Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

144 - Ruined

TW- talk of trauma

At some point, I got back to the hotel room. I don't remember looking away from Kwon lying dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood. I don't remember the walk here. I don't remember someone untying my belt because I couldn't breathe right. I don't remember any of it.

"Parker..?" Sam asks, snapping me out of a daze, "I'm done in the bathroom if you wanna shower."

Her voice is gentle, as if I might shatter into a thousand pieces if she gets too close or speaks too loudly.

"Thank you," I respond, gathering my things and heading into the bathroom. Pulling the gi off fills my whole body with both mental and physical pain. My back aches from all the times I got hit there. My head pounds from getting hit in the face and from the fact that my head has been pounding since I witnessed the life go out of Kwon's eyes. A bruise eerily similar to the one left by my father is beginning to form on the side of my face. My arms and legs are sore from all the nonstop fighting. I look terrible. My hair is a mess. I'm drenched in sweat. Blood covers my face and drips down my neck onto my chest. My hands and arms are also covered in blood as a result of wiping my face. The most notable mark is the red hand print on my throat from where I put my hand there. All of it brings a sick feeling to my stomach. I force myself to look away from the mirror.

Going into today, I could've never guessed it would end like this. Never in a million years.

I continue undressing, then turn on the water and step into the shower, letting the blood, sweat, and tears wash away down the drain. I just wish everything else that happened today could do the same.

—

When I walk out of the bathroom, I find Sam and Miguel sitting on their bed, and Robby standing by the window, back towards the rest of us. He looks as bruised as I do. I wish I could've gotten to him sooner. I could've been faster. I could've been stronger. I could've been better. I walk to his side, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. In his hands is the picture of the two of us from our very first karate All Valley, now torn in half. His expression is hard, but I see glaze of tears in his eyes.

"We can fix it when we get home," I propose. Or I could print him a new one. That being said, I know it'll never be the same... it'll never be the copy that he slipped into gis and pants pockets every single day . It'll never be the same. Robby shakes his head.

"I'll just print a new one when we get back home," he says, letting the pieces fall to the floor, before turning into my arm and putting his hands on my shoulders, "it was outdated anyway."

He's not wrong. There are numerous pictures of us that are far better than that one, and much more recent too... but there's something special about the one that's now torn in half on the floor... and I think we both know that. He presses a kiss to my forehead, then sits down on the bed. I slip the two pieces into my backpack, retrieving my box of bandaids, cold packs, and Vicks VaporRub while I'm down there before joining Robby on the bed.

"Here," I say, handing a few of the ice packs to Miguel and Sam. I packed a bunch because I figured we'd be getting pretty beat up. I just didn't think it'd be like this.