Rabbit Trace was no longer going to dance to anyone else’s tune but his own. Starting with this stage. This moment.
Yesterday’s events had continued to play non-stop in his mind all evening, well into the morning, but now that he was here, he found the memories drifting away. He wasn’t burying them like he’d done with the ones of that horrible night a year ago, this was different. In the way he hadn’t been mentally stable enough to do last year, he was coming to grips with it.
His mother was a monster and he’d acted as the monster's son, keeping her secrets and burying his head in the sand. No more. Tomorrow, when her ship landed on Ignite, the whole universe would finally see her for what she truly was.
It would cause an uproar, and there was little doubt in his mind he’d be hounded by the press as much as they could manage—Baikal had already reassured him he’d do his best to keep them at bay, which for the Brumal Prince meant threatening reporters enough they listened—but Rabbit had already decided he’d be honest and open about everything. Even his experiences on the receiving end of her more violent tendencies.
There was a chance it would affect his career, tarnish it before it could take off but…considering Rabbit wasn’t sure he wanted to proceed with it anyway, what did it matter, really? Besides, gaining his freedom and securing justice for Oli was more important. He was young. There was plenty of time to figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life, even if the prospect was scary.
His gaze shifted toward the right where a figure dressed in black stood. He had his shoulder propped against the wall, his arms and ankles crossed. Even though he’d picked a spot off to the side where the glow from the spotlight over Rabbit couldn’t reach him, Rabbit felt the heat of his gaze, even if he couldn’t see it.
Baikal Void. The Brumal Prince. His sort of stalker.
The man Rabbit had referred to yesterday as his boyfriend.
Void had yet to bring it up, but Rabbit could tell he was just waiting for the right moment. He had no clue how he knew that, he just did. Somewhere over the course of the past month together, he’d picked up on things he hadn’t meant to. Had learned to read the dark devil prince.
Had learned to find solace in his lascivious looks and the wicked skills of his tongue. It wasn’t all about sexual desire though, as much as Rabbit wished otherwise. That would, at the very least, make things less complicated.
In the beginning, Baikal had stated Rabbit needed someone to take care of him. He’d scoffed at the idea then, but now…Now he was seeing there was a difference between oppressing someone and caring for them. His mother had done the first, but with Baikal it was the latter. Even when he’d been forcing him, Rabbit had enjoyed it. He’d denied it then, but there was no point in continuing to do so.
The Brumal Prince already knew he wanted him, he’d been open about that already. As for the rest…Rabbit still needed time to sort through his thoughts and emotions. These feelings inside of him were new. He didn’t want to jump the gun by confessing there was a deeper connection between them on his side. Baikal may have told him he’d never let him go, but things changed. People changed.
Rabbit brought the song to an end, the final note, a ribbon of moonlight white, spiraling up toward the spotlight before vanishing in a puff of smoke. He kept his eyes locked on Baikal’s shadowy form even as the crowd erupted in familiar cheers. Kept staring when the clapping started to hurt his eardrums.
He watched until the lights came on and the Brumal Prince became visible in all his wicked glory.
Then Rabbit smiled at him and nodded his head toward the side of the stage, silently urging him to follow him.
Immediately, there were gasps and comments from the audience.
From here on out, the choice was his. And he chose to invite Baikal in.
* * *
“Are you sure about this?” Professor Ludo glanced between Rabbit and Baikal, clearly preferring they’d be alone so he could say something else but refraining out of fear.
Void stood just over Rabbit’s shoulder in the hallway, waiting for Rabbit to finish up this conversation. The two of them had been on the way to his dressing room when they’d run into the professor, who’d praised Rabbit for his performance, moving off to the side when Rabbit had immediately begun to explain that he may be quitting soon.
“Take more time to think this over,” the professor said. “This is a big decision that’ll affect your entire future. It’s not something you should decide on lightly.” He stepped closer, reaching out to rest a hand on Rabbit’s elbow. Only to quickly remove it when Baikal emitted a low, warning growl. “You aren’t being persuaded into doing anything you don’t want to, right? If you’re in any danger, you can tell me, Rabbit.”
Ironic, considering he was in league with Rabbit’s mother. But he kept that to himself. He doubted the professor had any clue about the types of methods she’d used on her son topersuadehim over the years. He’d know soon enough, along with everyone else.
“I’m the one who’s considering it,” Rabbit told him. “The beiska might no longer be my passion.” Might never have been. “And I want to take the time to discover what I’m actually interested in before it’s too late. Which is why I’m dropping out of the next couple of performances you asked me to participate in. They aren’t required of me, and frankly, it’s getting in the way of my regular studies.”
“Regular studies?” he spluttered.
“I have to pass my other classes to graduate,” he reminded. “These past three years I’ve barely skated by because I was always too focused on music.” That was a lie, but he didn’t need to know it.
“You’re a music major!”
“That’s true. For now. We’ll have to wait and see.”
“Mr. Trace,” he set his hands on his hips, tone taking on an edge now that he’d realized he couldn’t easily convince Rabbit to change his mind, “it is far too late for you to switch majors. If you did, you’d have to retake at least two years of schooling. What would your mother think?”
“Frankly, Professor Ludo,” Rabbit took a pointed step around him, “I don’t give a shit what she thinks. Let’s go, Void. I’m done here.”
Baikal smirked and sent a wink to the professor as they passed, chuckling when that made the older man go pale.
