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February 4th 2002.
It was just a normal day, except it wasn't.
Shannon's screams filled the air as her son made his way into the world. Not even out of the womb and it was already clear he'd gotten his dad's stubborn streak.
Where was his father you might ask?
Getting black out drunk across the street, staring up at the window. He could see Shannon, her hair around her face like a halo.
Jesus, he wasn't ready.
30 days since his mother died.
January 4th 2002.
"Johnny, listen to me. I want you to know it's ok. You need to let me go" Laura whispered. His voice shaky and gray.
"I still need you!" He wanted to scream but instead he just nodded his head like an idiot. His eyes were burning and all he wanted to do was break down crying.
He didn't. He let her go. He won't be ok but he'd say he was. He had a kid on the way anyway.
He could have just gotten up and walked across the street. Instead he took another shot of vodka.
He thought it was a pussy move. Trying to drown the grief inside him anyway he could.
*****
Shannon had begged Johnny to come over and see his son. He agreed reluctantly, he wasn't in any shape to be raising a kid. This kid would call him "dad" and rely on him. Who the fuck relied on Johnny Lawrence?
"Just hold him" She whispered as she fixed a bottle, Robby cooed and stared at his father with his emerald greens. Johnny's throat felt tight as he stared at him. This couldn't be his kid, he could raise a baby. He put robby in his crib and tried to memorize his face, he couldn't stomach taking a photo of his son. Photographs meant memories, memories meant feelings, feelings meant guilt, guilt meant screwing up. Screwing up meant groveling. Groveling meant begging, and begging meant a relationship. He didn't want to screw robby up.
"Goodbye kiddo" he said, planting a soft kiss on his son's head.
*****
Robby was 7 when he realized no one cared about his birthday. Not that he gave a shit, he learned not to care much about anything anymore. His mother was always out and his father was god knows where.
"Can I call dad?" he asked his mother and she shrugged. areadly tipsy and it was only 1 in the afternoon.
"Do what you want" she called before leaving. She wouldn't be back soon and he knew he'd be spending his birthday alone.
Well not exactly alone, he had grandma Laura and her tapes. Every year for as long as he could remember his mom would put out the tape that his grandmother had recorded before he was born. It was like having a little piece of his dad with him on his birthday. So he'd put the tape in the cassette player and let her voice fill the void.
"Hey Rob! This is grandma and today is your 7th birthday, hope you have a great day buddy! I can't believe how big your getting! I'm gonna need to talk to your dad about letting you grow! Love always, Grandma" The tape shut off and robby sat in silence for a while.
He wasn't angry anymore.
He was just there.
*****
HIs mom had actually cared for his 14th birthday. Bought him a cake and everything. Of course that didn't last long, she got trashed and knocked it off the counter. He'd screamed at her. It wasn't the cake, he just wanted her there. His dad had called earlier, drunk out of his mind.
"It's cool mom, just leave it" he snapped as his mother stumbled to her room.
He didn't care anymore.
At least he pretended not to.
He took himself to the skatepark and scoped out the girls. Hitting the beach and stealing a beer. It sucked ass and he threw it into the sand. st least he didn't have to care much about what anyone else thought.
Nobody was there to see it anyway.
*****
For his 15th, he'd gotten a sober phone call from his father, he'd guessed that Miguel had somehow dragged his father back to the land of soberness. He'd didn't give a shit anymore. The Larusso's had gifted him a new skateboard.
"It's pink" he muttered to himself. Jesus, was it ever pink. Hot pink to be exact, what? was sam colorblind? what 15 year old buys a hot pink skateboard? A rich one he thought.
"Happy birthday" Shannon greeted him, hanging off a seedy looking guy, at least she was sober.
"Who the hell is that?" Robby snapped, jerking his attention to the asshole in the slacks.
"This is Mark" Shannon bit back, shooting robby a look.
"Great, just fucking great" Robby mumbled. Pulling out the pity cake he'd bought himself at the store.
"Your dad called" Shannon called as robby sulked his way to his room.
"Tell him he can go fuck himself" Robby hollered. Slamming his bedroom door shut.
"hey kiddo. Happy 15th! You can finally drive now!" his grandmother's voice filled his ears as he tried to drown out the sounds coming from his mother's room.
*****
For his 16th, The Larusso's had let him decorate the pool house. asked if he wanted to invite any of his friends.
