"You ready?" Wilbur asks Schlatt, bouncing on his toes. "Minx is taking Niki, right?"
"Yeah, yeah," Schlatt nods.
Wilbur had received the text some days ago.
Can't wait to see the fencing with you lot and Minx and Niki!
He'd quickly made some inferences about the conditions Schlatt had been allowed to go with, and today was the day. They were heading down several hours early so Techno could go get ready, but Phil had offered to take Schlatt, since he lived closer to them than to Minx, and Minx was taking Niki.
"Baggsy the front," Tommy yells as soon as Phil pulls the car out of the garage.
"No," Techno groans dramatically. Or at least, as dramatically as monotone gets. "I'm gonna be stuck with these two."
"Hah," Tommy shrieks, already scrambling to get in the front, though the car hasn't even stopped moving yet.
"I'm sittin' in the middle," Techno drawls. "I don't wanna be stuck next to you two together."
"What the fuck, Techno?" Wilbur mutters, rolling his eyes.
"Honestly," Schlatt interjects. "Would it be better sitting next to us, or inbetween us?"
Techno frowns, considering, then shrugs. "Depends," he says simply. "There's two trips, we can find out."
"Ugh," Wilbur grumbles, as Techno sits himself firmly in the middle. "Please tell me you at least have sweets."
"Nope," Techno says. "I'm on a strict swordfighting diet."
"I saw you eating a fucking plate of brownies this morning, Tech," Wilbur says, rolling his eyes. "Where are the fucking sweets?"
"I have them," Tommy shouts smugly from the front.
"Car voices," Phil interjects, looking both ways before carefully pulling out of the driveway.
"Phil, Schlatt doesn't know car voices," Techno says. "He's never been on a super long road trip with us."
"Well then, explain it," Phil sighs. "Tommy, get you hand away from the fucking radio. I am not having another trip with shake it off on repeat. Fuck no."
"What? Why?" Tommy wails, but does as he's told and sulkily turns away while Wilbur, Techno and Schlatt laugh at him.
"Car voices means we have to be quiet so Phil can drive," Techno explains in an overexaggerated whisper. "It's like – like inside voices but a different word so it feels more special. And that tricks Tommy into listening because he's easy to manipulate like that."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not," Tommy insists.
"Are too," Wilbur says.
"Car. Fucking. Voices," Phil says impatiently.
"Am not," Tommy whispers.
"You just listened to Phil," Wilbur points out. "The second he said car voices. See? Point proven."
"No, it's not," Tommy sulks, pulling a huge bag of sweets from the glove compartment.
"Tommy," Wilbur says softly, leaning over to stick his face between the door and the headrest. "Tommy, dearest, my wonderful brother, my absolute favourite-"
"Fuck off, they're mine," Tommy snorts indignantly, and Wilbur sits back with a sigh.
"Can I have some?" Schlatt asks. "Please?"
"Yeah, sure," Tommy nods politely, depositing a handful of sweets into Schlatt's outstretched hands.
"Schlatt," Wilbur pleads, but Schlatt just leans over Techno to give Wilbur a giant smirk and slowly starts eating the sweets by himself.
"Arsehole," Wilbur sulks, slumping back in his seat.
There's nothing to do but look out of the window. Schlatt starts idle conversation with Techno, which turns into Techno rambling about different sword types, and it's a far better substitute for a radio, even if Wilbur does end up tuning out a little in favour of letting his mind drift, building stories and composing music, and he hums faintly to himself as faint swirls of melodies run through his mind.
For once, no one needs an emergency bathroom break, and Tommy eventually (albeit reluctantly) hands out snacks, so they end up not needing to stop at every service station on the way, and the ride is smooth.
"Here," Phil announces, pulling into a wide parking lot outside a huge leisure centre.
"Woah," Tommy says, sounding impressed, sticking his face to the glass. "Are we going in there?"
"Yup," Techno says.
"My parents want to know when we'll be getting back exactly," Schlatt says suddenly, looking at his phone.
