Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had been nearly a week since the tournament – which they won, by the fucking way... not that it really even felt like it – because Sensei Johnny was still moping around over god knows what attempting to drown himself in his office with six-packs of lukewarm Coors light. Miguel didn’t realize when sensei even made the switch. He was the one who always said light drinks were for pussies.

They won in spectacular fashion, like one of those cool underdog sports movies and his sensei’s reaction had been… cold at best, which confused the hell out of Miguel. He taught them to win and they did, and his lack of enthusiasm about it was just frustrating as shit. And strange, even by sensei’s definition of strange.

It didn’t help that stuff was weird at home as well. His Yaya was totally over the moon about his win (something about him finally becoming a man that isn’t such a doormat) and his mom had been happy and proud – at first at least, or that was how it seemed on the surface. Miguel could always tell when his mom had something that she needed to get off her chest. She kept acting all strange about him and saying pointed stuff that he couldn’t really understand. But whatever she really wanted to say she kept pent up – which happened like never, so whatever it was was obviously something huge.

It wasn’t until that evening that she finally out and said it while she was bent over the sink washing the dishes and Miguel had come into the kitchen to get a drink. “You were really quite violent with that kid at the tournament the other day. I almost didn’t recognize you for a minute there, mijo.”

And finally everything seemed to click into place.

“I won didn’t I? Strike first, strike hard; no mercy. That’s the Cobra Kai way!” he said. His mom didn’t respond to what he said and when he looked up at the silence he found her eyes shining with what seemed like sadness as they continued staring him down. “Whatever,” he said. He didn’t want to get into it, least of all with his mom and least of all right then. Sensei Johnny was being moody, his mom was being weird and neither of them were reacting to his win the way he expected them to which was kind of pissing him off. So he shoved the orange juice back in the fridge and with a mumbled, “I’m going out,” he grabbed his jacket and left without another word.

--

Moon and Hawk were sucking face against the wall outside the convenience store they were at, making really gross sucking sounds that were getting super annoying and attracting too much unwanted looks of disapproval from the old people passing by.

When Miguel left the house to get away from that uncomfortable talk his mom was about to make, he did it not with the intention of becoming the third wheel to Eli of all goddamn people making out with one of the hottest girls in school when they were supposed to be hanging out helping him lick his wounds. Thank god for Aisha.

“Nut?” offered Aisha, offering an opened bag of peanuts to him when he walked over and took a seat beside her on the sidewalk.

“Nah,” he said, waving off the offer. “Thanks. I think I have enough nuts in my life as is.”

“Problem at home?” she asked.

“At home yeah… and at the dojo… and at school… and with sensei and my mom and Sam and just – just when I thought things were finally going right in my life,” he groaned exasperatedly and buried his face in his knees, the very picture of wretched. 

He wished badass Miguel from the tournament, the one who kicked ass and got the crowd all pumped up and shit would have stuck around. He was tired of being loser Miguel who didn’t get the girl, made his mom all sad and caused whatever depressive mood his sensei was currently stuck in. He thought he’d finally crawled out of that particular hole.

“Life sucks!” he bellowed suddenly, startling Aisha beside him into dropping the bag of nuts in her hand. She managed to snatch it up out of the air and continued picking at it like nothing happened.

“It does,” she said unhelpfully and completely unconcerned.

Miguel sighed and let his arms drop to the side, resting his forehead on his knees once again.

He didn’t know how long he stayed in that position, probably looking as pathetic as he felt, ironic for someone who just won the All Valley Championship; beating out people with much more experience than him. It was pretty rad for someone who just a year ago would walk around with greens stuck in his braces for hours without realizing it.

“Oh shit, you’re not going to believe this, Diaz.” It was Hawk who made him finally look up. Aisha was busy staring at an indistinct spot across the street and the fact that he’d actually managed to peel himself away from Moon’s lips to notice whatever it was that caught his eye, it must have been something really important. “Check it out, man,” he said what Miguel caught his eye, following in the direction he was indicating with a jutted chin

And up until that point, Miguel didn’t think his night could get any worse. But evidently someone upstairs named Murphy decided that he hadn’t had enough shit flung at him already.

Because down the street, illuminated under the streetlight, strutting without a care in the world and headed towards the convenience store they were convened in front of was none other than Daniel LaRusso’s super special protégé student, Keene.

Just the sight of him made Miguel’s blood boil and all of his other problems all of a sudden seemed almost unimportant.

“Come on, Miguel,” said Aisha, sounding almost concerned. “Let’s not get into this now. It isn’t worth it. Besides, you already won, right?”

Miguel could hear Aisha speaking but none of what she was saying actually registered. He sensed Hawk stepping up behind him, flinging an arm across his shoulder as he leaned in to whisper into his ear. “Round two, man?” He said. Miguel could almost hear the sound of the smirk on his face. “Remember what sensei taught us: strike first, strike hard. No mercy.”

“Don’t listen to him, Miguel,” said Aisha, ever the peacemaker. “Just let it go.”

Miguel was literally standing there with both an angel and the devil whispering into his ear and he didn’t know which advice to take. Instead he asked himself: what would Sensei Johnny do?

The answer presented itself before the little sensei in his head could even verbalize an answer, when Keene got close enough to notice Miguel staring at him like he’d kicked his dog. Miguel didn’t own a dog in any case, he was terribly allergic to fur, but he imagined he would have that exact look if he had a dog and someone decided to kick it.

“Hey, Keene, out so late by yourself? Where’s your precious sensei LaRusso?” he asked. Beside him he could hear Hawk cheering and Aisha sighing exasperatedly.

Keene was about ten feet away before he slowed down to a stop, rolling his eyes and sighing tiredly when Miguel finished his spiel. He thought he sounded pretty damn cool himself.

“Look, I’m not looking for trouble,” he said, raising both arms in front of him. His shoulder must be feeling better since he was without the sling, Miguel thought, not that it mattered anyway.

“Too bad,” he said. “Cause trouble’s my middle name, and you just found him.”

The moment the words left his lips he knew he’d messed up his own cool monologue scene. Beside him he could hear Aisha scoffing and her derisive, “Dude, that was beyond lame. How are we even friends?”

He couldn’t even find it in him to fault her for that one.

“I’m leaving, okay?” said Keene without addressing the utterly lame retort he'd given and if Miguel didn’t hate his guts so much, he’d be super appreciative of the guy not rubbing it in.

For a split second right then, he couldn’t even recall why he hated the guy in the first place.

But then his mind went to thoughts of Sam and it rekindled the fire underneath him once again.

“Running like a little mouse, coward?” yelled Hawk at his receding back.

Keene evidently took a much better course on witty comebacks because he said, “Well I can’t wait around all night for you to go fix that lame ass haircut,” which Miguel hated to admit, was a pretty awesome response.

It stirred up Hawk the wrong way unfortunately and Miguel found himself getting between Hawk and Keene instead of being the one leading the charge.

“Don’t be such a pussy, Diaz,” said Hawk, shoving him hard, forcing him to take a step back. “And you,” he continued, looking up at Keene who’d stopped to watch the proceedings interestedly, “We still have unfinished business.”

It was Moon who fortunately swooped in to save the day and the pun was definitely intended; grabbing Hawk by the hand and pulling him back to finish their exploration of each other’s facial cavity by the side of the store. Miguel forced himself to look away disgustedly.

He found Keene staring at him intently when he turned around. “What?”

It took him a moment to think up whatever lie he was about to spin, at least, that’s what Miguel’s brain told him what’s up. “Look man, I know you don’t like me, and I’m really… just… unbothered by any of you. But whatever you think went on with me and Sam… you’re wrong – and pretty stupid for messing up that badly with her.”

Miguel wondered why he stopped Hawk from beating the guy to a pulp at that moment but he reined back his anger. “What did you say?”

Keene seemed to realize his words because he raised a hand as a show of peace. “I mean, Sam was just being a friend, and nothing more. What happened at the beach party – she was talking about you the whole way there. Her mom took her phone and I helped her get out by pretending that I sprained her ankle so her mom would get her to drive me home. That’s why she came to find you there and you did… whatever it was you did there.”

Miguel found himself speechless, his mouth opening and closing like a fish on dry land. It was not a good look in general, and it probably looked even worse on him. “What?”

“Yeah, man. You had a great thing going with her and you messed it up by being… well, by being a dumb guy.”

“But I saw you guys, at her house having dinner that night? She wouldn’t even think of introducing me to her family but with you…” the last part came out almost as a whine which he wasn’t proud of.

Keene’s brows narrowed, like he was trying to remember the dinner Miguel had mentioned. When it finally came to him, his eye roll was very obvious and very exasperated. “Christ, you really are an idiot, aren’t you?”

“Don’t call me an idiot!” he said, taking a menacing step forward but was held back by Aisha’s hand on his shoulder.

“Well then stop acting like one,” he said, causing Miguel to grumble. “I wasn’t there with Sam. I was there because her dad was teaching me karate and he invited me to dinner. Nothing more.”

As much as Miguel hated Keene calling him an idiot it was slowly and surely dawning on him that he really was a stupid idiot.

“Oh,” he said dumbly.

“Yeah, oh-exactly,” said Keene, and even though Miguel’s hate for him had simmered down by a lot, it still didn’t stop him feeling like he wanted to punch the guy right in his annoyingly pretty face.

“Have you come back to your senses yet, Miguel?” asked Aisha, “Cause I miss the dorky, nice Miguel who I joined the Cobra Kais with, not this… skinny, Latino terminator wannabe Miguel who’s really kind of a dick if I have to be honest. Sam deserves better than that.”

Miguel deserved all the name calling he was getting – and more. He really did feel like a fool, and a tool. He didn’t regret anything he’d achieved at the tournament, it was all because of his sensei that he managed to even achieve all that and he was forever grateful. But he couldn’t stop thinking that maybe he could have handled everything better.

His mom’s unspoken words the last couple of days suddenly made a hell of a lot more sense right then.

“Sorry,” he muttered to no one in particular.

Keene just exhaled, understanding that the indistinct apology was directed at him without Miguel saying it outright. “It’s fine. Will you all please leave me alone now?”

Miguel tried to stop the sheepish look from creeping up onto his face – he still had a reputation to uphold – but resistance proved futile. “Sorry about your shoulder too.”

“Don’t worry about it. What’s done is done.”

Keene really was the better man of the two of them. Miguel realized that old Miguel would never have had a problem admitting that, but for karate champion Miguel, the taste of it was still a bit bitter on his tongue. He was still going to have to work on that.

All of a sudden Keene’s eyes caught sight of something coming up from the side street and his posture immediately changed. The easy air that had come about him immediately dissipated. His brows narrowed and his shoulders became tense.

“Get out of here, guys,” he said to Miguel and Aisha.

Miguel followed his line of sight and saw a group of guys whose faces he couldn’t make out coming out of the side street, headed towards where they were standing almost in the middle of the empty road.

“Everything okay?” asked Aisha when her eyes too followed where Miguel and Keene’s were looking.

“Yeah,” said Keene in a clipped tone. “Just go home, this doesn’t concern you guys.”

From afar Miguel could hear one of the guys saying the name Robby in a teasing, sing-song voice. He felt Aisha’s grip tighten on his shoulder, gently pulling him back from where they were standing. Keene had turned away from them, facing the direction the group were coming from, his hands balled into a tight fist and his eyes narrowed.

“Come on, Miguel. You heard what he said,” said Aisha.

Miguel let himself be dragged back without taking his eyes away from Keene and glancing over at the menacing group closing in on him.

Keene wasn’t his friend. He didn’t even like the guy all that much – or at all. But looking at his back becoming smaller the further away he got, Miguel couldn’t help the odd clenching feeling in the pit of his stomach, like he knew something bad was about to happen.

Tbc.

Chapter Text

They were almost back at the convenience shop when Hawk came up beside them.

“You didn’t kick his ass, Diaz? Weak,” he sneered.

“Shut up, Eli,” said Miguel. It might have been the anxiousness in his voice and the way he used Hawk’s real name, but the guy immediately clamped up. At least he knew when the situation called for him to be a dick and when it called for him to just keep his trap shut.

“What’s going on?” he proceeded to ask.

“We settled stuff with Keene,” said Aisha, and Miguel could hear Hawk’s disgusted scoff, but he wisely kept his opinions to himself. “Don’t know what’s happening there, but he told us to leave. Must be something serious. That group doesn’t look like the kind of people you’d want to mess with.”