Trey and cruz?
"No way" he told them before leaving, slamming the door shut behind him, sam came and checked on him. Kissed him a lot. More than he liked but it numbed him for a bit. He didn't really care anymore.
"Did your mom call?" She asked and he nodded. She'd left him some shitty voicemail but he knew it didn't mean jack shit.
"Can we not talk about this?" he asked and she nodded. Kissing him goodbye before he turned on the tape.
"Rob! Your 16! I hope your staying out of trouble! Happy birthday sweet boy! Don't go crazy on the road. Grandma loves you" the tape cut off and Robby stared at the wall for a bit. He didn't want to think anymore. So he didn't, he took his yearly shot of vodka that lulled him to sleep.
*****
His 17th. Now that was a birthday he actually enjoyed. His mom bought a cake and everything. Tory came over and he actually let her see his room. She immediately told him she was taking him to the thrift store, because he was too hot to be wearing ripped jeans for the rest of his life.
"Baby you don't need to do this" he said as he drove and she rattled off directions to what she described as "the best cheap stuff that all the rich kids throw out" and bounced like a kid at Christmas in the passenger seat.
"Ok so you would so good in this" she beamed, handing him a pair of jeans that didn't have holes.
"Ok ok, I like them" He relented and she bought them. He liked that she wanted to spend his birthday with him. It was the first time someone in his life had actually cared enough to say "I want to hang out with you and you do deserve to be celebrated"
"So now can I give you your real birthday present?" she asked and he nodded.
"Wait please tell me you didn't get "keene's girl" tatted across your ass" he said and tory mocked a look of horror.
"No! You giant ass, I didn't get anything tatted. But I did get you this" She said, leaning forward and pressing her lips to him. Since prom they'd kept it low stakes but Tory was looking as good as hell as robby slammed against his apartment door. His dad wasn't home and robby could barely get the door open before tory straddled him and chased him to his bedroom. locking the door he wasted no time getting her naked.
"Hi" he said, cupping her face in his hands.
"Hi" she whispered, riding him a little, as he rolled on a condom.
"Your driving me crazy" He smirked. Teasing her as he kissed her nipples and thrust inside her.
"Rob!" she cried out and he silenced her with a kiss.
Best birthday ever.
He'd even let her see the tape his grandma had left him. She sat next to him on the couch and let the voice fill the room.
"Happy 17th Rob! I bet your breaking a lot of hearts and I bet whatever girl you've found yourself with is being treated nicely? who am I kidding your the best! Anyway Love you. Love always Grandma" The tape cut and robby let it sink in.
"I wish I could have met her" He whispered hoarsely. Tory nodded. He'd never cried in front of her and he wasn't about to start.
"I-uh-Bathroom" He muttered as he got up and all but sprinted to the bathroom, slamming it shut behind him. Tory followed and opened it. Robby's eyes were red and he looked away from her.
"I need you to leave" he choked and tory ran her hands through his hair.
"And I needed to wish you a happy fucking birthday by screwing you till neither of us could walk for a week. But we can't always get what we want" She teased.
"Nichols" Robby choked. that was it. He broke like a dam against her and she let him.
I love you, He thought.
I don't deserve you, his brain screamed at him.
Maybe his birthday was just another way for the world to remind him of what he could want but would never get.
*****
February 4th 2020.
His 18th.
It was a normal day.
Ok so it wasn't normal. It was about as normal as you could get when your girlfriend hated you and your friends thought your stepbrother should have gotten the captain spot. Fun times.
"Happy birthday Robby!" Johnny greeted him. Pulling him in for a hug, which robby returned. He hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk to tory after Kwon had died. She'd avoided him like the plague and he hadn't blamed her.
"I've got a list of stuff for us to do!" Johnny chirped. Ok something was up. His father was never this chipper unless he was hiding something.
"Ok dad what's going on?" Robby asked and Johnny just hustled him along and dragged Diaz out of bed. He took the boys to Robby's favorite breakfast spot and to the beach for the morning. Robby actually enjoyed his birthday for once.
He debated listening to the last tape.
His grandmother had left him 18. this was the last one. He'd never listen to a new birthday greeting again.
"Happy Birthday robby! Your 18! A man! I cannot believe how fast the time has flown! I know you'll do great things! love always. Grandma Laura" the tape cut and robby settled back against the couch. It was over now.
