Lost in Hollywood

Will-o'-the-wisp

Hawk caught up with Sky inside the dojo.

"Wait, Sky—" his raspy voice made her stop on her shaky legs, her intention and purpose fleeing her body, leaving her empty.

He closed the distance between them and then his hands were on her shoulders, gently turning her around. Sky didn't want him to see the pathetic tears that covered her cheeks, the trembling of her lips, but if he noticed them, he didn't care - without asking if he could, he pulled her against his chest, wrapping his strong, lean arms around her aching body.

She didn't resist, but let him, even if he hadn't held her like this in ages, not since the day almost two weeks ago, the day when Cody had died—

A whimper left her lips as her body melted against his. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she buried her face against his chest. Her tears soaked his shirt as sobs broke through, but no words left her lips - they were locked up deep inside of her belly, refusing to come out.

But with him, she didn't need to speak. Their silences had never been awkward or ugly - there had never been a need to fill them with empty words. He had always understood her, even when she said nothing at all.

"It's okay," he breathed softly, a hand brushing her hair, her upper back, as she rested her forehead against his shoulder. "If you want to go home, it's okay. But don't run away from me. If you wanna leave, I'll take you."

Her throat clenched tight, and she had to swallow hard before she could unlock her words.

"I just wanted to do karate."

The words came out raspy and thin, but it didn't matter. The way his arms tightened around her told her he understood exactly what she meant.

"I know."

"I don't want to talk about Cody," she breathed, pressing her face tighter against his shoulder. He was a full head taller than she was, so tall and so strong. Sky could feel the beat of his heart against her cheek - so steady, so heavy– and his scent was all salt and steel, and boy, it filled her lungs, wrapped her up like a blanket, keeping her safe.

"I know that," he sighed. "And you don't have to talk about him if you don't want to. It's okay."

A ragged sob broke through her chest, and her grip on the back of Hawk's T-shirt grew tighter. He was too kind, too fucking kind— it was breaking her heart. The way he held her, as if she was worthy of his love was so unfair, so much more than she deserved.

"I hate Kreese," she breathed, her lips brushing his shirt. "I hate him. I never want to see him again."

"You don't have to. I promise. We can just wait here until he's gone."

"Last time I saw him— you were still in Cobra Kai."

Sky felt how Hawk drew in a breath at those words, felt his posture stiffening. Sky wondered if he was remembering that awful day too - the day when she had stormed into the dojo and slapped him across the face for what he had done to Cody— or if just the mention of his past in Cobra Kai was enough to stir this discomfort in him.

They hadn't really talked about it. There were so many things they hadn't talked about. Things she didn't even want to bring up, but knew that they had to, at some point, if they were going to be together. That thought was heavy, it weighed on Sky more than even seeing Kreese's face.

"For what he did to you— I'll never forgive him." Sky forced the words through her lips. Hawk tensed, and a soft gasp left his lips.

"Sky— the things I did when I was in Cobra Kai—"

But whatever he'd been about to say, was cut short, as the sound of the slide doors opening made Sky quickly release herself from Hawk's arms. Her cheeks heated as Sam stepped through the doors, followed by all their friends, interrupting their intimate moment.