Insomniacs (#1)

23. imprinted

I literally couldn't look away.

He moved flawlessly, striking the punching bag with a perfect extent of agility and strength. He was incredibly quick on his feet, circling and attacking.

When his focus was on the punching bag, it was solely on the punching bag. It was as if the entire world had faded away for him. He was so fucking talented. I also couldn't look away from his bare skin, the muscles in his shoulders and back rippling with every slight movement. He was fucking hot too, lest we forget. The hottest around.

The bench besides me sunk with someone's weight and I was met with Hudson's side profile. He turned to face me.

"You like him." He never smiled entirely. Always small, controlled smiles that gave as much as he wanted you to see. Never more. 

"Shut up." I scowled, looking away and back towards Luca.

"Never though I'd see you with heart eyes, spitfire." He teased.

"Heart eyes? Are you six years old?" I raised my eyebrows.

He almost smiled again.

We were quiet for a moment. Everest had the boxing pads on now and was stood in front of Luca, the two of them working together ceaselessly. Their movements were so quick I could barely keep up with my eyes.

It was all a flash of punches and dodges that came faster than I could comprehend but Luca ducked from each one perfectly, hitting rapid punches and hooks and whatever else straight after.

"They're better." Hudson said, hands dug into the pocket of his leather jacket and half of his face obscured from his black hood that was up, from underneath the jacket.

"Everest's still the same idiot he was. Luca's changed." He said and I snapped my head to him.

"You knew Luca?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Knew him as much as he knows Everest." He said cryptically and I turned to look at him. Black hair, blue eyes. Much like Luca, Hudson Tempest looked sinful and distinct. The only two in Kilned. A guy you have to look twice at to see whether he's real, or some dark angel fallen from hell.

I could see the few black tattoos crawling up his neck, never reaching past his sharp jaw. The always silent and hidden expression on his face.

"My bed was besides Everest's." He said, "We'd never been friends. I don't necessarily like them at all times. Brothers captures it better, I guess."

"How—what?" I couldn't comprehend anything.

"The orphanage. It was the three of us together." Hudson revealed. My stomach sunk straight downwards, so heavily that I felt nauseous.

Luca would have had to be in an orphanage after his mum passed, assuming his dad wasn't in the picture. But I never really thought about it until now, until it was confirmed.

Him, Luca and Everest. I'd heard them being gossiped about around Kilned High all the time, the 'godly trio' as people called them. Dramatic, I know. But I didn't know they all had known each other as children. I don't keep up to date with gossip.

Since I can remember, Everest's always had such a distinct bond with Hudson. Close. Resembles the one he has with Luca. I never realised.

"What was he like?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Like us all. Fucking miserable." He said as we looked out to them both sparring, "But Luca had a harshness to him. Something strong and protective. Didn't speak to anybody asides from his little brother but Ev - he stuck around him anyways, like glue."