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

Chapter 36: Dr. Feelgood

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey! Sooooo in this chapter, there will be a warning further down a TW/ Trigger Warning and this symbol (⚠️ ) will appear before and after that specific scene shows up. The double one is a scene depicting abuse and the single one (where the sign shows up once) is a mention of suicide and depression. Heads up!

CHAPTER 36:
ZELENA
The pole smashes against Samantha's, but to release the tension building in my muscles from the pressure of our matched hold, I swing mine backward in a circular motion. Hers falls forward and just to tease, I thrust mine forward and swipe down, harshly knocking the top quarter of it against hers. Her bamboo stick clatters loudly, bouncing a few times until it lays completely still against the floor. "Nice job, Bloom!"

Chest still heaving, my body slowly turns to face the door in surprise at the voice bellowing into the room. My eyebrows furrow in further confusion when three other boys trail behind the broad shouldered man. "Okay, am I in the twilight zone?"

"I'm real." Sensei Lawrence responds coolly, walking even further into The LaRusso's personal 'dojo'.

I contemplate knocking myself in the head with the stick still in my possession at the lack of knowledge this man had with decent pop culture. "Not what I was asking."

"Why would us walking in here seem like something from a different dimension?" Demetri inquires, following an eye roll he directs at Sensei Lawrence who narrows his eyes at my raven-haired friend.

"I don't know if you boneheads have noticed since we always have some drama of our own in our tunnel vision, but their rivalry kind of started all this." The bamboo staff in my hand circles around to gesture to the entirety of the room. My eyes make contact with Demetri the second I notice his lips part in interruption. "I know they made kind of amends to defeat Kreese. I just never thought I would see the day that Mr. LaRusso invited his high school rival into his household. Especially not his personal dojo."

Sensei Lawrence smirks and I know something stupid is about to come out of his mouth. "What can I say? Once you get a taste of me you can't get enough."

My left hand raises as my bottom lip presses against my top lip. His eyes connect with mine. "I've had enough." The rest of my friends mumble in agreement with soft 'yeahs' and 'us too'. Mr. LaRusso chuckles, pushing himself off the wall he had leaned himself on to observe us all. "So what is he doing here? Actually all of them?" My eyes glance around at Eli, Demetri, and Miguel. "No offense." My eyes then drift back to Miguel, lightly tipping my stick in his direction. "Except for you. I mean it a little offensively to you."

He sticks his tongue out at me playfully, which I only briefly catch as I spin back on my heel to receive and answer from Daniel LaRusso. "The deepest part of your anguish comes from not being able to let go of someone who is causing you more harm than help." I connect the pieces fairly easily the moment he finishes his explanation and my heart sinks in my chest. " I don't personally understand that piece but-"

"He does." My eyes focus on Sensei Lawrence whose eyes are wandering every visible centimeter of my face. He is too far away from me to actually see the emotions swimming in his irises. However I can see the changing lines on his face of unobstructed concern. "I'm assuming he gave you the details." I gesture to my face as I utter these words.

"No. He said they are yours to tell us. And that it doesn't have to be told." I can hear the hesitation in his voice laced with irritation. He is trying to be the literal adult here in this situation. "Although I would prefer to know. Especially like now."

My eyes drift to Miguel standing behind Sensei Lawrence. I could understand Mr. LaRusso not telling him, but Miguel not saying a word? This really is the twilight zone. "I promised I wouldn't."