Me and You // Eli Moskowitz / Hawk x Reader

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 87: 𝐷𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔

Tory and I used to be friends when I was in Cobra Kai.

That's how I knew where she lived.

I realized after Stingray's story, that it might not have only been about him. The thought struck me; the thought that Tory might be in the same position that he was. From Stingray's apartment, I went straight to Tory's.

The sky was close to completely dark when I arrived. I walked up to her door, a small feeling of nervousness beginning to bubble in my stomach. I stood there for a moment, wondering what she might say or do when she sees me, but eventually knocked.

It didn't take long before the door opened in front of me. Tory looked at me from inside, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"I..." My eyes wandered downwards as I thought of what to say, when something caught my attention. Tory's right hand was hurt, badly. It was red, bruised, and bloody all at once. I could almost feel the pain in my own hand while looking at it.

"Holy shit... What happened to your hand?" I asked quickly, looking back up at her. She looked at it for a moment, raising it slightly. "Don't pretend like you care," Tory answered, shaking her head at me.

With her still standing in the doorway and me outside, I continued. "Look, Tory, I..." I paused, thinking. "I jumped to conclusions yesterday. I just felt so angry that... that I didn't even care about anything else."

She listened silently, watching me. After a long pause, she nodded. "I know the feeling."

I took a deep breath out before continuing, "I came here to say... if you're having problems with Cobra Kai, I'd be willing to listen."

I knew this was the right thing to do; especially when it seemed our goals were similar. If she was siding with Silver, then she never would've told me what she did at the party last night.

I also knew Tory before she went total Cobra Kai. I remember when she was smiling all the time and making jokes in the dojo. But after the school fight, she changed for the worst, and I didn't even care.

But I see now. I see my mistakes, and I know she sees her own. So... I'm ready to put it behind us.

I just hope she is too.

Tory nodded her head once more, before moving away from the door, allowing me in her apartment. Although I've been here before, I've never actually been inside.

The inside was messy: boxes, cups, silverware, and trash scattered all around. In the living room, blankets and pillows were thrown messily on the furniture.

I looked down the hallway, my eyes landing on one of the open doors. Inside the room, there was a hospital bed with someone laying on it. Tory told me her mom was sick, but not how sick. My heart pinched as I looked at the familiar situation.

I looked to the ground, quickly realizing I couldn't look at the sight for much longer without crying. I sniffled quickly, playing it off, before sitting down on the armchair that was covered in blankets. Tory sat on the other couch, holding a big bag of ice on her hurt hand.

I looked over to Tory, who looked like she was thinking about how to start. "I wanted to win the All Valley more than anything," she said. "After our match, when they handed me that trophy... that was the best moment of my life."

I looked down at my lap as she continued explaining. "But then I saw Silver and that ref and..." she paused, "it just killed me. I felt like a fraud. I wanted to get back at Silver so bad. That's why I listened to Kreese, but then I just got caught up in more lies. And now my life is a living hell." Tory's voice wobbled as she spoke, as if she was holding back cries.