Different But Same (Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz)

LX. Confess

Lainey and Eli both entered the Moskowitz home. An unwelcomed silence between them both as they walked through the patio door and through to the kitchen.

"So...." Eli stuttered, his face red from what Lainey had just said to Grace about a blowjob.

Lainey smiled lightly. "It's good to see you again."

"You too."

"Do you want to talk?" Eli asked as he slipped his shirt back over his head.

"I think it's definitely a good place to start," Lainey replied.

Eli nodded. "One second."

Lainey watched as he called Demetri to the top of the stairs and asked him to leave so they could talk. He was more than happy to leave for his best friends to hopefully resolve their issues.

Lainey did feel guilty about Demetri leaving, but he was more than happy to and even happier to see Grace had left with a black eye, or that's what Demetri hoped for as he'd seen the whole thing unfold from Eli's bedroom window.

They entered Eli's bedroom, he grabbed his gaming chair and sat down on it.

"Sit," Eli stated softly as he pointed towards the edge of his bed.

Lainey sat opposite him on his bed, her heart beat wildly in her chest as she looked at him. He returned the same, worried look. He scanned her features and his stomach dropped - her jaw was still bruised from how hard Corey had grabbed her that night at Moon's party.

All he could think about was how he wanted to hurt Corey for what he did to her. Everytime he thought about it his entire body flooded with such a rage. But he had to push it away, he had to do it for her. He knew Lainey was hurting more than he was about the entire situation.

Still, he wanted nothing more than for Corey to pay.

He wanted to focus on something else, anything else.

"Your wrist, is it better?" Eli asked.

Lainey nodded. "Yeah, finally. Had it checked out before I came here. Now it's all healed."

Eli smiled. "I'm so glad."

"Me too."

Eli took a breath as he watched her nervously play with her hands as they rested in her lap. She still looked so broken. Despite the things she said and the way she handled herself, he knew she was still struggling and hurting and that's what hurt him the most.

"So..." Lainey inhaled. "You went back to Cobra Kai for me?"

Eli nodded. "Yeah, I had to. After Terry asked you to rejoin I couldn't take it anymore–"

Lainey gasped. "You've been there that long?"

Eli nodded.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to protect you."

Lainey smiled, eyes full of tears. "But I can protect myself."

Eli sighed. "Look, I'm not arguing with you, okay? I did what I thought was the best thing I could do, and I did it because—"

"Because?"

"You know why," he stated. The words 'I love you' threatened to force their way up his throat. But instead Lainey nodded.

"You did what you did for me, I get it. But I really don't want you putting yourself in harm's way for me. If you got hurt because of me I genuinely wouldn't be able to forgive myself, look what happened last time. They cut your hair, that hurt you so much and in their eyes that's nothing compared to the lengths they'd go to, now."