Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

109 - Find the Balance

Similarly to last year, this is not where I saw myself on my birthday. In the hospital, with a fractured hand. That being said, they should be clearing me to go later today. Still not the most preferable way to spend one's birthday.

"If I remember correctly, a certain beautiful, intelligent, ass-kicking girlfriend of mine has a birthday today," Robby says as he walks in, a gift bag in hand. I laugh lightly. Aw... he's wearing my jacket- the one that my mamá embroidered roses on the hood of. It looks really good on him.

"I don't know about ass-kicking anymore, but thank you, mi amor," I say, accepting the gift, "you didn't have to get me anything though."

"Like I wasn't gonna get you something for your birthday," he waves away, sitting at my side. Still. I never want him to feel pressured to get me anything. I shake my head, but smile. I might as well open it. I'm intrigued as to what it could be. He's already given me a kubotan and sais- the later of which I intend to use for forms at the taekwondo All Valley, if I can compete that is...-, I have a katana, bo staff, escrima sticks, nunchucks, kamas- any weapon we've used in taekwondo, I own by now, so I'm assuming it's not something like that. I already have rings and a necklace from him, the former I wear almost every single day. I have him, I have my friends, I have my balance- I have everything I need.

"Before you open it and are like 'Robby what the hell', I tried to do stuff that didn't have to do with karate... I figured you could use a break from people acting like it's the only thing you ever do," he warns as I take out the tissue paper. Wait, that's actually really sweet... I appreciate that a lot.

"That's actually really nice, thank you," I respond. He looks relieved and also satisfied with himself.

I pull the first thing out, finding a small box. Doing all this with one hand is proving to be difficult, especially because they gave me a sling to wear for the next few days so I don't move my hand around as much. It's like they know me. Upon managing to get it open, I find a bracelet. Gold, my favorite.

"It says-"

"'I love you Park Reyes' in Morse Code," I say, managing to decipher the message, "I love you too Robert."

He gives me a look, but also seems impressed.

"You know Morse Code?" he asks.

"I spent a lot of time staying up in my room, waiting for the coast to be clear. Figured I'd learn something useful. I'm just surprised I remember it," I say. That's when things were different. It's funny to think that one year ago today, I was running away from my papá, taking refuge at the LaRusso household, and now, they're taking custody of me. In a couple months, it'll be official, and my dad won't have any legal ties to me. Then I'll finally, finally be free.

"You get more and more amazing every day," he says, making me blush a little, "and I got it in anklet size because I know you don't like things other than a hair tie on your wrist."

He knows me too well. Things on my wrist besides hair ties end up distracting me because I'm not used to them, and it drives me crazy. I can't help but grin, then pull out the next thing. It's a photo album... as I start flipping through it, I find it filled with pictures. Most of them are of him and I, but some have Sam or Mr LaRusso or Tory or Kenny or Demetri or some combination of those people. Some are just him. Some are just me. They go back as far as we've been friends. There are so many. This is- this is incredible.