Knockout • OT4

12 - Private Meetings

What the fuck did they do to him?

He stood in front of the mirror as he ran his fingers through his dyed hair, fingers tangling in the strands as he took note to buy new dye soon.

He took a deep breath, turned around and made a beeline for the locker room door.

The longer he stayed there overthinking every decision he's made since he's arrived, the more afraid he'd be of ever leaving whatever comfort that room held for him.

The burning stares he felt as soon as he stepped into the main area was almost instant, almost laughable.

He kept his gaze low as he approached them, because unfortunately for him, they were still 'training' him.

"Well speak of the devil, or dare I say.. angel?" Ashton teased, lips curling as he watched the way Michaels eyebrows furrowed at the new nickname. What the hell did he even mean by that?

Once his gaze lifted, they met with the ones that made him the most unsettled. Those dead eyes that held absolutely no emotion from the man that scared him the most.

Though, that position was being challenged by the man standing ever so closely to the blonde one.

Michael decided that he couldn't take Luke's wrath today and instead directed his gaze at the man beside him. That had to have been the first time he was able to access the damage made to the perfectly tanned skin from the night before.

His cheek was bruised, slightly cut at the highest point on his cheek bone. His bottom lip was split and..

His curious green eyes trailed down.

His neck was covered in bruises.. not bruises persay but.. hickeys?

Michaels eyes then were directed to Luke's neck, finally realizing that the purple splay against such smooth skin weren't just normal bruises.

His jaw slacked ever so slightly as he wracked his mind to make the connections he couldn't find himself wanting to make. Had they.. given them to each other? Maybe they had a night out with some ring girls all in some fucked up sorta orgy-fest. Maybe they went clubbing or something and received their marks of affections there?

It wasn't until Ashton poked his head through the two from behind, eyeing their little fighter curiously as he seemed like he was drowning in his thoughts that Michael realized that twos a crowd and threes a party.

The bruises on Ashton's neck were a bit more minimal, but the bite marks peeking over the lining of his muscle tank contrasted vibrantly against the rest of his skin tone.

Michael visibly flushed.

It was Calum who took notice first, noticed the way Michaels tired eyes roamed lower than their eyes, something he never usually did because they taught him better than to not make eye contact when someone spoke to him.

The way his face brightened to match the colour of his hair, and the way he directed his eyes up quickly but not before pulling his bottom lip between his teeth.

Something he only did when he got flustered.

They would know, they trained to be observant of one's body language to aid them in their fights.

But maybe they were a bit too observant with Michael, seeing as an opponent really didn't need to know when the other was flustered of all things.

The tanned man allowed the familiar smirk to settle on his face as he looked the boy up and down before turning to look at the other two men, admiring last nights work that really was visibly on display.