little bird // r.keene

v. young love.

Hawk didn't move a muscle when Kreese ordered everyone who had a problem with feeding the hamster to the snake to leave. He didn't even blink, keeping his eyes fixed to the mats.

"You're off the team." He stated, "Get out! Get!" Hawk didn't even flinch as the man raised his voice and then surely enough, one by one, his friends left the dojo. And once they were gone, Kreese turned around and dropped the furry little creature into the snakes glass box.

Hawk trailed into Johnny's office- Kreese's office he had to remind himself, the man was sitting at his desk clipping a cigar with his elbows rested on Johnny's desk.

Kreese's desk.

"Are you sad to see your little friends go?" Kreese asked him as Hawk remained in the doorway, he took another step in so he was facing his sensei.

"N-no sensei." He replied after a moment. A lie.

Kreese shrugged his hands, "Go ahead, you can speak freely, son." He told him and Hawk licked his lips before letting his eyes finally trail up from the desk to meet Kreese's.

"Is this the right time?" Hawk paused, "To make cuts." He clarified, "We're already down students after the school fight." Hawk pointed out innocently.

"You mean we've lost Diaz and Evans." Kreese said bluntly and Hawk's mouth opened slightly. Yes, that had been exactly what he meant to say. "It's no secret that some students didn't show up today because we've lost two of our best fighters... But I see it as riddling out the weak- the ones who didn't turn up today were just floaters. And the ones who couldn't stomach the snake are simply too soft." Kreese explained, "See it as addition by subtraction. A true cobra feels no sympathy for it's meals. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No sensei."

"Good."

"I just don't understand the plan." Hawk said honestly, "With Miyagi-Do shutting down we might be able to get new recruits."

"But we will... In due time." Kreese had a smirk plastered on his face, "First, we are going to have to strengthen our core. With Evans out for good, so she says, we're going to need a new champion." Kreese watched with the greatest detail as he saw Hawk's eyes drop once more at the mention of Wren's name.

  He could see it written on the boy's face like spray paint on a wall.

"She's not coming back Hawk, I tried to convince her, try again at your own peril." He stated simply, leaning back in his chair. Kreese had known from the first time he saw the pair in his first session with Johnny that there was something between Hawk and Wren, there was no denying it.

He didn't know all the details of their relationship of course, only snippets of gossip that circled the dojo, but he knew enough to know Hawk would never be at his strongest with her on his mind. But also that he would never be at his strongest without Wren by his side. There could be no in between.

"It was nothing." Hawk denied, swallowing the burning feeling in his chest. The last time he had seen Wren was a week ago during the fight. After she had kicked him and run off, he composed himself and followed her. But by the time he got back to the hall, she was already at the top of the stairs.

Hawk watched Robby's kick from afar. He watched as Wren grabbed their friend. They all watched Miguel fall.
He didn't seek Wren out afterwards, he only watched as she crumbled to the floor beside the railing, hunched over and crying.

He didn't dare go over to her, speak to her, touch her, comfort her.

But looking back Hawk knew he should have. He knew all too well about her friendship with Robby. So he could only imagine how it must feel for your best friend to almost kill your other best friend.

He knew where she lived of course, he knew where to find her, but still... He could never find the courage to walk up to her front door, not after all he had done and all she had been through. Hawk was certain he was the last person she wanted to see.

Aside from Robby Keene.

"It's alright you know." Kreese's words snapped him out of his train of thought. "To feel what you are feeling. Believe it or not, I've been in love before."

"I'm not in love with her." Hawk snapped, his fists clenching by his sides instinctually.

"Of course not," Kreese smirked, almost mockingly and Hawk felt his cheeks grow slightly pink at how well his sensei could read him. "Maybe it wasn't love, but it wasn't nothing either." He told his student and Hawk remained silent, anxious but curious to see what he had to say. To see what his and Wren's relationship had looked like to an outsider.

"And perhaps it was just the stolen glances across the mats and laughing together a little too much after training. Perhaps it was just feeling giddy at touching each other's knees under a table or maybe even pausing before breathing her name." Hawk's knees felt weak, he and Wren hadn't had all these things, but oh did he wish they could have.

"Maybe it wasn't love," he added, "but it could have been. I'm sure at another time, if she were still at the dojo that is, it could have been." And with that, Hawk left Kreese's office without another word.

And in that moment, Kreese knew that nothing could stand in the way of young love, he had experienced it too once upon a time. But right now, Hawk was his only chance at getting the All Valley champion back at Cobra Kai Karate.