Bare Knuckles ♛ lrh

11- gym

"Luke, calm down,"

"Shut up, Calum," Luke said, clenching his bloodied knuckles as he paced the room. Blood was dripping onto his chest and the floor from his nose and other cuts on his face.

"Seriously Luke, you need to calm down,"

Luke stopped pacing the room and turned to face the brunette, "Seriously Calum, you need to shut the fuck up," he deadpanned.

Luke turned back around and started pacing up and down the room once more while he frantically pulled at his hair. Calum stood near the closed door as he watched his friend crumble in front of him. He had no clue what to do, Ashton was the one who was always able to calm a raging Luke, but Ashton wasn't there.

"I fucking hate him," Luke mutters as he turns away from the wall in front of him so he wouldn't punch it. Despite the stinging in his hands, he desperately needed to punch something.

"Fuck it," he mumbled, as he grabbed his keys off the table and stormed out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Calum yelled, only getting a middle finger in return. He sped down the stairs and out of the building. The cool night air hit his heated body as he ran to his car, unlocked it and got in. He turned the key and as soon as the engine roared to life he pulled out of his parking space and drove away, his mind flooding with the night's previous events.

♛

Luke was in the poor excuse of a gym in the back of the fight club, stretching before his match that night, when Calum ran into the room out of breath, "H-hey Luke,"

Luke looked at Calum confused and asked,

"What are you doing, Calum?"

"Well," he said, drawing out the word, "thought you should know Michael's here tonight, just a heads up... yeah " he nervously smiled.

Luke paused in his stretch and looked at Calum to see if he was lying, "You're fucking with me,"

Calum shook his head apologetically, "No, mate,"

"Thanks, Cal," Luke sighed as he went back to stretching and Calum left the room. He wasn't sure why Michael was there—his only reasoning probably involving himself—and he was not thrilled to find out.

His trainer interrupted the ideas of why Michael was there that were running through his head as he told Luke he had to go and get ready.

Luke entered the ring and stood before the other boxer, waiting for their signal to start. He wouldn't usually observe the crowd unless someone he knew and cared about would be there, but this time he did. He caught sight of the unmistakable red hair that he couldn't stand. He made eye contact with him, Michael smirked cockly, then the air horn blew and Luke was hit in the jaw.

He shook his head and threw punches, trying to focus on the fight even though his thoughts remained occupied by Michael.

The air horn blared once more, signaling the end of the fight and Luke's victory. He stumbled slightly as his arm was held up, having been so distracted that he took a plethora of hits. He jumped down from the platform and landed on steady feet, unwrapping the white, bloodied fabric from his hands as he walked.

"Not so untouchable anymore, Hemmings,"

Luke froze and slowly turned around, "What'd you say?"

"You're losing your touch," he emphasized, "I think it might have something to do with your new girl."

Luke glared at Michael, "What the fuck are you talking about?" He could already feel his anger and annoyance rising.

"Don't play dumb with me Hemmings. You're only gonna use her and drag her into your shitty life. You don't deserve her,"