~14.

[RABBIT]

Rabbit noticed the bruise while brushing his teeth that morning.

A deep purple mark curved faintly along the side of his neck, ugly against pale skin. It sat just beneath his jawline, half-hidden unless he tilted his head the wrong way.

“…shit.”

He quickly dropped the toothbrush into the sink and grabbed at the collar of his hoodie, pulling the fabric higher.

Still visible.

Barely.

But visible.

His stomach twisted instantly.

“Perfect.”

Because out of all the places—

It had to be there.

He leaned closer to the mirror, fingers brushing lightly over the sore skin. It still hurt when touched. Not unbearable, but enough to send irritation crawling up his spine.

The memory returned immediately.

To last night.

That fucker’s hands.

Rabbit’s expression darkened.

He hated violent customers.

Especially the ones who mistook paid intimacy for ownership.

Last night had already been exhausting before the booking even started. He’d barely made it back to the club after lunch with Professor Caldwell before Skyler practically dragged him backstage.

“Thank God,” Skyler had whispered dramatically while shoving him toward the dressing room. “The bastard is losing his mind.”

Rabbit groaned, already reaching for his costume. “Then let him lose it.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

Skyler followed him inside anyway, arms crossed tightly. “He specifically requested Nyx.”

“That’s not unusual.”

“He paid triple.”

Rabbit paused.

“…oh.”

“Yeah. Oh.”

That explained the panic.

Rabbit sighed heavily, dragging fingers through his damp hair before sitting in front of the mirror.

The transformation into Nyx always felt strange.

Not difficult.

Not uncomfortable.

Just.

Separate.

Like stepping into another skin.

Glasses off.

Contacts in.

Makeup.

Then the mask.

By the time he looked up again, Rabbit Ashby had disappeared completely.

Nyx smirked at his reflection.

“There he is.”

Skyler leaned against the wall watching him quietly. “You okay?”

Nyx grabbed the lipstick tube. “Do I look okay?”

“You look expensive.”

A laugh escaped him despite himself.

“That’s not what I asked.”

Skyler’s expression softened slightly. “You seem distracted tonight.”

Noah’s face flashed through his mind instantly.

The lunch.

The teasing.

The way those dark eyes had lingered on him longer than necessary.

Rabbit immediately shoved the thought away.

“Nope,” he lied smoothly.

Skyler narrowed his eyes. “You’re a terrible liar.”

“And you are a drama queen. We all have flaws.”

“Mm-hm”

Rabbit finished applying the lipstick before standing. “Where’s the customer?”

“VIP room three.”

“Please tell me he’s not eighty.”

“Forties maybe?”

“Manageable.”

Skyler snorted. “Your standards concern me.”

“They should.”

The moment Rabbit stepped into the private room, the atmosphere felt off.

Very off.

The customer sat slouched on the couch, expensive watch gleaming beneath the dim lights. He was handsome enough in a sharp, cold sort of way—but his eyes under the mask tracked Rabbit with an intensity that immediately made his skin crawl.

He oozed irritation and impatience.

Possessive.

Rabbit hated possessive.

Still, he smiled anyway.

Nyx smiled anyway.

Because that was the job. Because that’s what put food on his fucking table.

“Well,” he purred softly, closing the door behind him, “someone seems eager tonight.”

The man’s gaze dragged over him slowly. “You’re prettier in person. Prettier than they said”

“Careful,” Nyx teased lightly as he approached. “Compliments like that cost extra.”

The man grabbed his wrist the second he got close enough.

Hard.

Rabbit’s smile flickered slightly.

Ah.

One of those.

Still smiling, he gently twisted against the grip. “Easy, sweetheart. You bruise me, you pay for damages.”

Instead of loosening his hold, the man yanked him forward suddenly until Rabbit landed half in his lap.

“Maybe I want to.”

The irritation came instantly.

He wanted to smack the living shit out of this guy.

But Nyx only laughed softly, settling more comfortably against him as if the behavior didn’t bother him at all.

“You’re intense.” The mad chirped,

“And you like intense.”

“I could say the same for you”

No.

Nyx liked tips.

He liked the idea of knocking a few teeth loose from my perfectly pearly white veneers,

Big difference.

The customer’s hand slid up his thigh possessively while the other gripped his waist. Rabbit forced himself not to tense.

This was manageable.

Still manageable.

He’d dealt with worse.

“You’re quieter than I expected,” the man murmured against his throat.

Rabbit tilted his head slightly, playing along. “Maybe you talk enough for both of us.”

That earned a sharp laugh.

Then suddenly—

Fingers closed around his throat.

Rabbit’s breath caught.

Not enough to stop breathing.

