifting."
"Wait up," Ariana called, jogging slightly to match his pace.
As they walked, Liam's mind circled back to that foul scent.