Miguel was listening to what Aisha was saying, but kept his attention focused fully on Keene and the group that had finally descended upon him. There were about five of them, standing shoulder to shoulder facing Keene who was standing by himself opposite them. Miguel couldn’t hear what was being said but it was obvious heated from the way two of the guys were gesturing. Keene on the other hand looked the very picture of cool and collected, but even from the distance Miguel could see the way he kept clenching and unclenching his fists almost nervously.

“Why are we even concerned,” said Hawk finally. “You may have settled stuff – whatever that means, but he’s still the enemy or have you both already forgotten?”

“Shut up, Pigeon,” snapped Aisha.

The event that followed was almost too fast for Miguel’s brain to even process. One moment the guys were talking at Keene, he was listening to Hawk talking crap, Aisha putting him in his place and Moon desperately trying to play peacekeeper, and the next there was loud yelling as four of the five guys suddenly pounced on Keene. They stumbled back in a flurry of fists and legs and in that moment Miguel’s instincts kicked in.

Before he realized it, he was sprinting towards the melee, the sound of Aisha and Hawk yelling his name slowly disappearing into the static background noise he was hearing inside his brain. His Yaya said that it was the sound of someone’s brain shutting down when the person was about to do something incredibly dumb.

Keene was holding his own against a couple of them, but once they got him cornered with his back against one of the parked cars with nowhere to take cover, raining punches and kicks relentlessly, Miguel knew that if he didn’t help him, Keene didn’t stand a chance in hell.

He brought the first guy down with a kick to the back of the head and into the fray he went.

It was him and Keene against the five guys with the last one finally jumping in.

There was a yell and a bellow in his periphery and before he knew it, he was looking at Aisha and the back of Hawk’s blue Mohawk bringing down one of the guys coming up behind him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Keene facing off against two of the guys – his mind did a split second mental calculation and realized that they were missing one guy, but he couldn’t concentrate on anything not immediately in his line of sight so the thought was gone as quickly as it appeared. He was facing off with the third guy. In the corner of his eye he could see Aisha and Hawk teaming up against the fourth and a shrieking Moon smacking his back with her handbag.

Miguel didn’t really have time to think, he was moving on pure adrenalin at that point, otherwise he’d have realized how terrified he was all of a sudden. This wasn’t at all like sparring with sensei or fighting with the bullies at school or even facing off with his opponents at the tournament. This was a real life and death situation. He instinctively knew that if he didn’t keep his feet under him, if he couldn’t protect himself, those guys were going to hurt him and hurt his friends badly. Maybe even the killing sort of bad which was definitely something he wanted to avoid.

He asked himself in that moment: What would sensei do? But deep down he already knew the answer.

Kick their pussy asses. That’s what his sensei would fucking do.

He held his own against his opponent and the moment he landed the kick that brought the dude to his knees, he forgo the little celebratory jig he usually did in his head to rush over to where Keene had just put one of the guys down, the other leaning with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. But before Miguel could reach him or even yell out a warning, the missing fifth guy leapt out from behind the car and tackled him hard to the pavement.

Miguel wasted no time, he rushed over, delivered a quick kick to the side of the guys face and a second one immediately between his ribs that sent him sprawling.

Keene just stayed on the ground, curled into himself, groaning for a moment despite Miguel calling his name urgently.

In the back of his mind, he could hear the wailing sounds of sirens filling the air. He looked around at the guys who seemed to have heard the same thing he did because with one final glowing look at Miguel and Keene, they bolted.

“We gotta go!” he heard Hawk yell from somewhere behind him, his eyes still staring at the receding backs of the guys scrambling every which way and Keene still on the ground, making no attempt to get to his feet. “Miguel! Let’s go!”

He felt Hawk’s hand on his arm, pulling him back roughly and he found himself moving with his tug. They’d barely taken a couple of steps before Miguel stopped in his tracks. “Dammit,” he cursed, pulling his arm out of Hawk’s grip, jogging back to where Keene was only just pushing himself to his feet. Without word, he grabbed Keene by the elbow and hauled him to his feet. “Don’t know if you noticed, but it’s a good time to get the hell out of here, dude,” he said, pulling him towards where Hawk, Aisha and Moon were waiting for him across the street.

Keene spared him a confused look but didn’t pull free from his grasp.

He caught Hawk’s glowering look but brushed it off without a second thought. “Coming?” he asked instead, receiving a few choice words in return.

So they ran. Him with his hand still grabbing Keene’s elbow, pulling him along. Hawk and Moon holding hands behind him and Aisha at his side. He didn’t know where exactly they were headed or what they were going to do, he just let his feet take him and hoped that he wasn’t leading his friends into an even worse situation.

Somehow, his feet seemed to have a mind of its own and knew exactly where to go since his brain had basically gone into lock down.

It wasn’t until the familiar building and the familiar stretch of shops and the familiar sign with the familiar red car parked in front came into view did Miguel finally let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

Beside him he sensed when Keene suddenly stilled, bringing him to a halt along with him.

“What the hell, man?” he almost yelled.

Keene didn’t even blink from where he was staring at the Cobra Kai dojo – or at sensei’s ride because it was really pretty sweet, but eventually he blinked and turned to look at Miguel. “You guys shouldn’t have done that,” he said. It was literally the last thing Miguel thought he’d say.

“Well screw you man,” said Hawk angrily as he advanced menacingly towards Keene, but stopped by both Aisha and Moon.

Keene seemed to realize what he’d said and quickly amended. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that they’re not guys you want mess with. Now that they think you’re with me, they’ll probably come looking for you.”

“Who were they?” asked Aisha.

Keene let out an odd sort of laugh which Miguel couldn’t really decipher. “Friends of mine,” he said bitterly. 

“Jeez, you might think about getting some new ones,” Miguel said and all of a sudden he didn’t feel like the most pathetic person in the world for the first time ever. Because despite their eccentricities, his friends were actually friendly to him, and it wasn’t such a bad feeling after all.

“But… just… thanks, for having my back,” Keene said, and he really did look appreciative.

“Look, why don’t we go to our dojo and tell sensei what happened. All of us,” said Aisha. “He’ll know what to do.”

Keene’s rebuff was immediate. “No, it’s okay. I just… it’s fine. I’ll handle it–” he’d barely gotten the words out as he took a hesitant step back before he suddenly doubled over, clutching his stomach with a sharp, shuddering inhale.

“Hey, you okay, man?” Miguel asked, taking a step forward.

Keene was almost panting at that point, still doubled over himself. Eventually he managed to drag his face up to look at Miguel and seemed like he was about to answer before his eyes clenched shut and a pained groan escaped his lips. He dropped to one knee, one arm stretched out in front of him to steady himself and the other still circled protectively around his stomach.

Miguel and Aisha immediately dropped to their knees beside him. Even Hawk was hovering close, not making any snide remarks, even looking genuinely shocked and concerned by the sudden turn of events.

“Are you okay?” asked Aisha, reaching over to place a hand on his shoulder.

Keene making out pained moaning sounds and his breathing was fast, his chest heaving. He didn’t look up at Miguel or Aisha, he didn’t move to reassure their concern or say anything to answer the questions they were asking.

Instead, when Miguel leaned in closer, he noticed Keene’s hand that had been wrapped protectively around his middle slowly unfurl from their position and coming up to hover in front of his face.

His whole hand was wet and dripping blood.

Tbc.

Chapter Text

“Oh shit – oh shit! That’s a lot of blood, guys. Like a lot of blood! Oh crap, guys, what are we gonna do?”

That was Hawk.

Panicking.

In that single moment, he’d completely reverted back to the stuttering, nervous nerd kid Miguel had met during lunch who got nauseous at the sight of blood on Miguel’s finger that time he accidentally cut himself on the side of a very sharp and very dangerous piece of – ahem – paper.

Unfortunately, panicky, terrified of blood Eli Moskowitz wasn’t the person Miguel needed in that moment. He needed Hawk, the Mohawk hair styled, tattooed badass who laughed in the face of adversity and was really kind of a jackass. Miguel needed him.

“Get a grip, Eli!” yelled Aisha, smacking him hard with the back of her hand. “How about make yourself useful and go call sensei, instead of freaking out like a damn fool!”

By that time, Keene had half collapsed against the person nearest to him – which happened to be Miguel crouched down in front of him. In that moment, all his good senses went flying out the window. Between Hawk’s panicked hyperventilating somewhere within his vicinity and Keene bleeding to death in his arms, his brain went into ultra-shut down mode, which meant that all of a sudden he didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know where to put his hands or what to say, he couldn’t remember his name, who his parents were or how to inhale air into his lungs.

Luckily there were two people there who managed to keep their wits about them. Aisha and Moon both delivered the stinging slap to Miguel and Hawk simultaneously which was the literal wake-up call they needed to stop running around like headless chickens, which was ironically, a literal sense in Hawk’s case.

“Go get sensei!” repeated Aisha.

Hawk didn’t need to be told a third time. He was off running, hollering for ‘sensei’ at the top of his lungs and likely managing to wake up half the neighbourhood with his shrill yelling. Moon following after him just as swiftly but at a slightly less hectic pace.

Aisha had pulled Keene back from where he was slumped over Miguel’s chest, gently lowering him to the ground and speaking slow, calming words to him. Miguel didn’t know how she was even able to stay calm while he could feel his heart thundering inside his throat.

“It’s Robby, right?” she asked without looking at him, instead inspecting the area of his side which was completely soaked in blood.

Keene swallowed hard but managed a forced, “Yeah,” in response to her question. His face was pinched and his brows furrowed, sweat was beading at his forehead and his breathing was slow and thready.

Aisha continued talking to him as she carefully removed his hand from his side and peeled back the material of his shirt, exposing the two very obvious, very deep and very much still bleeding stab wounds in his abdomen, just below his ribs.

Miguel was ninety-nine percent sure the stab wounds didn’t just appear out of thin air somewhere between the convenience store and where they were currently situated, which meant that he must have gotten them during the fight. The fight that he was still very much involved in at every point and the one they’d run away from like their lives depended on it – the keyword being the very physical act of running.

Just the thought made Miguel gag. The very painful papercut he suffered definitely felt inconsequential at that point.

“Miguel!” Judging by the level of annoyance in Aisha’s voice, Miguel realized that she must have been calling his name for quite a while.

“Y-Yeah?” he stuttered out.

“A little help?” she almost growled. “You need to put pressure on this, hard,” she said, reaching out to grab Miguel’s hand. When they limbs came into contact, that was when Miguel realized that Aisha’s hands were slick with blood. She guided the flat palm of his hand to cover the two gaping wounds on Keene’s side before turning away from Miguel to address Keene. “Robby, this is going to hurt but… bear with me, okay? You’re going to be okay.” She turned back to Miguel and covered his hand with her own and without another word, pressed down on the wound with her bodyweight on her hands stacked over Miguel’s.

The scream that was ripped from Keene’s throat was raw and painful and Miguel felt like such a villain for inflicting that kind of pain on another human being, but he knew that was the only way to keep the blood where it needed to be – inside Keene. He watched his fair share of Gangland and the CI channel, he knew the basics of TV taught first aid.

“Keep the pressure on,” Aisha said before she removed her hand. Miguel struggled to keep the needed amount of pressure to prevent more blood from leaking out. Keene’s entire side, his clothes and the sidewalk he was lying on was already soaked in blood.

“Hey, Keene,” Miguel found himself saying, “You’re going to be alright, you hear. You’re definitely going to be okay, okay?” He wasn’t sure whether he was trying to reassure Keene or himself not that it was working for either one of them. He wasn’t sure if Keene was even listening to what he was saying. The guy’s eyes had become unfocused and glassy and he was staring blankly up at the stars twinkling serenely in the sky above their heads. “Keene? H-Hey, Robby, you with us man?”

He looked over at Aisha as she scooted closer to Keene’s head, reaching over to tap him gently on the side of the face, leaving finger shaped smudges of blood on his cheek. “Stay with me, Robby,” she said, leaning down closer to stare him straight in the eyes.

The touch seemed to rouse him because he blinked a few times before his half lidded eyes finally focused on Aisha’s face. “‘M so tired,” he said.

Miguel felt his heart sink into his stomach. That was never a good sign.

