Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

89 - Sibling Bonding Time

Things still feel a little strange because Eli never answered my texts, but he joined Miyagi-Do! It's insane, I'm so happy. I honestly wasn't sure if he was gonna get back into karate after what happened, but I'm glad he did. The first thing he did was ask me to help him with kata, just in case he ends up doing it. I happily agreed. Sometimes it's hard to keep all the people I've agreed to help teach and work on kata. There's Robby, Miguel, Kenny, Devon, and now Eli. If I end up teaching any of them a new form, I want them all to be different. I might have to do some research.

Eli, Demetri, and I all agreed to meet up at Eli's house this evening to hangout. I pull into the driveway at the familiar address, then get out of the car and walk up to the door, knocking. I hate knocking on doors. I always feel so awkward whenever I have to do it. I hear some scurrying on the other side, and Eli appears in the doorway moments after. That was fast. He also has easily recognizable footsteps.

"You know you don't have to knock, right?" he asks, starting to grin. That is a false statement. In what world would I not knock on the door? Especially when we're in the middle of a karate war?

"Yes I do," I respond. He just shakes his head and lets me in. I take off my shoes as soon as I get in the doorway.

"You don't have to do that either," he says. Again, false statement. I don't want to track dirt into his house, it's so nice.

"It's just how I was raised," I say. It is. And I hate outside shoes inside, especially in my room. Sometimes I can tolerate shoes in the house, as long as they come off by the time you get past the doorway of my bedroom. The absolute worst thing is shoes on the couch or heaven forbid the bed. Inexcusable, you better be dying and in need of immediate treatment, otherwise I refuse to tolerate it.

"I just think you're scared to offend people,"

"You're not wrong," I admit as he leads me to the living room, "where's Demetri? He's usually on time to things."

"I uh- I wanted to talk to you," Eli says. Was this all a scheme to get me here so he could talk to me? Come on... I just wanted to hangout with my friends...

"Was this some sort of plan or scheme to get me here so you could talk to me? Because I-"

"No, no! It's not like that. I just figured since you were here... I ran into Robby Keene while you were at your competition... he had this design on the bottom of his skateboard... it was the same as your tattoo... did you paint it?" he asks. Mierda... okay... how do I explain this without it coming off as sketchy?

"I did... it was a gift..." I say, tiptoeing into my dance around the truth, "I know things with Cobra Kai are really bad right now, but Robby and I have been close friends for like a year now, and I'm not throwing that away because we're in different karate dojos."

"He's the one who did this," he says, gesturing to his hair. My heart pangs with heavy guilt. I know. I knew. I knew he had something to do with it... I guess a part of me just wanted to believe that he was better than that... I don't meet his eyes. I think I'll break down if i do.

"I'm sorry... it should've never happened... I'm sorry..." I say quietly. It shouldn't have... Miyagi-Do should have known that Cobra Kai was gonna strike back, even if it wasn't with a fight... this is all such a mess... and I feel awful for all of it.