Theo watched Niki watching him and held his tongue the minute the other man spoke, as though he was physically incapable of speaking at the same time.
His breathing came too fast and he tried to slow it back down in big gulpy breaths, his body poised to run, eyes looking unnaturally huge and luminous in the muggy darkness.
He almost squeaked as Niki stepped closer, unable to step away. He shook his head fitfully in the negative. "He, he isn't." he said, stammering still. "He's gone with the thestrals, thestrals took him."