"Late," Techno supplies. "It's an all day thing, since they're running loads of different tournaments. I think it ends officially at eight or nine, so back by like... Ten or eleven. Maybe."
"Cool," Schlatt nods. "Thanks."
"Alright, mate?" Phil asks, apparently to no one in particular, and gets out of the car. "We're looking for Minx and Niki, right? What do they look like?"
"Tall and angry, short and less angry," Schlatt supplies, and Wilbur agrees with a nod, because that sounds about right.
"There," he notes suddenly, pointing at a small red car which is hurtling through the parking lot, much to the alarm of the event organisers. It finally parks near them, and Minx steps out from the passenger seat, looking decidedly carsick.
"Hello, Wilbur," Niki beams, stepping out of the driver's seat. "Minx was a little ill on the car ride so I stepped in and drove."
"And I fucking wish you hadn't," Minx groans, clutching at her stomach, before Schlatt walks over to her, smiling faintly.
Niki bounds over to Wilbur, looking entirely too pleased with herself.
"Niki, I think you have a sadistic streak," he tells her.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," she says with an innocent smile. "Well, are we all ready to go?"
"Hopefully," Phil nods, locking the car – though of course Tommy remembers he's left his sweets when they're at the end of the parking lot, so they have to wait for him to drag Phil back to the car and come back again.
The hall is wide and open, reminiscent of an airport, with white metal beams crossing the ceiling and huge windows everywhere. The same hustle is there, of people moving around and pushing past each other, some with yellow or orange event organiser lanyards, though at least there's no luggage.
"It's really busy," Wilbur whispers, and Tommy nods.
"Didn't think there'd be so many nerds like Techno."
"They might be nerds," Wilbur nods, "but they're definitely nothing like Techno."
"True," Tommy agrees, and Techno gives them an uncertain half-pleased look over his shoulder.
"Well, um," Techno says slowly. "I spotted my group over there – my tournaments are at ten, two, and five, yeah? You'll be there?"
"We'll be there, Tech," Phil laughs. "That's why we came. Go on, have fun – and good luck!"
"Good luck," they all echo, and Techno awkwardly adjusts his glasses, hiding a pleased smile, before turning and cutting through the crowd, disappearing within seconds.
"Alright, come close," Phil tells them, and Tommy nervously hooks a hands into Wilbur's.
"There's loads of people," he whispers, and Wilbur squeezes his hand comfortingly. None of their family really like crowds, in all honesty, though Minx, Schlatt and Niki all seem to be fine with it.
"Just don't get lost," Wilbur tells Tommy, and they sidle closer to Phil.
"We have an hour," Phil tells them. "We can either stay here, or head out for a quick walk."
"Walk," Wilbur suggests immediately, and he feel's Tommy's grip loosen slightly, as if he's relieved. Everyone nods along, so they weave back out, accepting a few brochures on the way out, and head out of the parking lot.
"Now," Phil says, squinting at the tiny map of the surrounding area. "There should be a park through those trees, there."
"I see it," Minx says, nodding her head. "Are we just walking around?"
"Yyyep," Phil says, drawing closer to show them the map, where he traces a circle around the park.
"Cool," Minx nods. "Me and Schlatt can go the other way to you lot, then, and we'll meet in the middle?"
"Sounds good," Phil says pleasantly, and motions to Tommy, Niki and Wilbur. "Come on, then, kids."
M'not a kid," Wilbur frowns.
"Neither," Tommy agrees, while Niki hides a smile.
"Good, then you'll have no problem behaving," Phil tells them, and Wilbur groans.
"Why're you acting like a substitute teacher that's gotten dragged along on a school trip?"
"I mean," Phil says with a raised eyebrow. "Technically I'm a substitute father who's gotten dragged along on a family trip, so not too far off."
"Ugh, Phil," Tommy whines. "Just c'mooon." He's already dragging Wilbur along, and they have a brief pause to wave to Schlatt and Minx, who are heading out the other way, before he ends up running after Tommy, eventually catching up with him and tackling him to the ground until Phil, with Niki walking next to him, catches up and gently reprimands them.