“I know. You’ve lost a lot of blood, but you need to stay awake, okay? I didn’t get a chance to fight you in the tournament yet, so you’re definitely not dying today, alright?”

Robby let out an unexpected laugh which quickly turned into a pained moan when it jarred his side. “Cobras,” he muttered, though there was no malice in the word.

The sound of footsteps hitting pavement caught Miguel’s attention and he turned back to find the sight of Hawk, Moon and sensei running towards where they were. In that moment he couldn’t have been more relieved to see sensei if he tried.

“What the hell, guys?” hollered sensei before he was even within hearing range. “Hawk’s making no goddamn sense, coming into the dojo in the middle of the night yelling something – Robby!”

Whatever his sensei had meant to say was completely forgotten when he got closer and his eye found the sight of Keene bleeding out onto the cold pavement across the street from the dojo.

He dropped to his knees beside Keene before his body even came to a stop, reaching over with a shaking hand to grasp the side of his face. “Oh my god – oh my – what the hell happened? Robby! Robby, stay with me, alright?”

Miguel gave a brief summary of what had happened. At least that was what he meant to do. All of a sudden it was like his brain and his mouth refused to cooperate. Hawk was clutching his head and pacing behind him being absolutely no help either. Thank god for Aisha and Moon managing to tell sensei the gist of what happened. How they’d run into Keene at the store and fighting the guys that came up and attacked him.

“Moon, did you call an ambulance?” Aisha asked.

Sensei wasn’t looking at any of them. His eyes were locked onto Keene who didn’t even seem to be completely aware of the person hovering over him worriedly. “We need to get him to a hospital now.”

Without waiting for a response, sensei got up to one knee before reaching out to slip his arm around Keene’s shoulder and his other hooking under his knees. With a pained heave, he got to his feet, cradling a limp Keene in his arms. He rushed back towards the dojo, Hawk and Moon running close behind him. It took Miguel a little bit longer to get his wits about him again. His hands were shaking and his legs felt like jello. It was only Aisha’s arm hooking around his elbow that managed to haul him to his feet and keep him there.

“You okay?” she asked worriedly.

“Y-Yeah,” he felt his lips moving but his brain wasn’t even sure what he was even saying.

Both of them rushed after sensei, catching up to him as he was lowering Keene into the backseat of his car.

Aisha rounded the car and crawled in from the other side, pulling Keene the rest of the way in and laying him down on the seat, placing his head gently in her lap. Miguel stepped in without word, crouching in the tight space between the backseat and the passenger seat, his hands reaching over to reapply pressure on the wound. His brain couldn’t process what was happening, but his body knew what needed to be done. Hawk and Moon filed into the passenger seat as sensei rushed around, starting the car and putting it into gear before he fully closed the door.

The car made a loud squealing noise as it pulled out of the driveway and burned rubber before taking off in the direction of the hospital.

Keene’s eyes were closed by the point and they refused to open again no matter how hard Aisha smacked him on the cheek.

Tbc.

Chapter Text

They made it to the hospital in record time. Miguel was barely on the chorus of Welcome to the Jungle in his head when they pulled into the ambulance bay of the hospital and Hawk was out the door yelling for a doctor before the car could come to a complete stop.

Doctors and nurses convened on the car and Keene immediately, pulling him out of Miguel’s hands and onto a gurney, wheeling him into the doors and out sight in a flurry of activity that Miguel couldn’t even begin to keep up with.

He saw sensei rushing in after them but he couldn’t move from the position he was in, still crouched in the small space between the backseat and the passenger seat, his shaking hands dripping fresh, warm blood that smelled so strong of metal that up close.

“Miguel? It’s okay.” Finally he managed to drag his eyes away from where they were staring transfixed on his own two hands to look up into Aisha’s teary, concerned eyes. “He’s going to be okay. We did everything we could,” she said, almost like she could read what was on Miguel’s mind.

“There’s so much blood,” he found himself saying. The sound was weird, almost like he was listening to his own voice from deep underwater. “There’s… there’s too much blood. I’m never going to get this out of my clothes. My mom’s going to be pissed,” he said.

The sensation of tears trickling down his face was weird, mainly because he couldn’t remember even crying. It was stupid. Keene wasn’t his friend. He didn’t even like the guy… but he’d almost died, right there in Miguel’s arms. It was a surreal situation for anyone to find themselves in, especially a teenager and in that moment, Aisha and Miguel finally realized just how close they came to seeing someone die with their own two eyes.

It was Aisha who started sobbing which spurned Miguel to put his own drama on the back burner. Aisha was the one who’d kept Keene alive; the one who had the sense not to act like a complete idiot. If there was one person who needed comforting in that moment, it was Aisha, and Miguel forced himself to step up.

He reached over and circled his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. Neither of them cared that they were getting blood all over each other. They were drenched in so much of it as it was.

In that moment they were both just teenagers who needed comfort, so they comforted each other.

--

It wasn’t until a few minutes later that they finally managed to pull themselves together enough to go seek out sensei, Hawk and Moon who’d gone with the gurney carrying Keene towards the emergency room. They were directed towards the waiting room and pushed open the door to find sensei pacing a hole in the floor in the middle of the room and Hawk sitting slumped over in the plastic seat by the wall, his arms around Moon sitting next to him. They were both quiet, unnervingly so.

Sensei wasn’t saying anything but Miguel could tell how terrified he was.

Ever since the tournament, sensei always ended up acting weird whenever the name Keene came up in conversation (it didn’t come up often, or rather it didn’t come up often when sensei was around because sensei was seldom around). At one point Miguel suspected that there was more to the story than he and the rest of the Cobra Kais knew, he thought he even suspected what it was but he forced himself not to dwell on it too long or too much. For one thing, he hated Keene’s guts and he didn’t give a shit.

Sensei didn’t notice them standing by the door. Once Aisha stepped away to approach Moon and Hawk, Miguel decided to see if he could instead go find a bathroom. He didn’t feel like being in that room at that moment.

He underestimated how terrible he really looked until he was faced with his own reflection in the bathroom mirror.

The fist he caught to the side of the face was already starting to bruise, his hair was a mess and he was pretty sure he got cut in the gums by his braces during the fight because he could still feel the bitterness of the coopery tang on his tongue.

He also had blood all over his clothes, staining his hands and smudged on his cheeks and down his neck. He looked like a victim of a wild animal attack and it definitely wasn’t pretty.

The tap water washed off most of the blood but the crusts under his fingernails were tougher to get out.

He wasn’t sure how long he spent in the bathroom, cleaning himself up as best he could, it could have been five minutes or fifty, he wasn’t keeping track and it was like his brain was still stuck on some strange loop that he couldn’t fully shake.

The sight of the waiting room was slightly different when he returned. Instead of pacing the floor, wearing down the shine of linoleum, sensei was instead kneeling in front of Aisha, holding her shaking shoulders tight as she cried into his chest. Once he came within hearing distance, Miguel could hear Aisha’s muffled apology and sensei reassuring her with gentleness in his voice that Miguel didn’t think he was even capable of.

“You saved his life. You have nothing to be sorry for,” sensei repeated more than once.

It wasn’t until Hawk noticed his approach and called out his name that sensei finally turned to look at him.

Aisha sniffled and leaned back, releasing her hold on sensei’s shoulders. “It was Miguel,” she said, “Miguel’s the one who went to help him during the fight.”

Sensei briefly looked at her before glancing back to Miguel standing there, unable to think of anything to say or how to react.

“You both did,” he said, patting her on the shoulder, “All you guys did,” he added, glancing at Hawk and Moon before he got to his feet and approached Miguel. “I heard what you did,” he said when he stopped about a foot away.

Miguel fidgeted with his hands under sensei’s intense gaze. “I just did what you would have done,” he said nervously.

A shadow of a smile ghosted across sensei’s face. “And what’s that?” he asked, as if it were just another class and just another lesson he was teaching Miguel.

“Kicked some ass,” he said as a matter of fact.

The small laugh sensei let out made Miguel’s heart swell with pride. “You’re damn right I would have,” he said. Without another word and without warning, sensei stepped forward and pulled Miguel in for a hug.

Miguel wasn’t expecting the physical contact or the embrace so his entire body froze stupidly.

“Thank you for helping him,” sensei said. “Thank you for saving him,” he added.

Miguel didn’t think he needed any more proof of his suspicions but he didn’t say anything. Instead he returned the hug gladly. It felt nice.

They didn’t say anything more after that as they waited on news about Keene. After sensei pulled himself together, he approached Miguel and asked whether he had Sam’s number. To say Miguel was taken aback by the query was an understatement and the exact moment Miguel was about to voice out his confusion, he occurred to him that sensei wasn’t asking to call Sam.

He was asking to call Mr. LaRusso.

That fact sobered him up quickly. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he fished out his phone and scrolled down to find Sam’s number in his long unused call list which was a sad fact in itself.

It took three unanswered calls before Sam finally picked up on the second ring; her voice dripping annoyance when she barked into the receiver. ‘What, Miguel?’

“Sam… look –”

‘No, you look, Miguel. I can’t do this anymore. I like you a lot – liked you a lot, but you turned out to be –’

“Sam, please, it’s not about that!” Miguel felt bad about raising his voice but as much as it hurt to hear Sam being so angry at him, it wasn’t about him or Sam at that moment. “I need to talk your dad.”

The line was silent for a beat, indicative of the confusion Sam was experiencing. ‘What?’

“Please, Sam. I’m sorry for everything, I’ll apologize every day until the end of time but right now I really need to talk to your dad.”

‘Is everything alright, Miguel?’

“No,” he answered truthfully, “It’s not.”

Once the line went silent, Miguel knew it was his cue to hand the phone to sensei and he stepped back to wallow in his own self-pity on the seat beside Aisha.

Johnny took the phone from Miguel’s hand – he could barely stop picking at the dried blood that was starting to crust on his hands but he forced himself to look away.

He waited on the silent line for a moment before the familiarly indignant and annoyed voice sounded in the receiver.

‘What is your sensei playing at?’ Was the first thing out of his mouth and Johnny would have barked a laugh had the situation not been so grim.

It took just a simple, “LaRusso,” to set him off again.

‘Jesu–What the hell, Johnny? You harassing my kid now? What do you want?’

Johnny opened his mouth to reply but all of a sudden he couldn’t find the words. His mind was flashing back to the sight of his son bleeding out on the pavement just a few feet away from his own dojo. If Miguel and the rest hadn’t stumbled on Robby that night – if Robby had been alone when the guys attacked him – if Miguel hadn’t gone back to help him… Johnny couldn’t imagine what would have happened.

He must have zoned out for quite a bit because he came to with LaRusso’s concerned voice calling his name into his ear.

‘Johnny, what’s the matter?’

Johnny swallowed the lump in his throat and attempted to find his voice before he spoke. He hoped his voice wouldn’t shake the way he knew it wanted to because all of a sudden it occurred to him.

His son almost died.

His son might still die.

And Johnny never got the chance to make it up to him or to say sorry.

The emotions were all of a suddenly almost overwhelming and he let out a sob into the receiver.

“It’s Robby,” he said. “Daniel, it’s Robby.”

Tbc.

Chapter Text

Three hours.

That was how long it was since he drove up to the emergency dock of the hospital with his son bleeding all over the leather upholstery of his car and still there had been no update about how he was doing.

His harassment of a nurse for information only resulted in him almost getting kicked off the premises but the woman had taken pity on him and not only let him stay, but came back with what little information she could find about Robby’s condition.

He was in surgery. That was all they knew.

The waiting room was a flurry of activity by that point, faces that Johnny never expected to see. Or rather just one face he didn’t expect and didn’t really want to see.

Daniel LaRusso.

But LaRusso was there for Robby. Johnny had called him because of Robby; for Robby. He knew LaRusso meant a lot to Robby and although the fact caused an ache deep inside his heart, he knew he had to accept the reality. He had no one to blame for his predicament but himself. LaRusso had picked up the slack he’d left behind and he was done letting his vindictive ways and his jealousy get in the way of him and the people he cared about.

It cost him Ali and it cost him Robby and he was done losing people who meant the most to him because he couldn’t let go of his own ego.

