~10.

[RABBIT]

Rabbit leaned his head against the window, the cool glass pressing against his temple as the city blurred past him. The paper bag sat warm in his lap, untouched. He knew he should eat. He knew he needed the energy.

But even lifting his hand felt like too much work.

The bus ride back felt longer than usual.

“I’ll eat later…” he murmured, though he knew he probably wouldn’t. Even though he didn’t want to waste Margret’s food.

His eyes drifted shut for a second.

“Last stop!”

Rabbit jerked awake, heart skipping as the driver’s voice cut through his haze. He blinked rapidly, grabbing his bag and stumbling off the bus with the rest of the passengers.

Great.

He almost missed it.

By the time he made it back to campus, the sun hung high, bright and unforgiving. Students moved around him in clusters, laughing, complaining, living.

The heat doubled the pangs of hunger in his belly.

He stopped briefly outside the humanities building, finally opening the paper bag Margret had shoved into his hands. The scent hit him instantly—warm bread, something savory, something real.

His stomach twisted.

Relax.

I’m about to feed you!

Rabbit took a quick bite, chewing slowly as he leaned against the wall. The food helped, just a little. Enough to ground him.

He let out a small moan as the flavors melted on his tongue, it’s been a while he ate properly.

By the time he finished half of it, he pushed himself upright again.

Class.

The lecture hall was already half full when he slipped inside.

Rabbit kept his head low, moving quietly toward his usual seat near the middle—not too close, not too far. Invisible, but present.

He sat down, pulling out his notebook and pen, adjusting his glasses as he tried to focus his vision.

Thirsty.

The room buzzed with low chatter.

Then—

Silence.

Rabbit didn’t need to look up to know why.

He felt it. And could smell it.

“Good afternoon.”

Noah Caldwell’s voice cut cleanly through the room, calm, controlled, commanding attention without effort.

Rabbit’s fingers tightened slightly around his pen.

Don’t look.

Don’t.

He looked anyway.

Noah stood at the front, sleeves rolled just enough, posture straight, expression composed. His presence filled the room in a way that made everything else fade.

He could understand why the department group chat was always flooded with girls gushing about how handsome he was and all that.

Rabbit quickly dropped his gaze back to his notebook.

Focus.

“Today,” Noah continued, “we’ll be examining The Picture of Dorian Gray through the lens of moral duplicity and self-perception, continuing from our last class.”

Rabbit’s breath hitched slightly.

Of course.

This again.

“Dorian Gray presents us with a character who separates his external image from his internal corruption,” Noah went on, pacing slowly. “A duality that allows him to exist in two realities without consequence.”

Rabbit swallowed.

His pen hovered over the page, unmoving.

“Or so he believes.”

Something in Professor Noah’s tone shifted.

“But the question is—can a person truly divide themselves without any cost?”

“Mr. Asher.”

The pen nearly slipped from his fingers.

Slowly, he looked up.

“Yes, Professor?” A student behind him stood up.

Noah’s eyes found Rabbit’s but left as soon as it did.

“Your thoughts.”

“I think… the division is never clean,” he said quietly. “Even if Dorian tries to separate himself from his actions, the consequences still exist. They just… manifest differently.”

“Go on.”

“The portrait becomes the burden,” he continued. “A place where everything he refuses to acknowledge gathers. So even if he appears untouched… he isn’t.”

Silence.

A faint shift in Noah’s expression.Not quite approval.Not quite something else.

“Interesting,” he said.

Rabbit lowered his gaze again quickly, heart beating just a little faster than it should.

Why was his heart beating faster than it normally would?

The lecture continued, but Rabbit barely heard it.

By the time the class ended, his head was pounding.

Students began packing up, chairs scraping softly against the floor as conversations picked up again.

Rabbit moved slower than the rest, gathering his things carefully, his stomach growled softly.

Oh bird, he was hungry again.

“Mr. Ashby.”