They end up chasing each other, switching roles every time Phil and Niki catch up to them, and after about twenty minutes they catch up to Minx and Schlatt – or at least, they spot them heading towards them around a huge bend.
"Ambush?" Tommy suggests, already running into the trees. "Hey, Wil, you climb up there?"
"I can't climb trees," Wilbur complains, but somehow manages to do so anyway, and perches himself on the branch of a tree overlooking the path. "Oh, I see them – below us in T minus fifteen."
"What?"
"Nine seconds."
"Shut up, then," Tommy whispers, and they still, waiting as Minx and Schlatt draw closer. Wilbur tries to listen in, but as far as he can tell, Minx is just talking about something or the other she's doing next weekend, and Schlatt is nodding distractedly along, kicking at a pinecone as he walks.
"Boo," Tommy yells suddenly, tumbling onto the path, and Wilbur takes this as his cue to drop down from the tree, landing with a wobble and almost falling, but combined, they almost gave Minx a heart attack. Schlatt just laughs, seeming happy to see them.
"We'll double back with you lot," he says, nudging Minx, who has grabbed his arm to steady herself.
"Yeah, sure," she agrees, while Tommy runs back, probably to gloat to Phil, who's still some way away with Niki.
"How've you been, Minx?" Wilbur asks after a few seconds of silence, and then Minx dissolves into conversation, chatting about how much she hates school and her plans this weekend and how she's been looking after her parents dog.
Wilbur listens along, humming and nodding when necessary, but mostly he just walks with them, in between her and Schlatt, and all he can really focus on is how close Schlatt is walking to him, practically brushing hands every once in a while.
He almost feels like he shouldn't be okay with it, because the more how knows about Minx, the nicer she seems, but at the same time, he can almost feel a sort of dull desperation emanating from Schlatt, sort of like the feeling one gets when someone in the same house is awfully angry, but different. Destructive to no one except Schlatt. So he doesn't move away, and just lets Schlatt stick as close to him as he needs to – or at least, as close as he can be without feeling too guilty about it.
"What've you been up to, Wil?" Minx finally asks at the end of her rather impressive monologue, and Wilbur hums, thinking. Schlatt has moved away a little, walking a good pace to the side.
"Been working at the shop, I guess," he says eventually. "Finished up some songs I've been working on with friends."
"Oh?" Minx asks, sounding intrigued.
"Yeah," Wilbur says, unable to stop himself brightening up, a pleased smile coming to his face. "We've made four, and we've just gotta make a music video and a logo and all that shit before we're gonna publish it, and Mark said if I come over, he's gotten close with the local pub owners and we can play there, which... Will be interesting, for sure," Wilbur ends with a chuckle. "Not sure how well I can play, like, in front of people."
"I'm sure you'll do fine," Niki says, from behind him, and Wilbur startles slightly, but slows his pace to match hers as Minx closes the gap between herself and Schlatt.
"Thanks," he smiles. "How have you been, Niki?"
"I've been good," she grins. "Me and Minx have been working on some stuff together and we might try making a youtube channel or streaming."
"Oh, yeah?" Wilbur asks. "That sounds fun. You two enjoy -if you make a channel drop me the name and I'll be sure to subscribe," he adds, and Niki laughs.
"You better," she says with a vaguely evil grin.
"Oh, if you keep on looking like you're about to kill me, I definitely will," he says hurriedly, jokingly moving to the side before going back to walk with her.
"Maybe I will kill you," Niki mutters under her breath with a sly smile.
"Jesus," Wilbur snorts, and laughs out loud. "You're fucking terrifying, Niki. Oh, there's the end."
In front of them, the white top of the sports centre peeks over the trees, and Tommy pushes past them excitedly.
"Let's go, let's go," he says eagerly. "I wanna see Techno fight."
"Slow down," Phil sighs tiredly behind them, and they troop towards the sports centre. It's even busier than before, and Niki tucks her arm into Wil's, while Tommy grabs his other hand, and they walk together, pushing past the hordes of people to reach the seating area. They have tickets near enough the front.