LaRusso had brought along his entire brood with him. His lovely wife that Johnny was really quite fond of. She reminded him of Ali, which both answered the question as to why she ended up marrying LaRusso, and brought up the brand new question, which is why did she end up marrying LaRusso? She was way out of his league and he knew that LaRusso knew it too, or maybe he didn’t, he really was insufferable in that sense. Must have been the New Jersey in him.

His progeny was sitting with Miguel off to the side whispering to each other out of ear shot and the annoying little brat mini-me of his was for once not being an annoying brat. He was sitting quietly beside his mom who was talking to Aisha.

Johnny sensed a presence looming over him before a weight dropped down onto the empty seat beside him.

“You okay, Johnny?”

There were times when Johnny wanted to hate LaRusso and it came easy; the feeling and the execution of it.

But there were other times when Johnny couldn’t stop thinking that in another scenario in another lifetime; had their first meeting been different, his life and his hate-hate relationship with LaRusso might also have also turned out completely different.

He scrubbed his face with a little too much vehemence before he sighed, leaving back heavily against the backrest of the seat.

“I should have been there for him,” he said. It wasn’t the answer to the question LaRusso had asked but somehow it was the only thing on his mind. “I should have been there for this… I should have always been there. I never should have turned my back on him,” he said and he didn’t know why the words flowed out so easily to LaRusso. It happened during his confession about Sid and it happened about Kreese and it was happening again.

He couldn’t understand it.

“You can’t change the past, Johnny,” LaRusso said, “You can only change what you do from that point on. Leave the past in the past – we should have done that. I should have done that.” Johnny didn’t reply but LaRusso didn’t seem like he was waiting for one either. “What did the police say?”

The police had been by before LaRusso and his family arrived, having been called by the hospital because of the nature of Robby’s injuries and how he’d gotten them.

Johnny didn’t have much to add but Miguel, Aisha, Hawk and Moon was almost tripping over each other in order to give their statements.

Johnny hadn’t really been listening that closely to whatever it was they were saying, but the officer seemed fluent in teenage babble because he was taking notes and didn’t seem at all blown away by the sheer volume of sound coming at him from all sides.

It wasn’t until Miguel said that the guy who tackled Robby had long hair and some sort of lip dirt mustache on his face and Aisha added that Robby said they were friends of his did all the puzzle pieces finally fall into place.

Johnny’s fist found the broad side of the wall behind him before he could even verbally react, startling the kids and the officer who was standing there. He told the officer about the two losers Robby used to hang out with, he didn’t know their names or where they lived, though he regretted that lack of information because it was hard resisting the urge to march out of that hospital to deliver those guys the ass kicking they were asking for and so deserved. He told the officer to go ask Robby’s mom and proceeded to give them her address. He’d tried calling her many times but the call would immediately go into voicemail, not that he was all that surprised but he was both pissed off and disappointed on Robby’s behalf.

He could feel the heat of the stares on the back of his head as he was talking but he didn’t turn around. It wasn’t that he was scared or anything, least of all of Miguel and his bunch of nerds, but there was the fear of looking back and seeing the look of disappointment and betrayal on their faces. He couldn’t comprehend why that would even bother him, not that he needed their approval for anything, but perhaps it was because he hated to admit how much the kids under his tutelage had come to grow on him, especially Miguel. The thought of disappointing him struck a deep chord inside his heart and he’d hate knowing that he’d manage to disappoint two boys he cared about.

He’d let Robby down too many times already in his life. He wasn’t there for him growing up and he only stood by with his dick in his hand while his own son got the crap beaten out of him by not one, but two of his own students. What kind of shit father was that?

The Johnny Lawrence kind, that’s what. He only had Sid and Kreese as role models growing up so he wasn’t exactly the poster boy for healthy upbringing, but it wasn’t fair to Robby the fact that he couldn’t put his own trauma on the backburner and put someone else’s needs before his for the first time.

It occurred to him then that he almost lost that chance, like… truly occurred to him. His son almost died. He almost died in Johnny’s arms and he realized with great regret that he didn’t know anything about him. He didn’t know what band he liked or what movie he enjoyed. He didn’t know what he liked to do for fun or who his idols were.

The Robby he saw at the tournament, being coached by Daniel LaRusso of all people was different from the Robby he met at the apartment a few months before. He seemed less… burdened and weighed down, like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. It was as if he found the kind of internal peace and balance that Johnny never managed to. And to think that it came from the teachings of his rival… that was the swift kick to the balls type of wake-up call he didn’t realize he needed.

He found LaRusso still waiting on his answer when he finally turned around.

“The kids gave a good description of the guys that attacked Robby and I know for sure two of them were guys Robby used to hang around with – real bad news, loser types,” he said. “I guess, he did take after his dad in one aspect,” he added as a mutter under his breath.

“You know… a couple of months ago there was an incident. A couple of guys got caught on camera trying to break into the garage at my shop. Robby was actually the one who stopped them and I think we got the footage of their faces saved in the security room,” LaRusso said. “I’ll call the officers and let them know to drop by there.”

“Yeah, thanks,” said Johnny distractedly. “Hey, LaRusso,” he called back when LaRusso got to his feet and was about to walk away to make the call.

“Yeah?”

“Just… thanks. Thanks for being there for him when I wasn’t,” said Johnny. “Thanks for… well, thanks for being a good mentor to him. God knows the kid needs some good role models in his life. He never even stood a chance.”

LaRusso sighed, though a small smile curled at his lips. “You don’t need to thank me, Johnny. I just… I guess I had a good sensei in Mr. Miyagi. You didn’t and it’s not your fault. But it’s obvious these kids have a good sensei in you, judging by what they did and how they handled the situation. So just… don’t count yourself out just yet, I did and that was my mistake. You got a chance to become a better sensei than the one you had and you still have a chance to be a better father than the one you were.”

Johnny was genuinely touched by LaRusso’s words but the moment was quickly snuffed out by cough. “You really are a lame-ass optimist, LaRusso.”

LaRusso laughed. “It’s all that bonsai trimming,” he said, “You should try it one day. It’s very relaxing.”

Fortunately for Johnny, the sappy moment was cut short and immediately subdued by the arrival to the doctor pulling off his mask and cap and calling for the family of Robby Keene.

Johnny wasn’t thinking anything when he approached the man; he could sense Miguel and the rest stepping up beside him and in an unexpected turn of event, he found comfort in the presence of LaRusso standing just a few feet away.

“I’m his father,” he said and in that moment he realized that what the doctor was going to say was about to bring him relief or cause his entire world to come crumbling down to his feet.

He steeled himself.

Tbc.

Chapter Text

A day and a half ago he was sitting wallowing in his office downing bottle after bottle of orange juice. Never had he regretted giving up drinking until that point in his life but he was adamant about making a life changing decision and actually sticking to it for the first time in his life. The last time that happened, he got married and had a kid and ended up not sticking around like the worthless loser he’d turned into.

Now he was sitting in the dimly lit hospital room at his son’s bedside, listening to the beeping and hissing sounds of the machines keeping him alive.

Robby was still unconscious after the surgery and according to the doctor, would stay that way for at least a few more days.

The blade had caused damage to his colon and small intestines and caused some pretty significant internal bleeding on top of the other injuries he’d sustained in the fight, but thankfully it missed major blood vessels, otherwise he would have bled out even with Aisha’s first aid and before Johnny could have gotten him to the hospital. It was the swift action by Aisha and Miguel and Hawk and Moon coming to get him that saved Robby’s life and Johnny didn’t he’d ever be able to find the words to express his appreciation. He figured he’d start with the truth about his and Robby’s relationship first and foremost, since the revelation had been rather sudden and he didn’t get a chance to properly explain to Miguel before he left with the doctor to go see Robby.

Robby looked almost serene despite being in a drug induced coma. Small favours, thought Johnny. The last thing he wanted was for Robby to be in pain, he’d seen him in pain enough during the tournament to last a lifetime and it was all because of him. He just hoped he get the chance to apologize to his son for everything. For what happened at the tournament. For abandoning him and his mom. For not being there when he needed him the most. For everything.

He didn’t expect to get Robby’s forgiveness; he just wanted the chance to be able to work towards becoming a person who even deserved to earn it.

He reached over to grasp Robby’s hand, bringing it up to rest under his chin and he continued gazing at him. His other stretched out to brush the wayward bangs away from his forehead and lingered for a moment to stroke the side of his face.

He remembered Robby as a kid and all of a sudden he was a grown man standing right before his very eyes. Johnny regretted the years he wasted staying away, hiding like a coward and not being there for his family the way he should have been. Him and Shannon didn’t marry for love – well, they were in love at that moment, drunk off their ass and just happened to be standing in front of a pop up church. A few months later she told him she was pregnant and he stuck around for a while; through the pregnancy and the birth and for a couple of years after that. But then…

Well, the past was the past and Johnny forced himself to shake free from the thoughts. It wouldn’t do him any good. It never did. Instead he forced himself to focus on the present moment. He forced himself to grasp tight onto Robby’s hand and remember that that was the present. That was real. Robby was real and he was right there and he was going to need Johnny now more than ever. And Johnny was going to need him too.

“I’m sorry, Robby,” he said, leaning down to plant a kiss on the back of Robby’s bruised knuckles; his other hand stroking the side of his cheek gently with the back of his fingers. “I love you and I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you, just… please give me another chance. I promise I’ll never let you down again.”

Robby didn’t answer. His eyes remained closed; the rise and fall of his chest was mechanical with every pump of the ventilator breathing for him. Half his face was black and blue and he had a long scabbed over gash on his forehead just below his hairline.

Johnny just waited. He didn’t let go of Robby’s hand even once. He’d never been the most religious of people but at that moment, he started praying.

--

Nothing happening outside the walls of Robby’s room meant anything to Johnny, only the seemingly endless visits from the nurses and the doctors and the detectives who stopped by to check if Robby was awake to give a statement. Apparently they’d managed to identify three of the five guys that attacked Robby and were currently in the process of tracking them down.

Johnny couldn’t give two rat’s asses about the process; he just wanted to know when they caught the bastards to did that to his son and enforce some Cobra Kai justice on them himself.

But then he remembered; Cobra Kai was the reason he was stuck in that predicament. Why he was always stuck in that predicament. His life ended when he lost to LaRusso in the tournament, but it wasn’t because of the actual tournament, it was everything that had happened as a direct result of the loss. His relationship with Kreese. His relationship with his stepdad had disintegrated further with his mom no longer able to play the peacemaker. The friendship he had with the rest of the Cobra Kai’s that had slowly burned out and fizzled away. That was one of the biggest regrets he had. That and ending up being to Robby what his own father had been to him: just another scumbag absentee dad.

“Johnny?” He looked up at the call and found LaRusso standing at the door. He didn’t know how long the man had been standing there. “Amanda asked me to see if you needed anything. You haven’t left his side in days.”

At first Johnny had to wrack his brain to remember who Amanda even was but when he did he just shook his head, though he was appreciative of the gesture and the thought. “Nah, I’m good.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” he nodded.

LaRusso spared him a look for a moment before he returned the nod and stepped back to leave.

“Daniel?” Johnny surprised himself by calling out to him before he walked away. “You… you wanna stay a while. I guess I could use the company.”

“Sure,” he said with a smile, walking in and taking a seat on the chair opposite of Johnny, on Robby’s left. “They didn’t manage to find his mom?” he asked when he sat down.

“Nah,” said Johnny simply, though his brain was thinking of a few choice words to actually say about the woman but decided against it. “According to the neighbours she apparently went on a cruise with some new boyfriend he picked up in a bar. I don’t know. I don’t even try to keep up with what she’s doing – or who.”

“Poor Robby,” said LaRusso with a sigh.

“Yeah,” Johnny reiterated because there was nothing else left to say. Robby was unfortunately doomed from the start; a useless mom and an even more useless dad. It was a credit to himself that he grew up to be a halfway decent human being. Johnny hated to admit it, but meeting LaRusso was perhaps the best thing to happened to Robby in a long time.

“It isn’t your fault you know... what happened to him. Despite your relationship, you never could have predicted this happening. As bad as Kreese and the Cobra Kais were, this is beyond even their standard of evil,” said Daniel.

Hearing those words coming from his mouth, considering their less than stellar history and Johnny’s own disillusionment regarding the teachings of his own sensei that he once worshipped absolutely, it meant more to him to hear than he expected.

“It doesn’t change the fact that it did happen, and that Robby almost died… and that the last memory he has of me is standing by as he was being brutalized by my own students.”