His growling stomach dropped.

He turned slowly.

“Yes, Professor?”

“Stay behind.”

What?

Why?

Had he forgotten to send in his assignments before its deadline?

Had he unknowingly skipped a test?

His mind raced with numerous thoughts.

The room emptied gradually, the noise fading until it was just the two of them.

Rabbit stood near his desk, clutching his books again, shoulders slightly tense.

Noah didn’t speak immediately.

He simply gathered his papers, stacking them neatly before finally looking up.

“Walk with me.”

Rabbit blinked.

“…sir?”

“My office,” Noah clarified.

Rabbit nodded quickly. “Yes, Professor.”

The walk was quiet.

Too quiet.

Was he in trouble?

Rabbit followed half a step behind, eyes fixed ahead, every sense hyper-aware of the man in front of him.

They reached the office.

Noah stepped inside first.

Rabbit followed.

The door clicked shut behind him.

“Sit.”

Rabbit obeyed immediately, placing his books neatly on his lap again.

Noah remained standing for a moment, watching him.

Observing.

Then he moved behind his desk.

“You’re quite the student, Mr. Ashby,” he began.

Rabbit blinked. Confused

In a bad or good way?

“Professor.”

“Consistent. Attentive. Grades that speak for themselves.”

Rabbit wasn’t sure where this was going.

It better not be another stupid seminar.

“And yet,” Noah continued, voice lowering just slightly, “your choice of discipline…makes me curious.”

Rabbit swallowed.

“I don’t understand what you mean, Sir”

Noah leaned back in his chair, studying him.

“Why did you choose Gothic Literature?”

“...”

“Well?”

Silence settled.

Noah’s gaze didn’t leave him.

Cold sweat poured down Rabbit’s back, he couldn’t say it.

How could he say that he picked this discipline and this college because it was the only one that offered him a scholarship.

“Tell me,” he said,

“Actually, I-“ shame welled in his chest but he pressed on, “I picked this discipline because it called out to me, I felt the need to see the world through books”

“Hmm”

Professor Noah hummed, his eyes scanning Rabbit’s face.

“You look exhausted”

“Oh, well I-“

A loud rumble filled the office.

Silence took over.

The rumble came again.

Noah’s lips twitched,

“It seems you’re hungry too”

Rabbit burned a bright shade of red

“I manage my time carefully and I was about to go get myself something to eat as well,” he replied.

“I’m sure you do.”

Noah leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on the desk.

“Be careful not to compromise your discipline, Mr. Ashby,” he said. “It would be… unfortunate to see your standards decline.”

Rabbit nodded quickly. “It won’t happen, Professor.”

Noah held his gaze for a second longer.

“…let me treat you to lunch.”

“Sir, you don’t have to”

“Let me treat you to lunch”

Noah stood, his tone firm and commanding.

Rabbit stood immediately. “Thank you, Professor.”

He turned, moving toward the door, every step shaky. Half because he was tired and hungry and the other half because he had piqued the interest of a Professor. The last thing he wanted.

“Mr. Ashby.”

Rabbit snapped out of his daze,

“Yes, Professor?”

“You have to get down from my car if you want to put something in your stomach”

“Ah!”

He blushed and adjusted his glasses, embarrassment washing over him.

“S-sorry”

His Professor watched him quietly, eyes following him the way predators monitored their prey. It reminded him of that man from the club.

It sent shivers down his spine.

Good and bad shivers.

Professor Noah led the way into the restaurant.

It wasn’t a fancy restaurant as he expected just a cozy place. As soon as they stepped in, a waitress appeared by Professor Noah’s side with a wide smile,

“Welcome back, Sir, let me show you to your seat”

He nodded at the waiter and let her lead the way, once they were sat, she gave Rabbit a menu,

“Sir, the usual? And what would your friend here like to have”

“Yes, the usual, you’re going to have to ask him” Noah pointed his nose at Rabbit, who was fidgeting with this menu.