"Get up!" Johnny bellowed. Robby nearly jumped out of his skin. What was with his dad today?
"Meet me in the car" he said ever so sweetly. Ok so something was defiantly up.
"Where are we going?" He asked and Johnny didn't respond.
He pulled up to the dojo and Johnny pushed open the double doors.
"SUPRISE!" everyone yelled. Robby gulped. Everyone cared, everyone was here.
"Ok, I'm gonna go now" He said, turning around about to bolt toward the door.
"Robert Swayze Keene! Get your ass back here!" A female screech rang throughout the dojo. Robby went paler than a sheet of paper.
"Tory?" He turned around. The blonde was dressed in a crop top and ripped jeans, wearing the dumbest party hat robby had ever seen in his life.
"You forgot something" She taunted and robby raised a brow.
"Oh yeah? What exactly am I forgetting ba-tor?" He asked, mentally cursing at himself for almost called tory "baby" in a room full of people.
"This" She sighed, pretending to be exasperated. She shoved a cake in front of him. Coated in black and green icing and in tiny print, tory had written.
Dear Keene.
Haven't you ever been in love before? I have, I'm in love with you. Surprise! Yes I did write this on your birthday cake. I love you so much, Robby you've taught me how to be alive again. So as a tribute to your favorite rom com. I've compiled a list of everything I love about you. I think I made Kat and Patrick proud.
I love that you call me "baby"
I love that you smile when I wake up next to you.
I love that you love my brother.
I love that you dance like Patrick Swayze.
I love that You light up any room you walk into.
I love that you teach me to calm the fuck down even when I don't want to.
I love that you love 10 things I hate about you.
I hate that I don't hate you not even a little bit not even at all.
Robby bit him lip. He did not want to cry in front of people.
"Get out" he ordered to no one in particular.
"Not you Nichols" he snipped. tory paled and Robby blew out the candles.
What'd ya wish for?" Miguel asked like a 5 year old.
"For everyone to get to fuck out so I can fuck my girlfriend!" Robby barked. He was being a shithead but he didn't care. this was something they needed to talk about. Never mind it was his birthday.
****
Tory stood, her guard up as robby paced back and forth.
"You could have told me sooner" He suggested and she scoffed.
"I was kinda preoccupied with getting the hell away from Kreese and silver. If you remember" She snarled and Robby winced.
"I get that. Umm so would now be a bad time to do this?" he asked. pulling her closer and kissing her.
"You did just order everyone out so you could fuck me" She reminded him.
"Good" he whispered.
****
After, they'd changed and headed out to the pond, stripping down to their underwear and swimming to the deck.
"You make 18 look good" Tory said, smiling.
"Touche Nichols" Robby sighed. He grabbed 2 beers off the deck and handed her one.
"You are an adult" tory sighed.
"Yep" he kissed her temple.
"Sooo....anything you wanna tell me?" She teased.
"What?" he asked and she gave him a hard look.
"You giant dork, I've been waiting all day for you to tell me you got into UCLA even though I already knew" She threw her head back laughing.
"So? I didn't want to tell you yet because.." he trailed off.
"Relax robs, I'm gonna go to community college and then see what's next for me..." She smirked.
"Ride or die Nichols?" he asked and she nodded.
"Ride or die Swayze" She smirked.
This was his favorite.
"Oh this one is from your dad" Tory said, grabbing something small from under a rock.
"What is it?" Robby asked.
"Another tape" Tory replied before hitting play.
Except it wasn't Laura's voice who filled the air. It was Johnny's.
"hey kiddo, Figured I could at least say happy birthday to you. I'm so proud of the man you've become and I cannot wait to see where the world takes you. Love always. Dad" The tape cut. Robby leaned back.
"Billy Joel time" Robby declared as he play on his phone. "And so it goes filled the air" and robby felt his eyes burn. this was his grandma's favorite song. It was Tory's mom favorite song. It was his dad's song.
"You can have this heart to break" He sang softly, kissing tory lightly.
"Happy birthday" she whispered as she watched the boy she loved. The rugged, juvie, high school dropout had proved everyone wrong in his 18 years on earth. She couldn't wait to see where he'd go next.
"I love you" Robby whispered as he stared at the stars. He wanted the moment to last forever.
At least the rest of the night.