little bird // r.keene

xliv. unwelcome.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hawk practically shouted, Wren and Robby had been standing by a dummy with Kreese, their backs to the door like they had been for the past 20 minutes.

Kreese didn't object when Wren walked in the morning with Robby, he only smiled in the same way he always did. Like he was pleased with himself, like he was planning ahead.

Wren explained how Robby wanted to fight again and that was that. No questions asked... But Hawk, he had questions...
He stalked into the room, aiming for Robby and Wren glared him down, she hadn't spoken to him since the cafeteria a few weeks ago and their brief exchange when they showed down with Johnny's new dojo: Eagle Fang Karate.

"He's here, you got a problem with that?" Wren shot, eyeing him up, Hawk's eyes met hers but he didn't seem to care for her hostility. Not at that moment.

"Hold on there." Kreese stepped forward, holding up a finger to Hawk, who stopped about a metre away. "Mr Keene is our guest."
Hawk seemed to have a hard time swallowing this and so followed Kreese into his office to no doubt argue. Kreese ordered them all to warm up and then get into sparing in the centre of the mat to demonstrate for Robby- not that he needed it.

But they all obeyed.

Wren and Robby sat side by side as they watched Tory fighting a guy named Liam. He was taller than her, sure- but he was an idiot if he thought this was an automatic win because he was bigger.

Wren watched as Tory moved seemingly effortlessly, striking Liam's rib cage, which he foolishly left unguarded. He put up a good front, but when it came to defence, Liam was weaker than her.

Tory pivoted, her smaller frame making her more nimble and kicked the back of his leg and just like that. Liam was down. 3-2 to Tory.
Kreese chose the Winner Stays On, so Liam quickly returned to a spot on the corner of the mat and Tory surveyed the other students for her next opponent.

It was inevitable who she was going to choose.

"You going to try to give me a run for my money or what?" Tory asked Wren, who was already pushing herself up to her feet. The other student's knew of the girls close bond and so knew, this was going to be fun to watch. 

Wren shrugged, "Depends..." She thought, walking forward to take her place, "Though, I think we should invest in some new mats, these ones are beginning to look worn out. I'm starting to feel sorry about knocking you on your ass." She smirked, assuming a fighting stance.
"You wish." Tory uttered, mimicking Wren's movement.

And they fought.

The truth was, Tory was sort of on the same page as Hawk when it came to Robby potentially joining Cobra Kai. She didn't particularly like him because of his association with Sam as well as what he did to Miguel.

But she knew he was strong, Wren had told her as much. And Tory had spent so much time worrying about her friend that she decided if Robby meant Wren staying at Cobra Kai, and therefore staying with her, Tory didn't mind him being there.

The girls knew how the other moved, it almost seemed like a dance in a way. A set of movements repeated, hoping that the other might crack.

Out of all the students in the dojo, everyone was certain they were the most evenly matched, excluding Hawk. And everyone was pretty confident that if Wren and Hawk fought each other, it would end in blood.

It was 2-1 to Wren when Kreese emerged from his office, Hawk behind him looking like a puppy with its tail between his legs- it almost made Wren laugh.

He ordered the girls to stop and everyone to get in lines...

"Finish this later?" Wren asked Tory, her words mildly breathless.

"You sure you want to do that?" Tory quipped back, implying her inevitable victory but when Wren rolled her eyes and nodded, it only made Tory smile.

For the first time in a while, she felt like she had her friend back.

Kreese eyed Robby and smirked as they all fell into their lines side by side. Wren had Tory on one side and Robby on the other, Hawk feel in line with Kyler just behind them.

Wren could almost feel Hawk's withering stare on the back of her head and no doubt Robby's too, she had guessed his argument with Kreese would be futile and she had been right.

A part of her, a long time ago, would have been sorry. But right then? Wren just didn't care.