Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

137 - Bad Guy

TW: talk of trauma

"Parker...?" Sam asks as she walks in on me getting ready for the next event.

"Cosa?" I ask in return to let her know she has my attention, even if I'm still working on wrangling my hair into a style that will keep it out of my face.

"Are you okay? And I don't mean that in the way everyone has been asking lately. I mean... are we okay..?" she asks apprehensively. It's a fair question. I snapped at them earlier, but truth be told, it was a fraction of what I was feeling, and a fraction of what I probably should have told them.

"I know you did your best out there," I say, "I could never be mad at you doing your best. And I'm fine. I hope you know that if you need me while we're out there, I'm there for you, for all of you. I thought everyone knew that."

"Of course we do," she says, "I guess... we're just not used to seeing you like that. The way you were fighting during the captain's war... none of us have ever seen anything like it."

Just because they've never seen it doesn't mean I've never done it. I'll never forget the way I fought after Robby took that hit that left him breathless...

"Well I apologize if I scared you," I say, "but I'll always be here when you need me most. Always."

She smiles a little. Good. Hopefully she'll stay focused in the next event.

"Grazie, Parker," she says, "oh, and have you seen our dad? The next event starts soon and I can't find him."

Our dad... I love when she says that. It makes me feel like I really am part of the family. She has a point though, where is Mr LaRusso?

"I haven't seen him since he talked to us in the lobby," I say as I straighten out my uniform, "I can try calling him though-"

"I've tried. He hasn't answered," she says. He didn't mention where he was going when he left... but he'll be here for the next event... right..?

—

Wrong. Mr LaRusso isn't here. He isn't here, and we need him to be. This whole event is centered around balance. If there's anyone who's drilled balance into my head, it's Mr LaRusso. Where is he?

"Alright, listen up," Mr Lawrence says as we all gather around him, "looks like I'm taking charge, so we're doing things differently. No more waiting around like scared little bitches, waiting for them to come to you. alright? You go at them, aggressive. You knock them off first."

His words don't sit right in my stomach. That's not the best method here... maybe for a traditional sparring match, but on a narrow platform? It just... doesn't feel right...

"Those platforms are pretty narrow... my dad would want balance," Sam says. I nod. I don't want to be contrary and upset Mr Lawrence again, but I also know a thing or two about martial arts.