"They'll be announcing match-ups soon," Phil whispers to them after they've all settled down. "See how they've split the hall?"
"We're not blind, Phil," Wilbur complains, but looks anyway. The huge sports hall has been split into several rectangular strips, each with a mat, and Wilbur assumes that's where the fighting will be happening. Techno was muttering something about different sword types, so he guesses that's why there's three separate competitions.
There's a lot of people competing, surprisingly enough – Wilbur always thought fencing was a pretty niche thing. In order to squeeze the entire competition into a few hours, several doubles compete at once, though Techno isn't in the first round, and it's a little dull watching all the pairs move around, unknown names announced next to unknown names, until finally a finalist emerges from this half. Wilbur doesn't remember the name they shout, but he claps politely along with everyone else.
Finally, finally, the new group of people enter the hall, and somewhere amongst the white-clothed people with faces obscured by meshes is Techno.
He doesn't hear Techno's name, at first, but winces as he realised that they called him by his real name.
"Wil," Schlatt whispers, leaning in front of Minx. "Did they call his..."
"Yeah," Wilbur nods. "His real name."
"Fuck," Schlatt swears. "I keep forgetting Techno's his fucking nickname."
"Why the fuck does no one call him his real name?" Minx asks, all of them talking in hushed whispers.
"He doesn't like it," Wilbur shrugs. "Same name as his birth dad."
Minx's mouth drops into a surprised 'o', but she quickly nods and lets it be.
Wilbur's lost Techno for the first round, having not seen where the announcer gestured, but he watched all the matches anyway, until the second round arrives, and Techno's name is still in the mix.
This time his eyes follow his brother, and he notes with satisfaction the precise-looking steps and the surprising rapidity of the match. His opponent is out of the game within a minute, shaking hands with Techno and leaving to sit by the side of the hall, the first candidate to be out.
"He's doing so good," Tommy grins, and Wilbur hushes him but smiles and nods all the same.
Two more rounds, and Techno emerges the victor.
"Fifteen minute break," the announcer says, "Then we will continue the match between our two finalists, Dave and Clay!"
Everyone cheers, but Wilbur, even from this far away, notes the slight, sudden curve to Techno's shoulders.
"I'm going down to talk to him," Phil whispers, and Wilbur nods as he leaves.
Tommy, with the absence of Phil, turns to Niki and starts talking to her, leaving Wilbur to turn to look at Minx and Schlatt.
"So," Minx says. "I mean, sword fighting's pretty fucking cool."
"True," Schlatt agrees. "Not when he can literally kill you in a second, though."
"Isn't it, like, taught to be non-lethal or something?" Minx asks dubiously, and Schlatt heaves a breath.
"Uh," he says slowly. "Actually, one time he chased me out of Wil's then pulled a fucking dagger on me. I am fucking terrified of that kid – all in play, mind you," he adds quickly as both Wil's and Minxes eyes widen, "But still, holy shit. Kid's a real 'un."
"He – he has daggers?" Wilbur asks, flabbergasted. "I knew he had fucking swords and those small sword things he gave us – but I didn't know – fucking hell, I bet he has fucking ninja stars somewhere, he was really into Japanese fighting styles that one time – remind me to ask him?"
"Yeah, I'll remind you," Schlatt nods.
"What the fuck?" Minx whispers, looking caught between horror and amusement, and both Wil and Schlatt laugh at the look on her face.
Phil returns after a couple of minutes, handing them each a bag of crisps, and the match starts soon after they've finished them.
"Alright," the announcer says, clapping their hands loudly, and everyone quiets down. "So up until now, we've been using referee judgement, but for this final match we'll be using an electronic system. As you can see, that's being set up here." They wave their hand towards the long mat that's being set up, two big screens flashing on at the side of the mat facing the audience.
"So," they continue, "Previous matches were to five points, this one will be to fifteen, or the win goes to the contestant with most touches if neither have fifteen by nine minutes – three bouts of three minutes with a minute break between. Alright, I think we're done setting up – ready?" they ask, and the people setting the mat up give a quick nod and thumbs up. "Alright, could I ask the two contestants to enter, please?"