“Look, Johnny – I won’t pretend to condone the teachings of Cobra Kai and the philosophy of Kreese that you – to be completely frank – stupidly passed onto those naïve impressionable kids. I thought you’d learned something from your own history. But I’m not here to condemn you or even Cobra Kai, I’ve done enough of that to last me a lifetime. But just… you just need to remember that the teaching is only as flawed as the person who teaches it and between you and Kreese… well, I’m not actually sure which one of you is more flawed.”

Johnny understood that the moment was supposed to be deep but he couldn’t help it, he laughed. Then Daniel laughed.

“Damn, LaRusso, that was honestly the worst pep talk I think I’ve heard in my life.”

Daniel didn’t seem at all offended by his words. “Yeah, Mr. Miyagi didn’t manage to pass on that specific skillset,” he said.

“But, I do appreciate it in a weird way.”

“Then I’ve done my job,” said LaRusso proudly. “You know, Mr. Miyagi would have liked Robby a lot.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he would.”

Then Daniel said something that gave Johnny pause. He said; “Can you imagine how different our lives would have turned out if I’d joined Cobra Kai from the beginning and you’d been trained by Mr. Miyagi instead of Kreese?”

It wasn’t a thought Johnny had even considered but now that it was out in the open like that, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

He couldn’t imagine it at all.

--

It was nearly three days after Johnny rushed his son to the hospital before he showed the first signs of waking up.

It was just a small movement at first, so miniscule Johnny almost missed it when it happened. 

At first it was just the slight furrowing of his eyebrows as he struggled to surface from the drug induced coma. Johnny stuck close to him, whispering assurances to him that he wasn’t alone. He didn’t know if Robby even heard him or realized he was there.

Then he started stirring, fingers curling weakly and arms moving around heavily; his eyeballs darting around beneath his closed lids. The more aware he became of his surroundings the more anxious Johnny got. He was about a second away from calling Daniel to be there to reassure them both when Robby’s eyes finally opened.

His eyes were glassy and unfocused, barely able to stay open as he gazed around weakly at his surroundings. He didn’t seem aware of Johnny’s presence or the feel of Johnny’s hand grasping onto his. It wasn’t until Johnny called his name softly did his eyes finally turn to focus on the sight of Johnny standing over him.

Everything seemed to happen at once right then. Robby became fully aware of the breathing tube in his throat and the pain that was assaulting his senses at the same time. He began to choke, gagging on the tube, unable to take oxygen into his lungs. His hand reached up weakly to pull the foreign object out but Johnny managed to grab onto his wrist, tugging his hand away.

“Robby, it’s okay. It’s okay, Robby,” he said, reaching up with his other hand to stroke his son’s hair back comfortingly.

Robby had tears trickling down the side of his face and the sight of his broke Johnny’s heart to pieces. He was quickly ushered out the door by the arrival of the nurses and he doctors as they converged on Robby, and he reluctantly let his hand slip out of his grasp before the curtain was pulled and Robby disappeared from his sight.

At some point Daniel joined him in waiting outside Robby’s room but Johnny didn’t notice when he walked up or whether he stayed. His mind was focused completely on Robby, as much as he could with his heart thundering against his ribcage without mercy.

He only noticed when the doctors finally walked out though what they actually said went completely over his head. His only focus was Robby and getting reassurance that he was okay, once he got that, his mind immediately stopped concentrating on the doctor and he rushed back inside the room to be with his son.

He thought Daniel stayed for a while, there was a strange inkling in the back of his mind that someone was around, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Robby long enough to make sure.

It was at least a few more hours of anxious waiting, not once letting go of Robby’s hand, before Johnny’s heart was given the release it so desired when Robby woke up a second time. But this time in little to no pain though the doctor insisted that he stay on the ventilator for at least about twelve hours for monitoring.

This time Robby’s eyes were quicker to focus on Johnny once they opened and they stayed trained on him almost as if Robby was reluctant to believe that his own father was actually there by his side.

“You really scared the shit out of me kid,” he said, putting forward a stronger façade than he really felt on the inside and forcing a small smile onto his face.

Robby looked between his face and the hand still grasping tight onto his and for a tense heavy moment, Johnny was terrified that Robby would pull his hand away in rejection of the touch. But he didn’t, and Johnny let out an imperceptible sigh of relief. When Robby actually curled his fingers around Johnny’s hand, effectively latching on to him just as desperately, Johnny had to stop himself from tearing up like a little bitch. 

“It’s okay, Robby. You’re okay,” he said, “I’m here and I’ll be here for as long as you want me.”

Robby didn’t respond, but his shoulders noticeable relaxed and he leaned slightly onto the hand Johnny had cupping his cheek and that was everything Johnny could have ever wished for. He questioned whether to bring up the subject of Robby’s mom but decided against. His son didn’t need the added stress in his condition. Instead, he patted Robby gently on the shoulder and without letting go of his hand, retook his seat by his side. Robby’s eyes followed his descent and Johnny kept his gaze, squeezing his hand once as reassurance that he was real.

He noticed Robby attempting to speak through the tube in his throat and quickly leaned over to prevent him from hurting himself. “Don’t try to speak. Just… Just try to relax, Robby. I know you’re hurting and I know you’re uncomfortable but just… it’s gonna be okay, son,” he said and he realized that it was the first time he could remember calling Robby son, perhaps even, it was the first time he thought he actually deserved to do so.

He didn’t know whether Robby noticed his uncertainty, part of him hoped that Robby was too hopped up on drugs to even realize he’d said anything, but the other part of him wanted Robby to know, wanted him to believe that it was true. He supposed he wasn’t going to get any answers any time soon but he was totally okay with that too, it’d give him more time to work up a response that was less that of a stuttering fool.

But Robby continued staring at him through half lidded eyes that keep drooping and Johnny tried not to show his insecurity so obviously. Eventually he could tell that Robby was slowly but surely losing his battle against sleep and urged him to stop fighting, reassuring him that he was going to still be there when he woke up. It was as if Robby was waiting for the reassurance because the moment Johnny said it, he finally let go of the weak grasp he had on consciousness and slipped away into the dark.

Johnny let out a deep exhale the moment Robby’s eyes slipped shut and his entire body finally relaxed.

Then he just waited.

Tbc.

Chapter Text

Pain.

That was the immediate first thing he noticed. It was also the most potent thing he felt.

He didn’t know where he was or how he got there, all he could see was darkness. All he could feel was pain and fear and confusion and a deep rooted sense of loneliness that was all too familiar.

He was in scared and he was alone, and although the feeling was something he was familiar with, it didn’t mean it ever hurt any less.

But he wasn’t alone. There were people there with him. Some he knew, but also others he didn’t know at all.

Dad.

The word felt weird rolling off his mental tongue, mainly because the man had never been a dad to him in any sense of the word.

But he was there.

He’d been there since the beginning if the disjointed fragments of memories Robby managed to put together coherently was to be believed.

His dad was there by his side. He stayed like he promised. Robby thought he promised it at some point anyway, he couldn’t really remember.

His mind was a jumbled mess of incoherent thoughts and half memories and an overwhelming feeling of fear, pain and… gratitude? He couldn’t understand it but the feeling was there.

There like his dad.

His dad stayed and Robby couldn’t concentrate on anything else besides that fact.

His entire body hurt, his head was throbbing and there was an uncomfortable tube in his throat that prevented him from speaking or even voluntarily inhaling oxygen into his lungs. He could feel his lungs expanding with breath involuntarily and after he’d managed to force himself to get used to the feeling like he was constantly choking, it just left him in a constant state of discomfort and restlessness.

But his dad was there. His calloused hand felt strong latching onto Robby’s and his eyes showed sadness and something that looked like fear that Robby could see clearly whenever his dad turned to look at him, which was something he did often almost like he was afraid of looking away, or taking his eyes off him just in case he might suddenly disappear.

In a way, Robby felt the exact same way. He still wasn’t completely convinced that his dad was there with him, that it was really his hand stroking his hair back gently like his mom used to do when he was younger during a fever. He missed his mom. He wanted his mom, but his mom wasn’t there and although deep down he was hurt by the fact, he couldn’t say that he was really surprised.

The sound of the surrounding was loud, grating on his senses; the constant beeping and hissing sound and the machines that surrounded him. He didn’t know where he was but he could tell it was a hospital. He couldn’t remember how he got there or why, but the constant throbbing pain that flowed through him was indicative that something terrible had happened, but he couldn’t speak to ask what it was. All he knew that it was bad enough to bring his dad to his side and make him stay. In a way, perhaps the pain was worth it for that fact alone.

He didn’t know how much time passed between him slipping in and out of the darkness; between seeing his dad’s relieved face in front of him and disappearing into the abyss of loneliness that had become like a second home to him. But sometimes, in the dark when he concentrated enough, sometimes he’d be able to sift through the static noise and the sound of the machines to hear human voices. Some of the voices sounded familiar, his like dad’s, others sound less familiar and spoke a lot of words Robby couldn’t even begin to understand. But a few times he heard voices that were both familiar and unfamiliar, but he couldn’t put a finger on it. The sound was soothing in his soul and brought up memories of a calm wooded area and a lake and training on a cliffside with nothing but greenery in his sight for miles. 

His dad was there and this unknown voice that made him feel so much peace on the inside and Robby thought that it trumped all the pain and discomfort he was in.

For the first time in a while, Robby actually felt a little okay on the inside.

--

Bit by bit his memories slowly returned. At first it was just glimpses of events and blurry faces of people he thought were familiar. Slowly everything started to focus and become clearer. He remembered going to the convenience store for milk and the encounter with the Cobra Kai students. He remembered Trey and Cruz and the fight. He knew he was in trouble the moment he saw them walking out of the alley with three of their friends.

He remembered…

He remembered Diaz having his back. He could recall seeing the blue Mohawk in his periphery at some point during the melee and a couple of girl voices shrieking something terrible.

Then all he could remember was just blinding pain and running – the feel of the wind whipping across his face.

He remembered hearing voices telling him to hang on. He remembered hearing his dad’s voice and the rumble of an engine in the background and it sounded like his dad was crying. Then he couldn’t remember anymore.

--

His dad was there when he woke up. He thought he’d woken up before though he couldn’t remember. He didn’t know what day it was or how long it had been. He could remember his name and he could identify his dad at first glance and he could tell that he was in a hospital. It was a decent start at least.

His dad was leaning back in the plastic seat beside his bed looking at a magazine and didn’t notice him staring at him for a few minutes after he opened his eyes. But when he finally did, his entire expression brightened and a wide smile bloomed on his face. He leaned forward immediately.

“Hey, kid,” he said happily.

Robby could feel the tube shifting slightly in his throat when he tried to speak so he decided against it. He wanted to answer his dad’s greeting. He wanted to ask what happened and what day it was or how long had it been. He wanted to ask his dad if he was really there or whether it was just a dream – a wistful dream… but he couldn’t and the frustration it caused him was overwhelming. Instead he could feel the tears of frustration springing to his eyes and he hated it.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, Robby. It’s going to be okay. You just went through something traumatic; your body just needs time to recover.”

It was easy for his dad to say, he wasn’t the one trapped inside his own body, weak and unable to do anything. Unable to even breathe by himself. It was scary and upsetting and frustrating and pathetic and Robby just wanted to curl up and sleep and never wake up again.

The sudden feeling of arms circling his shoulders, pulling him close and holding him firm in an embrace was surprising. He didn’t even have time to react but he couldn’t deny the comforting feeling it filled him with. He subconsciously leaned into the hug, though he was probably more willing than he was ready to confess. His dad’s arms were strong and comforting and that was what Robby needed in that moment.

“I love you, son.”

He heard the words whispered in his ear and if in his heart he said, I love you too, dad, in reply it was nothing anyone could ever prove or use against him.

--

Having the tube out was only slightly more comfortable than having it in. His throat felt like he swallowed a sander on top of downing an entire glass of corrosive acid. Breathing was slightly easier but no less uncomfortable or painful and he couldn’t say a word that didn’t come out as an unintelligible croak. But seeing his dad there filled him with a warm feeling unlike anything he’d ever experienced before and he didn’t think he could feel anymore comforted than he did in that moment.

And then Mr. LaRusso showed up.

The strangest thing was that his dad actually greeted him like a friend when he entered - his smile ever present, filling Robby with a warm feeling of reassurance just like it always did.

