can you keep a secret??-tory nichols

iii. fire and ice

A/N

Last chapter before Tory gets introduced!!

Both Diaz siblings arrived at the beach less than eagerly the following afternoon. "Hawk." Miguel said bluntly, squinting at the sight of the sun.

"Hey, there's the man." He looked at Isabella who stood beside Miguel. "And woman."

"What's up?" Neither of their monotone expressions changed. "No. No more of this. Bella, I don't know what you're upset about, but, Miguel, it's a beautiful day out. The beach is packed with babes. No more sulking about Sam."

"I'm not sulking about Sam." Miguel responded harshly.

"It's about Sensei." Isabella added to her brother's response.

"Is this about his rap sheet?" Hawk questioned. "My parents read it online. I think it makes him more badass."

"It's about him and Robby Keene."

XXX

"So, I did a deep dive online, and you guys were right." Hawk told the Diaz siblings the next day before karate class. "Sensei is definitely Keene's father.

Isabella shook her head, disappointed in her role model. "I just don't understand why he wouldn't tell us."

"Doesn't matter." Miguel pointed out. "But it does explain why he's giving us shit for kicking Keene's ass at the tournament. Show no mercy-" Isabella finished her brother's sentence.

"Unless it's his son."

Hawk rolled his eyes. "Then we gotta be pussies."

"You guys," Aisha stormed over to the three. "Have you seen the commercial? Sam's dad started his own dojo and he disses Cobra Kai." Aisha handed Miguel her phone, playing the commercial for him and Isabella to see.

XXX

"There's a lot of talk going around the Valley about free karate." Johnny said to Aisha's camera. Johnny's best idea to combat Daniel's commercial? To make one of his own. "But everyone knows that in life you get what you pay for. You wanna really kick the competition?" Johnny kicked open a small put holding a bonsai plant. Then you need to get your ass over to Cobra Kai. Screw that lame meditation bull shit. What you need is bone crunching, face smashing, good old American karate." Johnny punched a dummy for a few moments before looking back at the camera. Enough about self defense. Learn self offense. Don't be a pussy. Join Cobra Kai and let me teach you the way of the fist." It's safe to say the ad was a bit aggressive.

"And cut." Aisha announced, turning her phone off.

"All right, we get it?"

"I think so."

"All right, great. Make sure the Cobra Kai snake comes in at the end, all right? I want it to really pop. Make it chrome." Johnny told her as he started to approach his office. "And throw 'Thunderstruck' under it."

"I'm pretty sure the rights for that song will cost too much." Aisha pointed out.

"No, I already own it. Cassette's in the car. Oh, and put one of those hashbrowns at the end. You know, like 'Hashbrown Team Cobra Kai' or something. And then send it to the internet!" He walked into the back room, and Hawk, Miguel, and Isabella knew it was time to confront him.

"Sensei, can we talk to you about something?"

"Look, if it's about the infomercial, I know."

"It's not about the commercial." Isabella assured him. "It's about Robby Keene."

"What about him?"

"Me and Iz saw his picture on your refrigerator." Miguel explained. "We weren't snooping, but...we know he's your son."

"That's why you got mad at us after the tournament, right?" Hawk tried to confirm.

"Is that what you think?"

"Um..." Miguel was at a loss for words at sight of his sensei's mannerism.

"Yeah, Robby's my son. But that has nothing to do with how I run my dojo. It's also none of your damn business. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sensei." Both of the Diaz's said at once.

"But...but, Sensei, I..."

"But-but but nothing. Get out." He told the three sternly. "You three clean mats for the rest of the week." Hawk was first to leave, but Isabella and Miguel stayed around for another minute. "Something else, Diazs?"

"No." Miguel muttered, barely loud enough for Johnny to register it before the two made their way back to the front of the dojo as well.

XXX

"Good, huh?" Johnny asked the Diazs as they dug into their burgers. After an impromptu appearance at Miguel and Isabella's front door, he had taken the two teenagers out for burgers to explain something else to them.

"Yeah." The two chorused.

"The secret's the chopped onions. Sal keeps it simple. None of that veggie crap. Just a hot grill and some quality chuck." Johnny glanced back and forth out the window. "You see that building over there." He pointed at the tallest building of them all out of the window's view.

"The hospital?"

"That's where Robby was born. February 4th, 2002. It was a Monday. His mom was in labor for 17 hours."

"It must've been crazy." Isabella commented.

"Yeah, I'm sure it was. I wasn't there. And...my mom had just died. I was a real mess. I never knew my father, so she was all I had. Next thing I know, I'm gonna be a dad. Scared the shit out of me. So, instead of being up there, welcoming him into the world, I was down here, soaking up the booze from a three day bender, trying to get the courage to walk across the street. And I never got there. I failed my kid...on his very first day in this world." Johnny started to tear up as he spoke. "And I've been failing him every day since."

"Sensei, this is personal stuff. You don't have to tell us." Miguel assured him.

"No, I...I should've told you both a long time ago. It...it's one of the most painful things in my life. But one of the best things...has been teaching you guys. And I want you both to know, no matter what happens, I promise...I'll always be on your side and I'll always have your best interests at heart."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, all right."

"Sorry." Miguel apologized as he reached for his phone, noticing a new notification from Aisha.

"What is it?" Isabella asked him.

"It's from Aisha. She heard Miyagi-Do is doing some sort of demo at Valley Fest."

"Oh, they are, huh?" Johnny smirked. And though he didn't say it, both Miguel and Isabella knew he had a plan.