𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑，𝑐𝑜𝑏𝑟𝑎 𝑘𝑎𝑖

nine | in the end

The locker room is quiet. The air prickles with anxiety. Only the drip of a leaky faucet and the collaboration of our breathing fills the room, but it's just background noise.

I sit beside Robby on the same bench. The hand attached to his good arm is settled on his clenched fists. I don't bother to hold his hand because I didn't make him do what he's doing now. The second we sat down, he just put his hand over the top of mine as if he needed something to ground himself.

I would mind, usually, but something inside me renders me unable to pull away from his static touch.

"You remembered to focus." Mr. LaRusso suddenly speaks, breaking the preestablished silence.

Robby glances at him, a memory twinkling in his eyes. "You had me on that tree for hours." He chuckles.

Mr. LaRusso shakes his head. "Look, Robby, your dad and I," he glances at me but decides to continue regardless, "we have our issues but... you and him that's another story."

As he talks, he sits on the bench across from us, clasping his hands together. At the mention of his father, Robby breaks my fist apart to actually hold my hand. My heart thumps.

"I'm sorry I lied to you, Mr. LaRusso." He says shamefully, "I just wanted to get back at him."

"I know." LaRusso chuckles humorlessly, reaching out to pat Robby's knee. "But you can't let that bad blood change who you are. You don't need to like the guy, but... he is your father."

Keene's head dips. He knows what Mr. LaRisso is saying but at the same time, he's felt abandoned for so long that it's hard to consider the man a parent. It's a feeling I know all too well...

"Trust me, Robby, if you let go of all the anger you have for him, no matter what happens tonight, you go home feeling great."

Silence passes. At this time, I give Robby's hand a gentle, hardly noticeable, squeeze. "He's right."

Robby looks at me, lips turning up and his sea-green eyes shining. He chuckles weakly, "I don't know about that. My shoulder... I don't think I can fight."

I look at his shoulder. It's swollen up already. Some kind of dislocation if I had to guess. I've never had any shoulder injuries, but I imagine it must hurt.

"Well, we'll see about that." Mr. LaRusso says as he stands.

Robby and I look up at him, following his every movement. He exhales slowly, moving his hands apart only to clap them together. My brows knit in confusion as he rubs his hands together, quickly gaining speed. Just when I think something is going to happen, he stops, turning to look over his shoulder.

"Medic!"

What. The. Actually. Fuck?

"Is there a medic?" He calls again. When no one responds, he holds up a finger to us before leaving the room. The second he's gone, Robby and I start laughing.

"So... is that like a thing he does?" I ask between chuckles.

Robby shakes his head. "I- I have no idea... He had this sensei, that—..." He shakes his head again, biting back a smile, that slowly fades into something resembling a grimace. "I'm sorry, Rhys."

My lips part. It's like a stab to the gut; the use of my own name being the cherry on top. "For what?" I ask, swallowing the lump in my throat when I finally pull my hands away from his light grasp.

He remains quiet for a beat, deciding what he wants to say, as the sensation of my touch ebbs away. "Nothing. I just–... I thought I could win." He sighs. "It's stupid-,"