“Heya, Robby,” he said when he walked up, reaching over to grasp his shoulder firmly, “You really scared us there, kid.”

Robby swallowed with difficulty, licking his lips a little before he opened his mouth and croaked out a pained, “S’rry.”

Mr. LaRusso laughed and his dad actually had a small smile on his face too, not the blistering glare he always wore whenever a situation was ever to do with Daniel LaRusso. It was weird and for a moment Robby wondered whether he’d accidentally woken up in some sort of bizarre alternate reality.

“But seriously, I’m really glad you’re okay. You had us all very worried, especially your dad. Try not to do that again.”

“I hate agree with anything this guy says, but I second the statement,” his dad said.

Now Robby really felt like he’d stumbled across his dad’s and Mr. LaRusso’s bizarre doppelgangers.

He just nodded.

“Do you remember at all what happened?” his dad asked and Robby had to take a moment to think before he made a so-so motion with his hand. “You know, Miguel and Aisha and the others saved your life that night. If they hadn’t been there… I honestly don’t even want to think about what could have happened.”

Robby remembered that – bits and pieces of it at least. He remembered the feminine voice speaking to him, reassuring him and he remembered feeling less alone in that moment. Though at the time he thought it was an angel speaking from him from beyond the veil but now that his dad mentioned the other people who were there everything made so much more sense. He had to make sure to thank her well. Thank all of them.

“The police arrested a couple of the guys who attacked you. Miguel and the rest already identified them and gave their statements but the detectives still want to talk with you. Do you know why they would do this?” Mr. LaRusso asked.

Robby tore his gaze away, glancing over at his dad whose brows were furrowed and his expression pinched. He could see the anger bubbling beneath the surface – the way it bubbled inside him, and for a moment it made him feel a little happy knowing that he and his dad did indeed have something in common, even if it was their anger.

He kept his eyes on his dad as he nodded, almost as if he wanted to see his reaction to the news.

And his dad didn’t disappoint.

He could see the momentary flare up of rage inside him that he forcibly pushed down with measured inhales and exhales. It made Robby feel good to see his dad get so enraged on his behalf.

“It doesn’t matter,” his dad said finally. “Nothing warrants this kind of retaliation. This is just… inhumane.”

“I know, and I definitely agree,” said Mr. LaRusso.

It really was official, seeing his dad and Mr. LaRusso seeing eye-to-eye on something really was as unnerving in motion as it was on paper.

--

Diaz and Aisha came the next day and despite their… less than stellar history, Robby was genuinely happy to see them.

Aisha approached him without hesitation, though the small smile on her face was forced and significantly less confident.

“Are… are you alright?” she asked as she came to a stop beside his bed.

Robby readjusted himself, pushing himself up slightly so that he was more in a sitting position to address them. It was hard and painful and he barely managed to stop the groan that escaped his lips. “I’ve been better,” he said truthfully; his throat still sore and his voice still hoarse from the tube but at least he could finally understand himself again when he spoke.

“Yeah, no kidding,” said Aisha and Robby was glad to see her smile morph into something more genuine.

“How are you guys? Did any of you get hurt?” Robby asked, his eyes glancing over to Miguel who standing silently by the door, kicking the toe of his shoe against the floor uncertainly.

“Nothing that didn’t go away after a couple of days,” Aisha said and she looked at her side and around to where Miguel was standing once she noticed his lack of presence by her side. Immediately she stalked over to him, grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him over to stand at the foot of Robby’s bed. “Don’t be such baby, Miguel. We both know you’ve wanted to see him for days.”

“You did?” Robby asked at the exact same time Miguel blurted out a disbelieving, “I did?”

They both locked gazes for a beat before looking away awkwardly with a cough.

“How’s your friend, the guy with the hair?” Robby asked as a way to change the subject and break the awkward atmosphere that had settled in the room.

“Hawk? Oh he’s fine, totally shaken up like the rest of us, but okay. Don’t let the hair and the attitude fool you, he’s made of ninety percent Jell-O on the inside,” Aisha answered.

That made Robby smile.

Miguel didn’t say anything.

“I’m glad you guys came actually, I’ve been meaning to say thank you, for… for that night, for helping me when you didn’t have to. I can’t remember everything but I do remember you saving me and I remember your voice talking to me and just… what I’m saying is that I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you guys. So… thanks.”

“We’re just glad you’re alive and that you’re doing okay,” said Aisha. “Aren’t we, Miguel?” she added with sharp elbow to Miguel’s side.

“Yeah,” Miguel groaned out once he straightened up after the unexpected blow. “Do you need to be so violent all the time, Aisha?”

“Strike first, Miguel,” said Aisha with a smirk. “No mercy.”

“God, sensei was right,” said Miguel, like the realization just dawned on him. “You really are a natural cobra.”

“You just realized? You really are slow.”

Robby couldn’t help it, he laughed. Watching the antics of Aisha and Diaz really struck home for him just how much he’d been missing out in the friend department. To have a friend that was a friend just because they enjoyed his company and not because of what he could do for them. It was such a foreign concept to him he could help but be both awed and slightly upset by it.

All three let out a synchronized exhale and lapsed into silence.

“So…” said Miguel completely unexpectedly, “You’re sensei’s kid huh?”

Aisha spluttered slightly before elbowing Miguel in the ribs again. This time Miguel seemed like he was expecting the blow and weaved out of the way a split second before it connected.

“Seriously, Miguel, how about some tact?”

“It’s just a question,” said Miguel defiantly. “There’s nothing wrong with that, is there, Robby?” he said the name Robby like a word in another language that he was trying out for the very first time. It was slightly less awkward saying the name when he was begging the guy not to bleed to death in his arms, but now that they weren’t in a life and death situation, saying the name ‘Robby’ felt far too intimate in a way.

“No, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Robby answered truthfully, a slight curl at his lips. “And to answer your question – yes… and no. Yes he’s my father but no, he’s never really been a father to me.” Until now. But Robby opted to keep that last bit to himself.

“Oh,” said Miguel, his small exclamation a sign that he was obviously not expecting that particular answer and the silence that returned was even more awkward than the one that had been there before.

“Nice going, Miguel,” hissed Aisha under her breath.

“Well sorry, I just wanted to know. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but sensei’s been acting way weird ever since the tournament. Like… weirder than usual.”

“Yes, Miguel, I did notice. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I do have these two things called eyes.”

The banter went back and forth for a while. Robby just leaned back and watched. It felt comforting watched the two of them bicker almost like siblings, obviously close friends. The words coming out sharp but obviously not intended to be hurtful. The fact that it was concerning his dad didn’t even feel like a stab in the heart as much as he thought it would; especially considering the fact that the two people in front of him seemed to know his own father better than he ever did.

But in a way, it was like he was getting to know his father through them. He learned that his presence at the tournament had affected his father more than he thought was possible and even the apologetic look on his dad’s face when he approached him and Mr. LaRusso immediately after the fight was uncharacteristic of the image of the man he’d built up in his mind over the years. The deadbeat loser who couldn’t even keep his own life together, much less being expected to take care of other people.

But his dad obviously cared about Miguel and Aisha and his Cobra Kais.

And if Robby’s realized something over the last couple of days he’d been in the hospital, it was that perhaps his dad really did care about him too. Maybe he really had changed.

For one thing – he stayed.

He stayed when Robby needed him the most, even when he was too out of it to even realize. He didn’t remember much from the night of the attack but he did remember Miguel saving him and Aisha’s voice… and the sound of his dad crying.

Maybe – just maybe Robby might actually get a dad out of the whole deal and in his mind, the cost of finally having one might have even been worth the pain.

Tbc.

Chapter Text

His release date was getting nearer and Robby didn’t understand why he felt so nervous.

It might have been the stress of not being able to count on his body the way he used to be able to. He was still healing, his doctor said, like that made the weakness and the feeling of constantly being out of breath remotely better. It might have been the claustrophobic feeling from being cooped up in the hospital room for the better part of two weeks. It might have been the fact that he hadn’t seen his mom even once during his entire stay. His dad told him that he was on a cruise with a guy she met at a bar. In a small corner of his memory he recalled her telling him that – on the night of the attack. It was the reason he’d been out so late by himself. He just couldn’t stand the silence of the apartment for a minute longer and had gone out to get smashed or high or laid, whichever of the three happened to come first.

He was halfway to one of his usual hangouts when a noise that sounded suspiciously like Mr. LaRusso’s chiding voice sounded in his ear telling him to think about what he was doing.

Mr. LaRusso had the ability to shame him out of doing something without even having to be anywhere in the vicinity. Robby wondered whether that was part of his version of karate. It was both cool and kind of creepy.

He ended up changing his mind and was headed for the convenience store to get ice cream and soda he could maybe drown himself with at home.

That was pretty much where his memories started becoming hazy.

Robby wasn’t sure whether it was his mom’s absence that was bothering him, it wasn’t anything new but still a kind of emptiness that never really stopped hurting; or the fact that he was going back home to an empty apartment and most likely a fridge full of moldy takeout. He wasn’t looking forward to either.

Despite his resolve not to get too used to his dad’s presence, or really just anyone’s presence (people inevitably ended up leaving him anyway), he hated to admit that he’d grown used to having his dad around – maybe even enjoyed it; seeing his face when he woke up and listening to him complain about the doctors, the hospital food, his Cobra Kais, Daniel LaRusso, the weather and pretty much just life in general. Robby would never admit to it out loud, but despite being a deadbeat loser, his dad and his skewered moral compass and sense of right and wrong was really quite fun to have around.

“Ready to go?”

Robby had been completely lost in thought that the sudden voice of the man in question nearly sent him leaping out of his skin when he materialized out of thin air by his side.

“Yeah,” answered Robby, trying to keep the hesitance out of his voice and not to show how much his dad’s appearance had shook him. He noticed how much jumpier he’d become over the littlest thing and he chalked that one of up as an unfortunate side effect of almost dying.

His dad walked around the bed, gathering up the last of Robby’s things and the small overnight bag Mrs. LaRusso had packed for him. None of the stuff in the bag actually belonged to him which meant that she’d gone out of her way to buy new stuff to pack and just the idea of someone going out of their way to do something for him was just unfathomable for Robby. But he accepted it graciously and Mrs. LaRusso’s smile was the most beautiful thing he’d seen in his life.

Next to his own mom’s smile.

In a small corner of his heart, he wished it was her in Mrs. LaRusso’s place.

He was halfway to the door before he realized that his dad was actually talking to him, but the words he was saying weren’t making much sense.

“– I mean it’s not the Ritz or anything, but it’s four walls and a bed that makes only minimal noise when you sit on it. We can stop by your place to get your stuff a little later if you want.”

“Huh?” sounded Robby, unable to keep the confusion out of his voice and off his face. His mind was trying to process his dad’s words – it was spoken in English, that much he was certain. And individually he understood what each word meant, but it was strung together in a way that didn’t make a lick of sense. He vaguely wondered if his dad had been drinking.

His dad looked back at him like he was trying to figure out whether Robby was the one who understood spoken English. “You alright, Robby?” he asked instead and Robby was still too confused to be offended.

“Y-Yeah, I mean… sorry I was – uh – a bit distracted.”

His dad just sighed.  “Look, Robby, I get that this isn’t something we’ve really talked about before but… but it doesn’t feel right for you to be at home by yourself without your mom or at least someone else there. I-I mean, I don’t want to force you to do something you don’t want to do but… but I really want you to consider it.”

Once again, Robby knew his dad was speaking English but what he was saying wasn’t computing whatsoever. “Uhh – I… I'm not following?”

Robby felt bad for being so clueless. He could see the confusion in his dad’s own face alongside the hint of frustration struggling to burst through. He didn’t take offence, he knew how his dad was and he knew that his dad was reigning in his usual temper for Robby’s sake. But almost as quickly as the confused expression appeared, just as quickly it dissolved into a dawning realization.

“I guess you didn’t know this, but a while back I asked your mom for you to come live with me. I mean – it’s probably not the most ideal living situation but it beats having to come home to an empty place with your mom constantly out doing – whatever it is she does. Especially now,” his dad said. Robby still struggling to come out with a response before the man continued. “No… you know what, I won’t let you go back to an empty house all by yourself, especially in your condition. No. You’re coming to stay with me for however long you have to, or however long you want. Alright?”

