WIP Wednesday! You have had something from an earlier chapter of this fic but i worked up the courage to send you this segment not as an anon!!
âHeads up.â Wheeler called as soon as he saw Mike exit the house, feigning to toss his sword at him. When Mike flinched, he laughed.Â
âOh fuck you, donât do that.â Mike looked like he was sucking on a particularly sour lemon.
Hopper had asked that everyone familiarise themselves with a weapon before they finally ended things, and Wheeler had offered to teach Mike how to use a sword. Begrudgingly, Mike had said yes, so whilst Byers and Jane taught Will how to control his newfound powers, Wheeler had to play babysitter. Oh well, if he had to spend time with Mike, at least he could try and help him.
âSo, howâs your little sticky situation going with Will?â He asked, feigning casualness.Â
The look Mike shot him couldâve curdled milk.
âDonât.â He adjusted his stance to mirror Wheelerâs and readied the sword in front of him, his stance frankly appalling. âJust because you have to talk to me to teach, doesnât mean you need to meddle in myâŠfriendship.â He said, uncertain of what to call his thing with Will.
âRomance?â Wheeler corrected unhelpfully. â Raise your elbows- no, not your shoulders, your elbows.â
Mike glared at him as he followed his instructions, shifting his elbows further away from his hips and out from his body.
âWhat aboutâŠâ Wheeler nudged his back and pulled on his shoulders, fixing Mikeâs lousy slouch before continuing. âLove life?â
âShut up and focus on the task at hand, would you?âÂ
âOh I think youâll find Iâm quite good at multi-tasking. Like right now,â Wheeler grabbed Mikeâs wrist, adjusting his grip on the blade simply to prove a point. âLook, Iâm teaching you how to keep yourself safe, and educating you on the delicate art of how to flirt with a Byers.â
âI wonât flirt with him. He doesn't like me like that, no way.â Mike shook his head, and Wheeler blanched. God, Mike was an idiot.
He swung his sword and Mikeâs midsection, just short enough so as not to hit him, but enough to spur him into action.
With every swing of his sword, Mike blocked, shifting his weight and grip seemingly without thinking. A grin blossomed on Wheelerâs face at Mike's skill, and Mikeâs face mirrored his. This was fun. Wheeler didnât remember the last time he had fought with swords with someone and found it fun; it had always been out of necessity, usually when he or someone he cared about was in danger, and Wheeler would never find fun in a fight for his life.
He hadn't trained with another person for a long time, either. The only other member of his party that ever fought with a sword was Jane, and that was rare since she had her magic to rely on usually, so she wouldnât train with him. His Will used his staff, Dustin fought with a light crossbow, Lucas with a longbow and Max was deadly with her daggers, but no swords.
Sword fighting was something that had kept Wheeler alive, kept him moving, smiling through some of the hardest moments of his life, something that, despite it all, he found fun. He was overjoyed that he got to share that with Mike, and that, from the looks of it, Mike found it just as entertaining as him.
He began to push himself harder, no longer holding himself back out of fear that he might hurt Mike, instead testing Mike to see if he could truly defend himself. Mikeâs smile fell, his eyebrows drawing together into a more concentrated look as the two shifted around the clearing in a dance of sorts. Beads of sweat began to form on Mikeâs forehead as he blocked every blow Wheeler directed at him, and his breaths began to get heavier, but his movements never wavered despite his clear exhaustion.
Wheeler decided to try and distract Mike, determined not to lose a fight to a child, so he began to multi-task. Every lunge of his sword was punctuated by a jab at Mike in the hopes that something would crack, and Mike would finally give up the fight.
âYou think heâs pretty.â Mike deflected his sword, barely four inches away from his side. âWho knows what might happen if you tell him.â
âI might lose him.â Mike panted out in between shallow breaths, his feet shifting to the side as he dodged another jab from Wheeler, using the momentum to spin on his heel and strike Wheeler from his blindside, but Wheeler was too quick.
âYou might gain something more.â His sword came into contact with Mikeâs, the two iron edges grating together as each boy attempted to force the other backwards. âWhat are you so afraid of, Mike?â
Something in Mikeâs expression shifted, and he went from being focused and determined to angry. A new wave of energy washed over him as he forced Wheeler back, pushing until he stumbled and swinging his sword at the other man mercilessly. Good, Wheeler thought, If heâs mad, heâll be more likely to slip up and admit that it could be worth it.
He jabbed his sword at Mike, ducking and twirling until he had the upper hand, egging Mike on as much as he could, but that was easier said than done when Mike was truly putting him through his paces with the fight. âWhatâs wrong? You seem pretty scared for a boy so brave.â
âFuck you.â Mike spat, and Wheeler grinned, the skin around his eyes wrinkling. He forced Mike backwards towards the wall, encouraging him with every jab of his sword.Â
âTell him how you feel.â He lunged forwards, just missing Mike, and stumbled to the side as Mike mimicked his move, nearly taking his ribs out in the process. âTell him, Mike.â He was in too deep to quit now. Their swords clashed in between them, the edges clinging together as Wheeler continued his poking and prodding, seeing how far he could push Mike before one of them snapped.
âTell him, tell him, tell him, lord wonât you just tell him!â He threw his arms out, knocking Mikeâs sword away in the process.Â
âNo!â The silence that filled the space between them was deafening, only punctuated by the two of them trying to catch their breath. Mikeâs gaze snapped to where his sword layed stuck into the dirt three feet from him, and stayed on the hilt, not returning to make eye contact with Wheeler as he said, âI wonât lose him.â
oh hihihi wowowowow yes i remember your snippet on anon!!! iâm so glad you decided to come off of it!!! i know that was probably slightly nerve wracking at the least, but this was beautiful, genuinely. absolutely amazingâi think this quote was my favorite:
âWhatâs wrong? You seem pretty scared for a boy so brave.â
ohhhhh yes, i love everything about this, and your writing is so very well and real and engaging, by the way! wowowow gonna be thinking about this for a long while:p