Techno and Clay enter the room, both with their masks off, and calmly plug some wires from the mat into the back of their suits, before engaging in a quick flurry of blows.
"Just testing if the swords are working," the announcer laughs.
The mat is fiddled with a little, and eventually the go-ahead is given, and the announcers nods. "Alright – if the contestants could put their masks on and salute each other?"
They do so.
"En garde!"
Both of them slip into identical positions, one that Wilbur recognises from seeing Techno practice, dancing up and down on the wall by their garden as he slips through various movements.
"Ready?"
They both nod.
"Fence!"
And just like that, they move towards each other. Techno is faster, more darting, whereas Clay seems to be heavier and more confident with his moves. Not quite as precise, though, and not quite as agile, as Techno dodges a hit and hits Clay in turn. The mat lights up, and the judges pause the game to announce the point and Clay and Techno step back along the mats.
"This is way more fucking formal," Minx whispers, and Wilbur nods in awe.
"I don't think they care who got to the finals," Schlatt says. "They probably just wanted to put on a fucking show for the last bit."
"Probably," Wilbur agrees, eyes on Techno. There's a flurry of parries and lunges and whatever else happens in fencing before Techno scores the second hit, too.
The third goes to Clay, the fourth and fifth to Techno, and then Clay brings it back up to four each, after which the one minute break is enacted.
"Looks like we might hit fifteen touches," the announcer says, while both of them are drinking water. "Alright, back on track. Give it up for Clay and Dave, everyone!"
Techno loses the next two points, his movements seeming a little off, and Wilbur wonders if it's because of the people screaming his birth name. But it quickly wears off, and he gets four touches in rapid succession, bringing the total to eight-six in his favour. It crawls up to ten-nine by the time the second break is enacted, and it seems Techno has found his footing again, because he wins in the final third with a score of fifteen-eleven, and a very approving judge comments that it was one of the best final rounds he's ever seen, while Techno and Clay shake hands and head out of the hall.
Lunch, finally. They meet Techno at the car, and Tommy immediately bounces over to him. "You did so good!" he grins. "That was so cool."
"Eh," Techno shrugs, but Wilbur sees the soft, pleased raise of his mouth. "He technically made an, um – well, not cheating, but some judges don't accept it – it's a flick, right?"
"Go on," Wilbur nods.
"Yeah," Techno continues, slightly hesitantly, as he sometimes gets when talking about things he enjoys (Wilbur always takes care to listen to him, but there's still times when Techno gets stressed talking for too long). "Well, um, it's where you kind of – flick the sword around the parry, right? Cause the foils are super bendy. He got three of his points that way, actually, but fair enough. Electronic sensor things accept it as a hit, and judges don't rule it out if it's electronic and he started the attack."
"So did he cheat?" Minx asks.
"No, no," Techno assures. "It's just a hard move to, um, to avoid. Some fencers don't ever use it. I prefer not to, but... Eh. He's a good fighter, though. Since we can only enter one person per field, I bet he'll get through in at least one of them. Which is good, he's a good fighter."
"Ready for sandwiches?" Phil asks, backing out from where he's been rooting in the car for the big lunch bag.
"Oh, hell yeah," Schlatt says happily. Phil's made all of them food, even Minx and Niki, and they sit on a grassy knoll in front of the car to eat. Several families have the same idea, and Phil starts chatting to the people sitting near them while Tommy and Techno play-fight over the food.
Minx and Niki have sat together, so Wilbur sits with Schlatt, tucking into their sandwiches.
"Good sandwiches," Schlatt says after he's scarfed it down.
"I packed coffee," Wilbur nods, grabbing the bag and rooting around for the lunchbox, where he's packed a few chilled coffees with some ice packs. "Want one?"
"Yeah, sure," Schlatt nods eagerly, and Wilbur chucks him one, throwing two more over to Niki and Minx.
"I fucking love these," Wilbur sighs happily, sipping at the cold coffee, enjoying the slightly-too-sweet taste.