Usually Robby hated being told what to do by anyone, least of all by the person standing in front of him, but in that moment – his dad’s order only caused a warm feeling aflutter inside his stomach. He couldn’t suppress the small smile from curling at the corner of his lips. “Okay.”

His dad returned his smile, looking almost relieved. “Great,” he said before reaching over to grasp Robby on the shoulder.

Robby didn’t know whether it was his constitution that was weak or whether he himself was on the inside, but he almost melted at the touch. He didn’t think something so simple like his dad acting like a dad could affect him that much. However somewhere in a small corner of his heart, a sad, eight year old’s voice was telling him not to get used to it. Everyone would leave him eventually.

It was hard not to listen, especially because it was his own voice saying those words.

--

Getting settled in his dad’s apartment was easier than he expected.

The room his dad had set up was obviously done by a person who wasn’t sure how to decorate a room for a teenager. But Robby noticed all the small knick-knacks, the stuff that had obviously been recently purchased (including the bed which didn’t make any sort of noise when sat on). He could see his dad’s personal touch and the effort he’d obviously put into making the room not only livable, but even homely and Robby appreciated it. It made him feel wanted, like his dad wanted him to be there; like he wanted to have him around.

It was an odd thing to get to emotional about but after years of feeling like neither of his parents really wanted him, it felt nice – and strange – but mostly nice.

“You settling in, kid?”

He heard the question from where he was sprawled out on the bed starring up at the ceiling to find his dad’s head peeking in from behind the half open door.

“Yeah… it’s great. Thanks.”

“I mean, I know you probably miss your own room back at your mom’s place but – I did my best.”

“No, yeah, I know. I mean… this really is nice. I really appreciate it, dad.” Thinking of his room back at his apartment only brought up feelings of bitterness and resentment and Robby tried to shove the negative feelings back down where it belonged.

“Great. I’m really glad to hear it.”

Robby didn’t doubt the sincerity of the words, coupled with the smile on his face when he said it.

It made Robby’s heart feel good.

--

He spent the next couple of days doing little more than sleeping, shuffling around the apartment looking at everything twice and lounging in the living room watching TV. He noticed whenever his dad left the apartment (mainly cause he’d announce that he was leaving) but it was never for more than a couple of hours. Mostly he left to get groceries and probably settle stuff with his students and the dojo. He hadn’t seen Mr. LaRusso or any of his dad’s students since the hospital and he was kind of missing their presence. Mrs. LaRusso did send over some home crooked food a couple of times and although did dad looked about as disgruntled as Robby expected he would about it, he didn’t seem unappreciative of the gesture.

It was on the third day of his self-imposed exile that Robby started feeling antsy about being cooped up indoors.

Mainly, he was bored as hell.

His dad was out and since he’d only just been gone barely fifteen minutes, Robby didn’t really expect him home for a while.

He realized that he hadn’t even stepped foot outside his dad’s apartment since he got there and before that he’d been cooped up in the hospital for almost two whole weeks. Robby thought he’d probably looked about as white as a vampire by that point, because he definitely felt as reclusive as one. The only human interaction he’d had was with his dad for the last few days and as much as he’d come to appreciate his dad’s company, he was beginning to miss the company of other more well balanced (and less pessimistic) people.

The absolute last thing he expected to find the moment he opened the front door and stepped out into the sunlight was his once foe-turned savior, Diaz, crouched by the potted plants in the middle of the courtyard playing with a scruffy, runty little black and white kitten.

The wide smile Diaz was wearing as he attempted to thwart the vicious attack by the little kitten on his finger by rolling it onto its back twiddling it back and forth on the ground immediately dropped when he turned around to find Robby standing there gaping at him stupidly.

There was a proverbial drop in temperature around them as both of them struggled to react to the other’s presence.

“Diaz,” said Robby with a curt nod. He thought they’d buried at least some of the animosity in the hospital, but unexpectedly coming face to face with the guy tossed all his good senses immediately out the window.

“Keene,” replied Diaz with a nod acknowledging his acknowledgement. Obviously he was grasping for something to say or a better way to respond other than just crouching there awkwardly with a teeny little kitten chomping down harmlessly on his finger. “Well… this is awkward,” he said finally.

Robby let out a chuckle before he could stop himself. Immediately all the tension seemed to seep away. “Hi, awkward,” said Robby, looking at the kitten, before he could even stop himself, “I’m Robby.”

Diaz’s snort of laughter was hilarious in many ways and came out so intensely Robby worried that he’d actually choked. The laughter that followed however was contagious. Robby knew that the last thing Diaz wanted and expected to do in his presence was laugh the way he probably laughed with his friends, but the sight of it was comforting and enjoyable. Robby thought that if his and Diaz’s relationship hadn’t gotten off on the wrong foot, they could actually have been friends.

“Jesus, Keene,” said Diaz after a while, wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes, “I expected that level of dad-joke lameness from sensei. I guess the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”

Robby felt his heart skip a beat, and attempted to cover up the awkwardness he felt with a cough. Instead he stepped closer, leaning against the edge of the table and crossed his arms over his chest. “Nice cat,” he said instead, changing the subject.

“It’s not mine,” said Diaz, his expression dropping slightly before he turned to look at the small kitten that had given up its relentless attack and was now licking at the tips of his fingers. “Found it by a storm drain on my way back from the shop. I’m… I’m not sure what to do with it actually. I can’t keep it, my mom’s allergic to cats and she won’t let me keep it with my asthma anyway,” he said sadly.

Even from the distance Robby could hear the sound of the tiny little kitten beginning to purr as it curled up in the middle of Diaz’s open palm.

“Poor thing,” said Robby. “Can’t one of your friends take it?”

Diaz shook his head dejectedly. “I already asked. Aisha’s dad doesn’t like cats and Hawk… I don’t know, I don’t think he’d be really good with cats, especially not one this small.”

Robby could only nod, not really knowing what to say. He felt bad for the kitten – he understood the feeling of being abandoned and not having anywhere to go. He could sympathize with Diaz’s guilt too. His mom never let him have any pets when he was young. At least, she didn’t let him keep the puppy the one time he begged her and he was forced to find it another home in the end. It was one of the few things that continued weighing at him even after so many years.

Diaz suddenly chuckled at something obviously funny that had gone through his own mind, catching Robby’s attention. “You don’t think sensei’s a cat person, do you?” he asked. Robby could tell that his words were said mostly in jest but there was an undercurrent of hope hidden there as well.

“I don’t think my dad is an anything person. He probably doesn’t even like himself,” he said and even from the back he could see Diaz’s shoulders drooping even further.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

His words were just that though, words. He knew he was quick to point out his dad’s faults and flaws, but he could see that his dad genuinely did care about people – some people at least. He cared about his Cobra Kais and he could finally accept the reality that perhaps his dad really did care about him too.

Robby exhaled, uncrossing his arms and straightening up. “But…” he started, pausing for a beat as Diaz turned around to look at him, a glimmer of hope shining in his eye, “I guess I could try and convince him that… maybe… I don’t know…Maybe we wouldn’t have to leave the kitten out in the street to die.”

“You sure?” asked Diaz, getting to his feet. The kitten by this point had fallen asleep curled up in the palm of his hand that he holding out in front of him carefully.

“I’m not sure about anything, but… I guess my dad’s in that place where maybe I might be able to convince him to be nice. Who knows, maybe he might actually turn out to be a cat person after all? I mean… sulky, antisocial, tries to pick a fight with anything and anyone he sees – unnaturally violent reaction towards inanimate objects… hell, he is a cat isn’t he?”

Diaz’s laugh was nice to hear and his relief was palpable. Robby responded with his own smile, feeling slightly less burdened on the inside than he had for a long time.

“I really appreciate it, Keene,” he said. “I swear I’ll make it up to you.”

Robby smile immediately dropped and he regarded Diaz seriously. “There’s nothing to make up for,” he said, “I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you and your friends.”

Diaz immediately sobered up at the words. “I’m glad you are though,” he said and Robby tried not to appear too taken aback by the words or how much they touched him. “Sensei’s been… he’s been different lately. Happier,” said Diaz, “And I guess that’s not a bad thing.”

“I guess so,” parroted Robby. There were so many thoughts running through his brain but none that he could focus on. He didn’t expect that his life would end up turning out the way it did when he stepped out of his mom’s place all those weeks ago. He wondered if she was back from her vacation already. If she knew about what happened – or if she even cared? But he knew that focusing on those thoughts would only drag him down into the slumps so he cast them aside and focused on the scruffy little kitten in Diaz’s hand instead.

Maybe… now that his mom didn’t have to worry about him hanging around while she was trying to make a life for herself, maybe their relationship could start anew. Maybe they could finally have the kind of relationship they used to have when he was a kid and she used to still fuss over him and worry about him and not just leave him to his devices, taking for granted the fact that he could take care of himself.

And that was one thing Robby did well – take care of himself. He’d been doing it for years.

But at the same time, it felt nice having someone there to fuss over him and worry about him. It was nice to have people to laugh with and share dumb jokes with. It was nice have people concerned about him and be there at his side when he was sick.

He used to have that with his mom but then he grew up and she grew distant.

He used to have that with Trey and Cruz, until they had a falling out and they almost killed him over nothing.

But he had that with Mr. LaRusso, at least, something that was just a good. And he was getting that with his dad.

Maybe he’d end up having something similar with Diaz and his friends too, considering that they were now living a few feet away from each other. It was either that or turn out to be bitter enemies, but they’d gone down that path already and obviously it hadn’t stuck.

“Maybe don’t tell him I was the one who found the kitten though,” said Diaz after a while. “I’m getting pretty fond of not getting my ass kicked every day. That’s what the new guys are for.”

Robby chuckled. “Alright. Got it,” he said.

The handing over of the kitten happened without incident, the kitten didn’t even stir when Diaz handed him off and left once a stern female voice yelling something in Spanish came floating out of the apartment across. From the way the blood drained from Diaz’s face and the hurriedness of his departure, Robby assumed it wasn’t I love you’s.

But nevertheless, he was left alone in the yard with the runty little kitten in his hand. He wasn’t hesitant to admit that the runty little thing was pretty damn cute.

He just hoped his dad would feel the same way.

--

Robby wasn’t sure at which point in his life did his feelings about his father evolve from that of disdain and disappointment to feeling nervous about getting his approval over something.

And yet there he was, putting on an apathetic face even though his heart was beating a little too fast inside his chest, especially once the familiar rumbling of his dad’s Challenger came roaring into the driveway.

The little kitten was still tumbling around on the sofa beside him, having decided that his hand was an enemy of sorts that needed battling.

The surrounding noises came into focus at that point; he listened to the sound of the engine sputtering out of existence and his dad cursing someone or something the moment he stepped out the door. He listened as his dad made his way up the hall and when he slid the key into the lock. He subconsciously held his breath, trying to keep his attention on the TV playing some old movie and not bringing attention to the little kitten at all.

“Hey, Robby,” his dad said the moment he stepped him, closing the door behind him and tossing the keys and his coat onto the table beside the door.

“Hey, dad. How was – umm… civilization?”

His dad chuckled. “Uncivilized as usual. What have you been up to?”

“Plenty actually. I took a nice long walk all the way from my room to the kitchen and back again. Then I sat right here and haven’t moved since.”

“Living the dream, I see,” his dad said.

Robby didn’t realize when conversations with his dad started becoming so… natural or so comfortable. There were a lot of similarities between the two of them that he was only starting to see, their shared sense of humour was one such example. For some reason, it made him feel good knowing that.

But like with everything in life, all good things must inevitably come to an end.

Robby knew the instant his dad zeroed in on the kitten at his side, because the man was about to take a nice long chug of orange juice straight from the bottle and the desperate choking sound he made before orange juice went pretty much everywhere except into his stomach was one of the books.

He decided to give the man some space and a little time to get over the coughing fit and recover from being the first person to nearly choke to death on sugarless orange juice.

“Is there something else you need to tell me, Robby?” asked his dad after a few minutes, still thumping his chest and wiping his damp eyes with the back of his hand.

“About…?” he feigned ignorance before looking at the kitten by his hand, “Oh you mean this? I found it outside, abandoned – unwanted.  Alone in the world and I couldn’t just leave it there in the gutter by itself to die could I?” he asked. “Could I dad?”

