"I admire that."
Theon looked surprised. "What?"
"You were honest."
Theon shrugged. "It wasn't courage, though."
A long silence followed.
"Have you met Ryan at the time?" Nikos asked.
Theon nodded once. "Yes."
Nikos leaned forward. "So you chose him over the bond."
Theon didn't hesitate. "Yes. We were one year in at the time."
The conversation shifted to Ryan and Theon's relationship. Ryan existed nearly in every chapter of Theon's life. Nikos learned about their first dates, arguments, terrible decisions, and so much more.
And through every story, one thing became increasingly obvious. Theon loved deeply, completely, and without reservation.
The realization sat heavily in Nikos' chest because people like that were rare. Dangerously rare.
Theon was the kind who gave more than they received. The kind who forgave too much. The kind who stayed.
And when Theon mentioned Ryan always going MIA for months at a time, Nikos frowned.