"Eh," Schlatt shrugs. "I prefer coffee hot."
"You're weird, then," Wilbur snorts. "Well," he reconsiders. "Y'know what, fair enough. Any coffee good coffee. But iced coffee better coffee."
"Iced coffee caveman brain coffee," Schlatt grumbles, drinking it anyway. "Yeah, it's alright. I guess. Sweet."
"Yeah, you're sweet enough already, I guess," Wilbur smirks, and Schlatt chokes on the coffee, glaring at Wilbur over the plastic rim.
"Wil, I'm gonna fucking kill you."
"Please do," Techno quips, moving over. Tommy is lying face down in the grass some way away.
"Holy shit," Schlatt says, looking impressed. "He's gotten Tommy and now he's coming for you."
"Oh, Tommy's fine," Techno says reaching over to poke Tommy in the side. Tommy doesn't move. "Yeah, he's fine."
"Oy," Tommy says, sitting up. "I could've been fucking dead! Asshole."
"Yeah, yeah," Techno snorts. "He's fine. Tommy, help me get Wilbur and Schlatt?"
"Uh," Schlatt stutters, edging away, but before Wilbur knows what's happening, he's being jumped by Tommy while Techno expertly wrestles Schlatt to the ground.
"What d'we do now?" Tommy asks, sitting on Wilbur's chest and pinning his arms down.
"Dunno," Techno says, kneeling on Schlatt's back. "Actually, yeah, I do. Phil?"
"Yes, Techno?" Phil asks with a sigh, turning from his conversation with two slightly confused – and concerned - looking ladies.
"Could you maybe please go into the car and fetch me a rope from the cupholder?"
"There's a rope in the cupholder?"
"Should be," Techno nods sagely. "I put it there a few weeks ago."
"Well," Phil says dubiously, clambering over to the car, and coming back a few seconds later with a surprising length of rope in his hands. "Don't tie it too tightly, Tech."
"Course," Techno nods, grabbing the rope with surprising speed.
"Sorry about that," Wilbur hears Phil say. "So, your daughter's competing?"
He tunes out of that conversation, wriggling slightly so he can see what's going on. Schlatt's hands are being tied behind his back, and Minx and Niki are looking on with amusement.
"Go on, Wilbur," Minx shouts. "Surely you can beat Tommy! He's like fucking ten!"
"I'm fifteen!" Tommy screeches. "Watch your mouth!"
"And I'm weak," Wilbur mumbles from the floor, trying not to get a mouthful of grass as he looks mournfully at Niki and Minx. "I mean, help would be – appreciated? Oof," he adds, as Tommy shifts and he gets a face full of grass and dirt.
"You'll figure it out," Niki nods.
Wilbur finds himself being tied back to back with Schlatt, so close that they are forced to lean against each other (not that it's entirely unwelcome), and he feels faint flushes of warmth spread through him at the contact.
"Technooo," he complains, but Techno just smirks. Wilbur wouldn't be surprised if the bastard knew exactly what he was doing.
"I'm off to get ready. Got some, uh, some drills to work through."
"Twat," Wilbur sighs.
"It's alright, Tommy knows how to undo those knots," Techno smiles, and practically saunters away.
"Dick," Schlatt calls after him. "But good luck!"
"Good luck," Phil yells after Techno, and everyone waves to him (or furiously bobs their heads, in the case of Schlatt and Wilbur) as Techno briefly turns around to give them an embarrassed smile.
"Well, good luck to you, too," Minx smirks at the two of them once Techno's gone, and Tommy giggles.
"Yeah, I know those knots," he says happily. "They're not getting out any time soon."
"Phil," Wilbur complains, and Phil turns around again.
"Yes, Wilbur?"
"Phil, tell Tommy to untie us."
"Tommy, untie them," Phil says. "At some point."
"At – at some point?" Wilbur says nervously, and Tommy screeches in laughter.
"Ey, Wil," Schlatt says. "Either get Tommy to go throw the fuckin' coffee cups away or come with me. As if we, uh, have a choice."