It seemed to occur to his dad what was happening in that moment but instead of being angry, he just seemed resigned.

“You feed it, you walk it –”

“It’s a cat, dad,” he interrupted.

But his dad didn’t seem to even register the interruption. “It’s your responsibility. I don’t want to come home to a house smelling of turd, I’ll tell you that now. Bad enough I have an entire dojo full of it.”

“Yes, sir,” said Robby maybe a little to excitedly. “So… does that mean I can keep it?”

His dad sighed, placing the juice back in the fridge and walking into the living room. “Sure. Fine. I see through your tricks, I swear you better not start hanging out with Diaz, he’s the worst sort of influence; all wide eyed and chipper and happy – ugh. I’m surprised him and his bleeding heart didn’t find the cat first.”

Robby tried not to grin too obviously but it was hard. “What should I name him?” he asked instead to change the subject.

“Make sure it’s something badass. Not some pansy ass name like Cuddles or Mr. Fluffy.”

“How about Killer?” asked Robby purely as a joke.

His dad obviously didn’t take it as a joke because he made a face and a so-so hand motion that could clearly be interpreted as ‘that could work’.

“Umm, I was kidding, dad.”

His dad scoffed, muttering something about, “Kids nowadays,” before heading back towards the kitchen to make dinner.

Robby let out an exhale of relief once his dad was out of sight, looking back to the kitten that had tired itself out and had fallen asleep in the space between the sofa cushions, looking very much like a little fuzzy lump in the middle of the sofa.

“Well, I guess we better find you a name that’s badass but less on the murdery front.”

He went to bed that night with little El Gato tucked into the crook of his elbow. He thought it was decent enough name and his dad approved of it though because of his own limited (see: nonexistent) grasp of the Spanish language, he thought it meant something a little more menacing that just ‘the cat’. Eventually he came to appreciate the irony of it and even came to like it, though he still insistent that Robby keep the kitten, quote-unquote, two-point-five miles away from him at all times.

He was pretty excited to go see Diaz and tell him that his dad approved of him keeping the kitten and he thought he’d appreciate the name at the same time.

He hadn’t counted on waking up at five a.m. with his bedroom door slightly ajar (he must have not closed it properly when he went to bed) and El Gato nowhere in sight. His momentary panic was quickly overridden by the realization that the light in the living room was still on, slithering into his room through the gap in the doorway and he could hear the sound of the TV still playing somewhere in the background.

The absolute last thing he expected to find when he stumbled out his door, having tossed aside his blanket in a hurry, was his dad sleeping in his recliner, mouth slightly agape, one hand still holding the remote and the other half covering the fuzzy little black and white kitten curled up fast asleep on his chest.

But that was the exact scene he came across.

He had to wonder whether he was still asleep and this was some sort of dream or he’d woken up in a bizarre alternate reality.

He pinched himself to make sure.

Yup, he was definitely awake.

Opting not to test his luck further, he backed away from the scene as quietly as he could back into his room, closed the door as quietly as possible and crawled back into bed. He couldn’t help the smile that stayed on his face until he drifted off to sleep.

His dad had really come through for him; by being there when Robby needed him the most; by staying with him when he wanted him there the most and for wanting to be a part of Robby’s life. Even after everything they’d been through, even considering their less than stellar history – it was hard to keep his heart from slowly thawing at his dad’s obvious effort. Robby realized that maybe it was okay to open his heart up to his dad again maybe this time the man might actually surprise him in a good way. Robby truly did want to believe that.

Their relationship was nowhere near mended, but at least it was a good place to start.

But next time, he was definitely going to take pictures.

Epilogue.

Saving Keene’s life had been the proverbial wrench thrown into the normality of his life, but Miguel realized that he didn’t really mind. It was strange how their faux-riendship (as Aisha had called it) had changed and developed in such a short time. They’d gone from not knowing each other to hating each other – or rather, Miguel hating him and the guy being rather nonchalant about the whole thing, at least until the tournament happened; to being… whatever they were at that point.

Miguel had had some time to really think about his actions and how much of an ass he’d been about the whole Samantha thing – because that’s what his mom and Aisha had said. Even Moon said that he’d acted like a ‘poopy-head’ which was the first ever sentence she ever said to him that wasn’t a question about Hawk.

Aisha was really in a reaming sort of mood lately and Miguel always ended up with the short end of the stick when it came to her. Figured that he’d gone from being sensei’s punching bag to Aisha’s punching bag, but that was really just his ego talking. The rational side of him – the part he’d been ignoring quite a bit lately, told him that Aisha was only being a good friend. Perhaps the only rational friend he had.

Nothing about Hawk seemed rational anymore. He wasn’t as wound up as he was during the tournament and seeing Keene almost die had really shaken him hard, but he was still going hard at everything and everyone and there was really no reining him in. Moon seemed to ground him a lot though which was a good thing and Miguel appreciated her presence more than he ever thought he would.

So it wasn’t even strange to find himself pacing up and down the hall in front of sensei’s apartment before the sun was even up. He’d tossed and turned the whole night worried about how sensei was going to react to the kitten and whether Keene had kept his word and kept his name out of it. Or if sensei was even okay with him having the kitten in his apartment.

What if sensei had thrown it out in the middle of the night? Drove it out into the middle of nowhere and left it there out of spite? He hadn’t heard any shouting or the sound of anything breaking. That was a good sign at least… right?

All the darkest most negative scenarios kept playing in Miguel’s head making him more and more anxious with each passing second. He had to physically contain himself and not barge on over to sensei’s place and knock on his door especially at that early ass hour; sensei would probably kill him regardless.

He didn’t know how long he waited. He was pretty sure he’d explored every visible inch of the yard in the meantime. He was in the middle of inspecting a random pebble right next to sensei’s door, not really paying attention to anything else when the sound of the door unlocking reached his ear. He was caught completely unprepared. It was worse than when Robby had walked in on him playing in the kitten the day before because Miguel expected some to appear, he just didn’t know when so was left entirely unprepared for the appearance of whoever was behind the door.

Luckily it was just Keene. Miguel felt relief so potent he almost shed tears.

Keene closed the door behind him and both of them walked a small distance away so as to not disturb the still sleeping occupant.

“How did it go? Did sensei take it bad? He took it badly didn’t he?” he continued griping without giving Keene a chance to even open his mouth. “Oh god, he knew it was me didn’t he? Was he pissed? He was pissed right? I knew this was a bad idea. Oh man, I’m dead. I am dead. I knew it.” He was about a hairs width away from grabbing his head and pacing when the sound of Keene’s laughter reached his ears.

“Were you always this high-strung, Diaz?” asked Keene. “Cause I have to say, having been introduced to the Diaz from the beach and the tournament… I never would have guessed.”

Miguel couldn’t stop his sheepish chuckle. He wanted to know when it stopped feeling like such a chore being around Keene – hell, if he had to be completely honest, he’d describe it as almost pleasant; enjoyable even. “I guess so. Being high-strung isn’t the Cobra Kai way though. But I guess a cobra can’t really change its spots.”

Keene looked like he was contemplating something very important though he had a smile on his face. “I don’t think that saying… um… let me guess: one of my dad’s?”

Miguel nodded. He was pretty sure he’d had the exact same reaction when he heard the saying the first time around, but after giving it a lot of thought; he realized that it wasn’t all wrong. It conveyed what it needed to convey. A cobra can shed its skin but it can never really change what lies underneath. But he’s still definitely sure cobras don’t have spots. “I’m pretty sure it was accidentally on purpose.”

Keene laughed. “I suppose that’s true. He is… one of a kind.”

“That’s a nice way of putting it.”

“I came to tell you that you don’t have to worry about the kitten,” Keene said reassuringly. “And I didn’t even mention your name even once.”

Diaz finally felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. “What happened? How did sensei take it?”

“As well as he can take anything I guess.” Keene looked like he was considering something before he grinned and motioned for him to follow him to sensei’s door. Slowly he turned the knob and pushed the door open slightly; peeking in first and only turning around to Miguel once he found what he was looking for.

Miguel wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, he had expected sensei to be sitting in his chair across the hall with a BB gun in his hand pointed straight for his face. But instead the man in question was deeply asleep, half sitting up in his recliner seemingly without a care in the world.

Miguel wasn’t exactly sure why Keene wanted him to see his sleeping sensei; maybe as a going away gift before sensei killed him because of the kitten, he couldn’t deny the sight was rather nice. Sensei seemed almost… pleasant when he was asleep… with the small kitten curled up right in the middle of his chest. Rising up with each exhale; both completely lost to the world.

Miguel felt his eyes bulging out at the sight and he had to take a step back before he made a sound that would wake sensei up.

“Did I just witness what I think I just witnessed?”

Keene’s overenthusiastic, “Yup,” was uncharacteristic and hilarious but Miguel couldn’t even think to focus on it.

That was his sensei sleeping with the kitten he found on his chest.

“This isn’t a dream or some bizarre alternate reality,” said Keene, which was scary because Miguel was legitimately about to ask exactly that.

“Did you kill him then put the kitten on his chest?”

“No,” said Keene. “El Gato –” he said pointedly, “Escaped my room last night while I was sleeping and I woke up to find them in that exact position.”

“El Gato?” he repeated. “You literally called the kitten, the cat? Did sensei name him?”

“He didn’t disapprove. But then again, he already had a foot out the door to get an engraved collar when I said I’d name the kitten Killer.”

Miguel was surprised by how unsurprised he was. However, having given it some thought, he decided that he rather liked the name. It was… unique and befitting a Cobra Kai cat. But then he realized that the kitten was technically a Miyagi-Do cat. Though Keene was living with Cobra Kai’s own sensei did that technically make the kitten half Cobra Kai and half Miyagi-Do? He was definitely going to have to clear that up.

“You can see the kitten any time you want to, or if you want to bring it over to your place once in a while, since technically it is your cat. “

“So we both have joint custody of El Gato?” he asked before he could even stop himself.

Keene laughed at that. “However, if this continues to develop –” he motioned towards sensei’s apartment with his thumb, “I doubt either of us will have custody at all.”

“I don’t mind though,” he said and it was the truth, if the kitten could make his sensei happy than that was good enough for Miguel.

“Yeah, I don’t either,” said Robby thoughtfully.

“Hey… you know, Aisha and I and a couple of friends were going to meet up for breakfast,” he started, “You – uh, you wanna come? We haven’t decided where but it’s probably going to be pancakes because it’s Aisha’s favourite and Hawk and Moon will probably be too busy eating each other’s faces to care and I don’t really care much either because Aisha’s buying, but… it’ll be fun. You should come.”

Keene looked taken aback by the offer and for a split second Miguel almost regretted having said anything at all. He was about to stutter out some excuse to take back what he’d said when Keene finally said; “Yeah – I mean, sure, I’d love to come.”

Miguel found himself smiling. “Great. It’s still about an hour till nine, I guess I should go and help my Yaya clean the kitchen first.”

“Yeah, I guess I’ll take a shower and put out food for El Gato first and I’ll have to let my dad know I’m going out.”

Miguel found himself chuckling. “Good luck with dealing with sensei first thing in the morning.”

“Thanks,” said Keene, returning the chuckle.

“See you at nine. I’ll see you… well, right here.”

Then they parted ways – all the way across the ten feet that separated the two apartments without looking back. They’d parted ways once as enemies and now they parted ways as… what as it? Friends? Miguel was hesitant to use that word but he couldn’t deny that it felt… not wrong; maybe even right.

It was strange knowing that he and Keene now had that sort of connection, a bond literally forged by blood – mostly Keene’s blood, and Miguel was more than happy to let that fact stand and keep his own blood inside his body where it belonged. However he sincerely happy that the guy was alive and he’d actually even come to enjoy his company. Plus he’d saved his kitten – their kitten, and that was a forged bond that was even stronger.

All in all it worked out for the best. Miguel saved Keene and inadvertently saved his relationship with his dad and Keene in return had saved his kitten – it was a fair compensation in Miguel’s mind.

Plus the fact that Keene had named the kitten El Gato had amused his Yaya to no end and the sound of her laughter was like a jingle that lit up Miguel’s mood for the rest of the day.

Keene was waiting for him in the courtyard when he stepped out the door.

Funny, an animal person, a decent companion and a person who actually arrives on time, Miguel decided the he liked the guy already.

THE END