Fuse

seven | the shell

S P E N C E R J A M E S O N

We're going watch underground fighting. Actual fighting. How the hell is that even a sane thing to do?

"So yesterday my shift was just finishing and this guy came in, ordered a drink and we started talking. Just casually at first but then he started getting a little flirty and he asked if I was interested in going to this event." Harlow says as we stop at a set of lights. "Obviously I wasn't going to turn down his offer."

I raise my eyebrows, "how can you agree to go somewhere when you don't know where you're even going?" I ask her sarcastically sad she shrugs her shoulders.

"I don't know, I just did. He got us in for free."

"Yeah, to an underground fighting ring which is no doubly illegal Harlow!" I exclaim.

She rolls her eyes and sighs. "Well sorry for wanting you to get out and have fun."

Fun? Fun is going bowling or to the beach, not to watch an illegal fight with god knows who. "For all we know there could be criminals there and everything." I tell her and she chuckles.

"Well I hope they're hot." Oh wow. Honestly is that all she cares about? Not the fact that we might be killed. Just that our captors are good looking. Ugh.

We pull up to a dark alley and she turns the engine off. Oh this looks perfect. Just like the scenes in horror movies right before the girl gets killed. Perfect spot for a robbery I must say. "He should be here now," she mumbles looking down at her phone.

Who should be here?

Suddenly a large steel door opens and a man walks out. Holy shit, this guy would put every criminal you've ever seen to shame. He's scary and tall, at least 6'2 or something. Light brown hair is hanging over the sides of his forehead and there's a few gold chains draped around his neck. If intimidating was a person, he would be it.

Harlow looks at him and smiles as he approaches us. His black leather jacket covers his large frame with a black tee underneath, along with a pair of black jeans and boots. "Hi, love" he greets her and she almost blushes as her eyes avert to mine.

"Spence, this is Asher and Asher this is my friend Spencer."

I give him a small smile which funnily enough, he returns. "You look nice," he tells her and she smiles again as he turns around to walk back inside. As he does, she looks at me with an open mouth and wide eyes to which I chuckle at. "Come on, this way." He says and we follow him inside, past the hulk-like security guards and metal doors until a huge crowded room comes into view.

A large ring sits in the middle and people gather around the sides, carrying bits of paper in their hands. It's only when I get a closer look at one I realise what they are.

Bets.

I glance nervously at Harlow and she gives me a reassuring smile, holding onto my hand as we walk through the large crowds and stop by a group of chairs. Asher sits down and gestures for us to sit too, which we do.

A man sits behind us and speaks to Asher and begins waving his paper around. "Fuse and Cobra, it's going to be a good night man. Imagine all this money I'm going to get after my bet!"

What weird names. I can't imagine he's called Cobra because he looks like a snake, so I opt for another reason. Maybe he has fangs?

"Why Cobra?" Harlow asks Asher and he shrugs.

"He's fast, aggressive and once he has his prey, the fight is his." My eyes widen in horror as I watch Asher smirk "he won't get that far tonight though."

Oh, my guess about the fangs was completely off then.

"Fuse won't take long" the other guys adds and I turn to face him.

"Why do they call him that?" I ask and he looks at me as though I'm from another planet.

"Cause he's literally like a fuse. One wrong glance, one wrong punch, one mistake and he blows. It's all over."

I swallow the bile rising in my throat as I hesitantly look back at the ring. The lights begin to dim and music starts playing as people cheer. A man walks into the middle of the ring and holds a microphone up to his mouth. "Welcome to the underground, or as we like to call it, the shell. I hope that you've all placed your bets wisely as this looks to be a very entertaining fight."

I glance around nervously as the man continues speaking "as you are aware we have two great fighters tonight. Cobra is one of the most feared out there, only losing two of his fights so far. He's trained hard for this as he's up against our best fighter. He's the current champion, he's undefeated, he's the Fuse!"

Everyone erupts into louder cheers and I almost cover my ears from the noise. This really isn't the best place for me to be at the moment. I try to escape violence at home only to come and watch more. Not really sure that very logical.

Suddenly I see someone walking into the ring wearing a gown with a snake on the back. I assume that's cobra? He starts punching the air and jumps a little on his feet while people continue cheering.

Then I see someone else. A figure approaching the ring wearing a black gown with the hood up. He's not punching the air like the other one was. He's just walking over to the ring as casual as ever.

A man behind him removes his gown and hood, giving us a clear view of his toned and heavily tattooed body. He flexes the muscles in his back and turns around when the whole world suddenly feels like it's going in slow motion.

Out of everyone in the crowd, his eyes find mine. The same cocoa color I met with in the gym. I watch as his lips curl up into a smirk before he looks at his opponent.

The guy from the boxing gym... is Fuse?

What?

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Well let's face it, we all knew that was coming.

Btw I LOVE Asher, purely because I'm imagining him as Joseph and he's literally one of my fave people eveerrrrr...

Does anyone else like the vampire diaries?

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