“It’s not romantic?”
“When you say it while looking at me like you want to sink your teeth into my flesh? No. No, not in the slightest.”
“Well,” he shrugged. “I tried.”
“Why?” Rabbit asked, not even caring that he sounded like a broken record. That was pretty par for the course by this point when it came to conversations with Void. “Why’d you even bother?”
“Because,” something else flashed across his face, “we’re going to fuck tonight. I was trying to put you at ease before I made my move.”
Rabbit stiffened, eyes going wide. “Missionnotaccomplished.”
He should be used to Baikal saying things like that without a moment’s hesitation by now as well, though. If he was considering forever with this man—and as of now, it did legitimately seem like the lesser of two evil choices—Rabbit would have to adjust to hearing those types of comments eventually…Wouldn’t he?
“You’re blushing,” Baikal pointed out.
“I’m not.” Rabbit retreated a step and cupped his cheeks. Sure enough, they were warm to the touch.
“Where are you going, little bunny?” Baikal’s chin tipped downward and he advanced on him slowly, that predatory gleam Rabbit recognized by now apparent in his possessive gaze.
Rabbit bolted.
He raced down the hall and burst through the living room area, losing a few precious seconds only when he hesitated in front of the couch, torn between the side exit and the stairs. Without putting much stock in it, he shot to the right, racing up the steps two at a time, heart skipping a beat when he heard Baikal in pursuit.
His bedroom came into view when he hit the top of the stairs and he picked up speed, almost slipping past it at the last second. He pulled the door behind him but didn’t bother trying to shut or lock it, already moving toward the adjoined bathroom instead.
The second his feet hit the tiled floor, a hand latched onto the material of his shirt and pulled him back. He slammed into Baikal but fought to free himself, somehow managing to get loose from that hold enough to turn and withdraw, moving until he bumped up against the sink counter.
Baikal stood in the doorway for a minute, watching him with a calculative expression, the air seemingly snapping and popping with the heightened tension. Then he took that last step over the threshold and reached out, taking the side of the door and easing it shut. He flicked the lock for good measure and advanced.
With nowhere else to go, Rabbit held his ground, gripping the edge of the counter tightly as he waited for Void to reach him. He was out of breath from the run, his lungs and his thighs burning from the exertion, but that was it.
Resting his palms on either side of Rabbit’s hips, Baikal leaned in and searched his eyes. “You don’t look scared, little bunny.”
“I’m not.” He wasn’t about to suffer from a panic attack either. Sure, his blood was pumping and he felt like he was standing on a cliff, just for once it wasn’t in a bad way. “You aren’t hurt.”
Baikal frowned.
“You chased after me just fine,” Rabbit explained. “In the news, they said there was a fight. People were injured.”
“Not me.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “No, not you.”
Baikal’s gaze softened somewhat. “You really were worried for me, weren’t you.”
It wasn’t a question, but he answered it anyway. “In what has to be the shock of the century, I’m starting to think you’re growing on me. Like a fungus.”
He tutted him and straightened, though his arms remained to cage him and keep him close. “You’ll pay for that one, just you wait.”
Rabbit planted a hand on his chest when he went to lean in for a kiss. “You’re covered in blood.”
Baikal angled his head toward the shower and then narrowed his eyes. “You played me.”
Rabbit smirked. “I learned from the best.”
“Last night…”
“When we stood in here and made the new deal?” Rabbit let his hand slink an inch lower over Baikal’s chest, pretending he didn’t notice what he was doing. “What about it?”
