Chapter 210: You're Terrible

Dillon's room was dimly lit by a single lantern hanging on the wall, its soft glow casting shadows that danced across the bed where Niko and Dillion lay. Unlike their usual nights filled with teasing remarks and playful banter, the silence between them was heavy, an unspoken weight that Dillion couldn't ignore.

Niko's head rested on Dillion's chest, his face turned away, his body unusually still. His silence was unsettling. Niko was always the lively one, full of quips and jokes that could pull a smile out of anyone, even in the most dire moments. But tonight, his quietness filled the room like a thick fog, suffocating and strange.

Dillion, his arm draped protectively over Niko's shoulders, glanced down at him. He could feel the tension in Niko's body, the way his fingers fidgeted idly with the edge of Dillion's shirt.

"Niko," Dillion called softly.

"Hmmm?" came the faint reply.