Heartbeat // A Derek Hale Love Story (Teen Wolf)

For the Love of God, Which Twin Is That?

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It was my fourth training session with Derek, and I was really pleased with how everything was turning out.

Derek was impossibly good at martial arts. In all honesty, it freaked me out a little bit. I expected some Sensei that had been at it for their entire life to be as good as Derek, but he was in his twenties.

In any case, my beloved calluses were returning to me, as a result of me using my sticks practically every day. Though, my hands had started bleeding a few days before, they were mostly healed now and tougher than before.

"You're getting better." Derek admitted softly with the tiniest smile.

"No," I drawled sarcastically, pausing before continuing with sincerity. "You are too. I think the practice is helping you."

"This is true." Derek huffed, reaching down to pick up my weapons bag. "What do you say we try out these machetes?"

"Sure." I took the bag from him, laying it across a wooden box for jumping on. I then unzipped it to reveal my gleaming blades. "They're pretty dull, don't worry."

"I'm not." Derek mused and left me wondering whether he meant he wasn't dull or he wasn't worried.

He wasn't dull, that was for sure.

"I know." I grinned, firing a wink at him when our eyes met.

Derek chuckled, just as a full bark rang through the gym, to which he turned around.

"Hey you!" I exclaimed to the curly-haired, black dog who was bounding toward me. I had no idea whose dog it was, but I didn't care so much. I greeted the fluffy animal with a scratch behind the ears, to which she leaned in. Grinning, I shot Derek a inquisitive look.

"That's Ziggy, Jean and Juline's dog." Derek clarified, as one of the twins rounded the corner into the back of the gym where we were. I couldn't yet tell them apart.

"Hi guys," She said, whistling. "C'mon Ziggy!"

The dog responded, however less hurried than she could've done, making me chuckle.

I proceeded to clip the straps that enabled me to wear my swords on my back to their sheaths and slid them on so they were securely positioned over my shoulder blades.

"Alright." I grinned again, handing Derek one of my machetes, handle first. Once the thick blade was out of my hands, I gripped the one strapped to my back and pulled it out, the blunt metal grinding against it's covering. "Let's see what you've got."

Derek smirked and swung his blade in my direction slowly, which I defended with my left machete, the collision making a clang.

"Let's avoid faces, okay?" I added, lazily swinging at his upper arm, his tricep visible through his grey shirt.

"Why, you worried about yours?" Derek said cheekily, looking me straight in the eyes as he blocked my weapon.

"No, I'm worried about yours." I threw back playfully.

"Oh really now?" Derek smirked, swinging his blade down near my thigh, which I managed to block just in time, using the same movement to strike back towards his upper arm.

"Ah!" He yelped suddenly, and my stomach dropped as I realised my blade had actually hit him, sending a spray of blood across the room.

"I'm so sorry!" I gasped, dropping the machete immediately, landing with a vibrating clang.

"It's fine, Lil." Derek grunted, covering the wound with his hand tightly.

"Here, can I see?" I coaxed gently, moving closer still.