"Tommy, go put the rubbish in the bin."
"No, no," Minx yells. "I wanna see this. Go on."
"Fuck you," Schlatt grumbles. "Alright, Wil, stand up on three. One, two..."
They don't manage to stand up for a good minute while Niki, Minx and Tommy are howling with laughter, and finally they end up staggering down the small hill, finally finding their feet at the bottom.
"Least they didn't tie our feet," Schlatt says, and Wilbur can feel him nod where their hair brushes against each other.
"Or did they," Tommy says wickedly, crawling out of the other side of the car like the gremlin he is and holding up a piece of rope.
"Fucking hell," Schlatt yelps. "Wil, fucking run."
They manage, somehow, stumbling across the parking lot, crashing against each other and tripping over each other's feet, until they reach the bin, where they have to stand on tip toes to squeeze the cans into the bin.
"Fuck," Schlatt pants. "We have to go back."
"Gremlin to the right," Wilbur says, and they set off, a little slower this time, which means that as soon as they reach the grassy hill, Tommy tackles them to the ground and they end up falling in a tangle of limbs, Schlatt pressed uncomfortable across Wilbur's back, elbows jabbing into his spine, but at least everyone is having fun.
"Let's see how you walk when I tie your feet," Tommy announces, but Phil interrupts.
"Alright, kids, Tommy, untie them now, we're heading back in."
"Aw," Tommy sighs. "But Phiiiil."
"Nope," Phil says. "We can go to the park after the next round."
"Oh, okay," Tommy says, brightening immediately, and after a few seconds of fiddling, the ropes loosen, and a second later Schlatt rolls off Wilbur, both of them breathing sighs of relief.
"You dick," Wilbur complains, and Schlatt, in good humour, seems inclined to agree.
"Let's go," Minx grins, picking Schlatt up and dusting the grass from him while Niki smirks and offers her arm to Wilbur. He takes it begrudgingly, and they wander through the car park to the hall, where they take their seat again.
It's a longer wait, but they got there early (Wilbur suspects Phil was trying to spare him and Schlatt, but he's not entirely too certain). This time, Wilbur sits on the end, next to Schlatt, so they talk idly about Wilbur's music until the announcer comes out.
Techno, unsurprisingly, makes it to the finals yet again, as does some shorter kid.
It's all the same as before, except this time Techno has a better grip on himself when his name is called, and he ruthlessly fights past every one of the poor kid's defences, practically annihilating them at 15-3.
"Holy shit," Schlatt whispers, and Wilbur nods, giving Techno an approving thumbs up when he glances briefly at the stands after taking off his mask.
"One more round left," Wilbur says, stretching out. "God, these competitions take ages. No wonder they don't pull out the mat for everyone."
"Probably expensive mats," Schlatt agrees. "I'm guessing nationals will all be proper mats – he's got through, right?"
"Oh for sure," Wilbur laughs. "They take the top three candidates, so he was guaranteed in the first round, actually, but we don't know which one of the three yet. I think they'll let him pick or something, I don't know. I don't think there were enough participants for separate competitions so all of them are trying out for all three."
"Oh," Schlatt nods. "Yeah, actually, I remember him saying. Yeah, fair enough."
"Who wants smoothies?" Phil announces suddenly. "We're meeting Techno outside."
"Smoothies?" Wilbur asks, delighted, and Tommy claps his hand excitedly.
"Yep," Phil nods. "Spotted a smoothie stand outside earlier. If we hurry we'll..."
Before he can even finish, Tommy had grabbed him and Niki by the hands and was dragging them along. Niki grabs onto Minx, who grabs Schlatt, and Wilbur ends up being pulled along too, tripping over seats and almost bowling the whole lot of them over.
"Slow down, Toms, please," Wilbur says breathlessly as they somehow make it down the stairs without falling or knocking anyone else over.
"I second that," Minx huffs, and Tommy finally slows down, though he speeds away at a quick walk.
"Tommy, you don't even know where you're going," Phil calls, and jogs after him while the rest of them lag behind at a more comfortable walk.