In My Blood (Eli Moskowitz/Hawk FF) (Cobra Kai)

Chapter 24: The Uphill Battle

Season 3 spoilers! But also y'all might want to grab your snacks and beverages again because things are about to come crashing down and THE 🍵TEA☕️ IS PIPING HERE! ✨FACTS✨ are being spit... buckle up!

Also sorry for the wait! When I was ready to post this, I clicked on Wattpad and realized it logged me out. And I was locked out because my password wasn't working. 😩 Anyway, enjoy it! Chapter 25 will be posted on 1/26. I am halfway done with it.

CHAPTER 24:
ZELENA POV

My fist lightly raps against the thin structured wall, echoing into the otherwise empty main room. The dark haired man spins to face me, placing his back to the picture he'd rehung at least five times now. "Sorry, I didn't mean to disrupt," I bow my head in acknowledgment of Mr. Miyagi's spirit whom he'd been trying to contact for some guidance. My eyes then rise in sync with my head's movement to its normal position.

He smiles softly at me, almost wearing an expression of uncertainty as he does so. "You weren't." My eyebrows raise inquisitively with the knowledge that I most certainly have. "I'm surprised to see you here. Sam said you weren't comfortable enough yet." He smoothly changes the subject of conversation and I humor him.

"I wasn't." I step forward into the room, allowing my eyes to circle around the open space. A chill trickles down my spine, leaving an iciness of the past in its wake. The last time I'd stood here, I was practicing the Crane kick with Robby following him teaching me the two handed kick. I abruptly dart my eyes across the room to meet Mr. LaRusso's. "But Kreese is bigger than just me. He's bigger than us. I mean he invaded the headspace of all these teenagers- my peers and friends. And I-" My shoulders rise and fall in a shrug of unspoken words choking me. "I tried doing it on my own. We tried leaving it alone. Tried walking away. But Kreese is that hypothetical devil on your shoulder that colors a part of your mind black. He eggs you on and on until you're cornered and the only way out is through."

I force the tears of frustration back. "I'm exhausted trying to fight around him only for him to reappear back in my path. I'm fed up with him turning good people into shallowed out, black, endless abysses of themselves." My voice grows high pitched and although I'd thought alot about Tory, my mind pictures Robby who had chosen the better path once when he was faced with bitterness. Robby's name falls from Mr. LaRusso's lips and I numbly bob my head up and down. He crosses the space between us, wrapping his arms across the top of my back to tightly secure me to his chest. My arms warmly wrap around his waist and I feel the genuine smile crawl across my lips. "So 'daughters' huh? I was only aware of one."

A rumble rolls through his chest at my tease. "You should know by now. You're family, Zelena. Always have been."

My heart expands in my chest and I squeeze him slightly tighter in a silent appreciation. His hand runs across the top of my back before I step back from the embrace. "We've got a dojo full of new students to kick into gear, father dearest."

He rolls his eyes playfully, accompanying it with a point from his index finger in my direction. My legs carry me backwards to the sliding doors as I watch him in amusement. "Don't make me regret inviting you into the family."

"Sorry. No one will accept me as a return. Uncle Rob can attest to that." I joke, reaching my arms behind my back to grab the latches of the dojo doors. I carefully pull them apart, wary of the extent my left arm can take. The bright, natural light from outside shines in and at first glimmer crossing his face, his poked out tongue retreats back into his mouth. And his playful retribution of "imagine that" is whisked away by peering eyes. The eyes of my friends looking for guidance and salvation from the path they'd been taking.

My smile softens as the uncertainty returns to his irises, "You're guaranteed to do great. Mr. Miyagi says so." His eyes drift back onto me momentarily, nervously smiling at me before inhaling and stepping down the small set of stairs. I follow his nervous action, shakily exhaling as I close my eyes. Be fearless and stand up for what's right. It might be the hardest thing to do, but in the end it'll be worth it. Never lose your great path to the dark. My mom's voice fills my head and the physical weakness of fatigue is washed away with a strength. With a will of determination. I sharply inhale, centering myself on knowing everything I'd done thus far is just that- abides to her advice of doing what's right. And it has been hard at times. But so very worth it.