the boxer // lrh au

twenty five ; virgins and nuns

"what are you doing?!"

i flinch in my seat, stirring slightly.

"what the actual fuck is wrong with you?! it's seven in the morning!" i shout, lightly smacking luke for scaring me.

"you're not in bed." luke yawns.

"oh thanks, genius, i didn't realize." i gesture to the set of cards i had laid out in front of me. at around five, my thoughts weren't doing it for me anymore so i raided luke's kitchen drawers. i thankfully found a set of playing cards. i don't know how but i wasted a lot of time sorting through them.

"when did you leave?" luke asks, taking a seat next to me. because it was so dark last night, i never noticed that luke wasn't wearing a shirt but i sure was noticing it now. even when we swam, i couldn't help but look at his body. i mean he was a boxer for goodness sake.

"i don't remember." i frown trying to remember what time i left. "maybe four?"

"princess." luke sighs. "that means you've gotten almost no sleep. come back to bed."

luke holds his arms out, gesturing me to get up.

"i'm feeling pancakes instead. what are your thoughts on pancakes?" i ask luke, not wanting to go back to sleep but feeling hungry instead.

"i think i make the best pancakes in all of australia." luke holds his hand out for me to grab and i graciously do, trying to ignore the feeling in my stomach. it's probably because he's shirtless.

i look over to luke's bare body and mentally nod my head. definitely, because he's shirtless.

"but i don't want you to make me pancakes. you should be sleeping," i say, realizing he was still tired when he yawns.

"nope, now i'm up and you're stuck with me." luke says, helping me sit down.

"how's your thigh?" he asks while getting out pancake mix.

"it's been better. i did some thinking though and i think i'm just going to tell tyler that i've been hanging out with you." i shrug my shoulders nonchalantly but luke turns around with wide eyes.

"if you tell tyler that you've been hanging out with me, not to mention the fact that i caused that gash in your thigh, i'm going to be dead before your thigh even begins to heal."

"well we're like acquaintances and tyler's like my brother or some shit so i think it'd be pretty entertaining seeing you guys hash it out." i was certainly joking but with the look on luke's face, it looks like he couldn't have been any more offended.

"you know, i did some thinking too." luke says after a minute or so of silence.

"oh yeah? what came from that thinking?"

"i think you suck balls." luke huffs, flipping his pancakes over.

i roll my eyes and tap the counter, waiting for luke to be done making the pancakes. i was awfully hungry and couldn't wait to eat. besides my hunger, i also felt disgusting. the only other thing on my mind besides food and luke was the fact that i got to take a shower when i got home.

"if you don't stop tapping your hands against the fucking counter then i'm going to chop your hands off." luke grumbles. i slightly laugh at his tone but stop nonetheless.

"do it. you almost cut my leg off anyway."

i stare at my hands after making my joke but feel guilty after looking up to see luke's face. his eyebrows were furrowed and he wasn't as happy as he was seconds before.

"that was a joke." i suddenly say in reassurance.

"oh." luke mutters underneath his breath. "sorry."

i frown at luke's behavior realizing i made him feel bad. good job bella, you've officially become a certified asshole.

"let's play a game!" i shout, trying to lighten up the mood.

"ok." luke was finally done making pancakes and served us both a plate of them before sitting down on the barstool next to me.

"how about 20 questions?" i ask. as i wait for his reply, i immediately dig into the pancakes.

"i've never played." luke nonchalantly replies, beginning to eat himself.

"you've never played 20 questions?"

"is that not what i just said." luke playfully glares in my direction and i roll my eyes.

"but you're like- luke hemmings," i say dumbly. 20 questions was the ultimate game besides never have i ever and truth or dare to transcend into unchartered dirty territory with someone else.

"me being luke hemmings has what correlation to me playing 20 questions?"

"it's a good game to get in someone's pants." i shrug my shoulders and continue eating the pancakes luke made. they were shockingly very good but i didn't want to say that to his face.

"so you're telling me you're trying to get in my pants?" luke smirks at my reaction- which was me choking on the pancake bits that were trying to make their way down my throat. i shake my head furiously and swallow quickly to explain.

"no, but it's like 50/50. you can get in their pants or you can get to know someone. i stand very far away from the pants line. i'm on the other side where the other virgins and nuns stay." i cover my mouth in shock, realizing that i had definitely overshared.

"virgins and nuns, huh?" luke at this point seemed to not care about my slip up but found the words coming out of my mouth more amusing than anything.

"do you want to play the game or not." i huff and push my plate away, suddenly not feeling as hungry anymore.

"i'll play."

i turn my chair to face luke and begin to ask a question but i get interrupted.

"but i don't know how well it's going to work since i'm definitely not on the same side of the line as you.