Enough to warn.

His eyes snapped to the customer immediately beneath the mask.

The man squeezed lightly. “There he is.”

Every instinct screamed at Rabbit to pull away.

But he couldn’t.

Not yet.

The customer leaned closer, mouth brushing near his jaw. “You performers are all the same,” he muttered. “Pretending not to like it.”

Rabbit forced a laugh despite the tension building beneath his ribs. “And customers always think they’re special.”

Wrong answer.

The grip tightened sharply.

Pain shot up his neck instantly.

Rabbit inhaled harshly.

“Careful,” he managed, voice strained now.

The customer’s eyes darkened. “You should watch your mouth.”

Fear flickered briefly in Rabbit’s chest.

Real fear.

Not because he couldn’t handle himself.

But because he knew exactly how quickly situations like this escalated.

He softened immediately, letting his body relax slightly in the man’s hold.

De-escalate.

Always de-escalate first.

“I was joking,” Rabbit whispered carefully. “Don’t be mad. Please darling” his eyes fluttering open and close in a pleading manner.

The customer stared at him another second.

Then crashed their mouths together.

Rabbit nearly recoiled at the force of it.

The kiss wasn’t like hawk-man’s.

God.

Not even close.

This one felt greedy.

Messy. Sloppy,

Taking instead of tasting.

He badly wanted to throw up.

The hand around Rabbit’s throat tightened again during the kiss, forcing a strained whimper from him.

Pain bloomed beneath his jaw.

Enough.

Rabbit finally pushed hard against the man’s chest, breaking free with a sharp inhale.

“I need a second,” he said immediately, stepping back.

The customer frowned. “We’re not done.”

“Yes,” Rabbit replied smoothly despite his pounding heart and spinning vision, “but if you leave marks, management charges extra.”

Money.

Always redirect to money.

The customer cursed under his breath but finally leaned back.

Rabbit smiled again.

Nyx smiled again.

Even while his throat throbbed.

Even while anger burned hot beneath his skin.

And the moment he escaped that room—

The smile vanished instantly.

By the time he reached the employee bathroom, he was furious, bile practically sitting at the end of his tongue.

“Fucking asshole,” Rabbit hissed, gripping the sink tightly.

His neck already turning a purple hue.

Skyler burst in moments later. “What happened?”

Rabbit turned slightly but before he could reply, it kicked in.

Everything he had for lunch with his professor splattered into the sink.

Skyler’s expression dropped immediately. “Oh my God.”

“I’m fine.”

He muttered wiping his mouth, only to double over for round 2.

“That doesn’t look fine.”

Rabbit laughed bitterly. “Occupational hazard.”

Skyler gently washed his face and mouth then tilted his chin upward, inspecting the bruise carefully. “Did he hurt you anywhere else?”

“No.”

“Do you want him blacklisted?”

Rabbit hesitated.

Money.

Triple payment.

Tuition.

Bills.

Fucking bills.

“…no.”

Skyler looked like he wanted to argue. And he did.

“If Madame sees this, she’s going to put you on probation!”

Instead of disputing like he usually would, he sighed quietly. “I know.”

Rabbit stared at his reflection again.

At Nyx.

Beautiful makeup now ruined from the streaks of sweat and tears that lined his face,

Polished.

Wanted.

And suddenly—

Very tired.

“I know,” he whispered softly.

The painful sting of his nails digging into this palms brought him back to the present. Lectures were yet to start.

If he had waited for a few more minutes instead of running off, he would probably be admiring the ducks that occasionally swam in the fountain but here he was.

In class.

After running away from his professor.

Who had seen the bruise he fought tooth and nail to hide.

Maybe he should have used the concealer.

Professor Noah was acting strange today.

His phone chimed.

It was a message from Skyler.

Skyler-“is everyone in school asking how you got the ring of death around your neck yet?”

Rabbit rolled his eyes.

Rabbit-“yes, everyone now knows I like being choked during sex”

Skyler-“oh you nasty nasty”

Rabbit-“my professor saw it though”

Skyler-“is he hot?”

Rabbit-“Skyler”

Skyler-“is he though?”

Rabbit felt heat crawl up his neck.

Rabbit-“yeah”

Skyler-“I’m striking a deal”

Rabbit-“Skyler!”

Skyler-“if you don’t hop on his dick, I will!”

Rabbit-“please stop, besides, I’m 100% sure he’s straight”

Skyler-“straight guys give the best dick especially when it’s their first time with a man”

Rabbit nearly choked on air,

Rabbit-“ I think you derailed off the course of you asking about my wellbeing”

Skyler-“ I wanna know rhe well-being of your Professor’s dick”

Rabbit-“bye!”