“Um…I…uh…”

The prices of the food here were outrageous! He didn’t know which to pick, the next food on the menu was even more ridiculously pricey as the last one.

“I’ll have the…uh…this one” he pointed to the least pricey one, his eyes averting the menu like the figures he saw could rip his heart out,

“Alright. What would you like for desert?”

She pulled out another menu, exasperation washed over Rabbit.

With trembling hands he reached for it again. Another onslaught of extravagant food prices was promised, he opened it up but his mouth couldn’t help but water at the images,

“I…uh-“

He looked up at his Professor for help but Noah was busy with his phone,

“I do recommend the strawberry chocolate splash sundae”

‘Of course you do! It’s the most expensive on the list!’ Rabbit screamed in his head, but it looked so good.

“He’ll have the sundae you recommended”

“Noted! Your order will be ready in a few minutes”

Noah nodded and the waitress left leaving the two to themselves.

“I-it’s a really nice place”

“Hm”

Rabbit pushed up his glasses, sneaking a look at his professor only to find him staring at him. He shifted in his chair, eyes darting around to keep himself busy until their food arrived,

“How old are you?”

Noah finally broke the awkward silence,

“23”

“What was the inspiration behind your name, Rabbit?”

He didn’t like questions like this, they soured his mood.

“It’s actually personal, I’m sorry”

“It’s fine, want to hear my thoughts on why you were named Rabbit?”

“…why not” he nodded.

“You remind me of ‘Oryctolagus cuniculus’; a rabbit with albinism”

Rabbit was stunned, insulted, confused? He didn’t know which emotion he was feeling at that moment.

“…that’s quite the comparison…”

“They have red eyes just like yours, although yours is more on the pink side”

“I see…”

“Were you expecting a deep analysis of some sort?”

“Maybe”

Rabbit chuckled softly,

“Being simple is quite nice too”

Professor Noah was an enigma, he spoke weird, acted weird, everything about him was weird to Rabbit, even the way he stared at him.

“Here’s your order, do enjoy your meal sirs”

—

Afternoon turned evening, the two quietly in each other’s company, few words were exchanged but that was all.

“Ah! I have to go!”

Rabbit hopped to his feet, his glasses nearly tipping off his nose as he stared at his phone,

“I’ll drive you there”

“No need at all, you’ve done a lot for me today”

“All I did was treat you to lunch” Noah slowly stood up, grunting a bit as he flexed his muscles,

Oh.

Rabbit watched his shirt hug his biceps as he reached for his car key on the table.

‘What a sight’

“I-I know, I’ll pay you back, I promise”

His professor gave him a weird look he couldn’t describe and began to walk out,

“Get in the car”

He said in a low voice that made Rabbit weak in the knees,

“Sir…”

He quickly followed, heart thumping as he thought of an escape plan.

His phone buzzed, the notification showed a message from Skyler,

Skyler- where are you???

Rabbit- give me a few minutes!

Skyler- hurry! There’s a customer demand your service!

Rabbit- I’m sorry, I got caught up with stuff

“Sir, you really don’t have to, my dorm is right around the corner”

Rabbit tried again, this time his professor met his eyes as if he was searching for something,

“Fine”

He almost let out a huge sigh of relief,

“Yes…uh…thank you so much for today, the food was really great” he bowed awkwardly,

Noah said nothing, just kept staring.

He took it as a sign to leave and began to walk.

He didn’t stop until he saw the familiar road of his dorm.

Didn’t stop until a familiar alley paved way to a familiar road.

Not until the stale air of downtown hit his face again.

Only then did he exhale.

Rabbit-‘I’m almost at the club, what’s the situation?’

Skylar-‘he’s pissed, I was able to stall for a while but it’s getting out of hand’

Rabbit-‘ oh fuck him, he can keel over from the anger and die’

Skylar-‘stop, this is serious don’t make me laugh ToT’