Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

25- Hanging Out

"Woah, uh hey, are we doing shirts versus skins? 'Cause I prefer to be a shirt, so I appreciate you being a skin," Demetri says, gesturing towards me. Good lord, he's... something else. I have trouble believing he actually wants to be here. I've heard him complaining about all the chores and whatnot.

I shake my head and return to the kata with Sam and Robby. We've developed this new thing where someone stands in the middle and does it while the other two circle around them. We've basically got it down by now, it's just a matter of reps and whatnot.

"Parker!" Mr LaRusso calls after a minute or so. ¿Qué? I turn to let him know he has my attention. He waves me over. Oh lord, please don't make me interact, because I'm absolute shit at that, and I don't need Demetri's snarky comments. I manage to get off the deck without knocking off the other two, and jog over to Mr LaRusso.

"Yeah?" I respond. I'm dripping wet.

"Show me 'stain the fence'," he instructs. Okay? He kicks and I do stain the fence. I have a love hate relationship with stain the fence, because I had to stain a lot of fence when we were fixing up this place.

"Good. Now sand the floor, paint the house, stain the fence, then wax on, wax off,"

He strikes and I block using the techniques. It's like the movements are encoded in my brain, kind of like how any basic tae kwon do technique is.

"That's not fair, she's had prior training," Demetri says. I have, but I don't think that's the point here.

"I've been training for almost half my life. You've been training for a few days. Don't beat yourself up about it," I say. I certainly wasn't fantastic when I started.. like at all. Then again, I was eight years old.

"Don't need to, I'm already being kicked around," he says. Mr LaRusso and I exchange a quick glance and he sighs.

"Run through the kata I taught you with Parker a few times, then we'll call it a day," Mr LaRusso says, and with that, he walks off into the dojo, probably to meditate. I would too.

"So, just to clarify, how many is a few to you people?" He asks. I snicker.

"How about I show you once, we'll do a run through that's just straight through, a slow walk through, then one more just straight through? You'll only be doing the kata three times," I say. I'm still soaking wet. Hopefully the sun and the movement dry my legs some.

"Just a warning, my coordination isn't great. Neither is my balance. Or anything really... disproportionate limbs," he says.

"You really want to talk to me about disproportionate limbs?"

"Well on you it works,"

"That's because I make it work. Don't think of your height or long limbs as a disadvantage, because they're not. The longer your legs and arms are, the further away you can hit someone from and they won't even be able to touch your face or torso," I say, "but right now we're doing kata. Watch me."

——

"Hey Park,"

"Hey,"

"What's the rush?"

"Oh I wasn't rushing,"

"Gotcha. Is everything okay? With us I mean. I feel like you always get home and you're so tired. You don't talk much when you and Sam and I hang out. I'm worried about you," Robby says. Awe... I appreciate his concern.

"I just want to give you guys some space," I shrug.

"Park... you don't have to do that. You were the first real friend I've had in a long time... I can't lose you," he says, "you're not the only one who can read faces. I just want to know what's up with you."

I sigh. My whole body is kinda hot. Nothing gets past Robby Keene.

"There's... lore? One could say..." I say, glancing over at Demetri as he walks in, "but I can't talk about it right now. I'll tell you later tonight, and you can hold me to that."

"Deal,"

——-

"Okay Parker, truth or dare?"

"Truth,"

"Where was your first kiss?"

Oh come on. Now I'm gonna seem like more of a loser than I already am.

"I haven't had it yet.." I say, my face getting even hotter than it already was.

"No way. Really?!" Sam exclaims. She knows I was- and still pretty much am- a loser right? Like her ex used to bully me?

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not the most attractive person in general, and I can't make up for it in personality because I'm too afraid to talk to people. People don't notice me," I say, laughing a little. It's just the truth. Who needs a first kiss anyway? With all that time I spent not having a boyfriend, I was able to pass science with extra credit.

"Bullshit! You're so pretty, and you're really smart. I should know, you saved my grade last year,"

"Guys would have to be stupid not to talk to you,"

"Thanks guys," I say, smiling to myself, "alright Robby, truth or dare?"

"Truth,"

"Who was your first crush? And not like 'I want to marry Katie even though we're both seven years old', I mean like high school age," I ask. I'm not usually nosy like this, but that's literally the whole point of the game. I watch his face go a little red. Hot tea.

"I'm using my pass," he says. Hello? ¿Hola? Ciao? Sam and I exchange a look. Now we both know it's one of us, and by one of us, it's Sam. Confirmation: acquired.

"Since when did we have passes?!" Sam laughs.

"Since now," Robby replies with his stupid contagious grin.

"So I was made to admit to everyone that I've never kissed anyone but you get to pass? It doesn't- cómo se dice- add up, Keene," I say, even though the fact that he said nothing says just as much as if he had given an answer.

"Could've passed,"

"I live with honor,"

The three of us laugh. I love getting confirmation to things I already know, like the fact that Robby has a huge crush on Sam. I mean, I've been pretty sure of that for a hot second, but still.

"I should probably get to bed. You guys wanna go to the mall tomorrow?" Sam asks. That would give a chance to wear the new top I got! It makes me feel like a whole badass.

"Sure," I respond simply.

"Sounds fun," Robby says. I haven't been to the mall in forever. Sam grins.

"Great! I'll let Demetri know too. It'll be like a team bonding experience," she says. I smile as a response as we all stand up to go to our respective rooms.

• • •

A/N: uploading two in one day because they're both short. Another filler-type chapter, but the mall fight is coming up soon so... that's fun ig. Stay safe and take care of yourselves!