Romeo and Juliet is a Toxic Love Story [Miguel Diaz x OC]

09 - Heart Palpitations

Things at Cobra Kai have gotten a lot better for me. I even earned myself a little nickname from some of my peers. It's no secret that I'm the fastest one at the dojo. I just fight in a quick manner. Sensei just quips that I really took 'strike first' to heart. It's why they started calling me 'Viper'. I tried to say that vipers actually aren't the fastest snakes, but I was dismissed almost immediately and the name has stuck. I don't mind it. It's pretty cool. I haven't been given a nickname here other than 'Shakespeare', among other derogatory things, so it's nice to have one that's positive.

I've been training with Mr LaRusso at his house in his super nice home dojo. The vibe is so... serene. It's nothing like the Cobra Kai dojo. It's strange. Sensei Lawrence and Mr LaRusso's fighting styles are almost exact opposites. Sensei is all about offense, which was made clear when I asked about defense and he reminded me that the best defense is more offense. But Mr LaRusso is all about defense, which was made clear when I asked about offense and he told me that karate is about self defense, but also showed me how all the defensive moves could be use to counterstrike. I wonder if they would get along. I'm starting to think the answer would be no, but having different karate styles doesn't dictate your entire life, right?

I've also noticed that a certain coworker of mine has been doing his cleaning duties in a very particular manner. I have no doubt Mr LaRusso is subconsciously teaching Robby karate, just like he did for me. As much as I like having one-on-one training, I don't think I'll mind having Robby with me eventually. It'll be nice to have a little company, and it'll still be a lot quieter and more focused than training at Cobra Kai. I walk out of the garage to the break room, catching a glimpse of Robby waxing one of the showroom cars. Wax on, wax off... I can't help but smile. I wonder if he feels the same way about the chores that I did. Most people would, right? Probably. I continue on my way, day now a little brighter than it was before.

——

"I just don't get how you win basically every spar," Miguel says as we sweep the mats, which is just part of cleaning up every evening. Was it that unfathomable that I could win? Okay, maybe it was before, but we've been training side by side for months. He's seen me get stronger and faster- even more so than before- yet he's still asking this? Ay caramba.

"It's just basic defense," I shrug. It is. I use the things that Mr LaRusso has taught me to evade kicks and strikes from my peers and it works almost every time. Although whenever I use certain things, I find that Sensei looks at me a little funny, as if I'm someone he recognizes, but isn't quite sure where from. I try to dismiss it, but it's happened a couple times now and it makes me nervous every time. It's not cheating, right? I'm winning fair and square... just not quite completely with things that he taught us. And I limit the techniques to blocks, for the most part, leaving the other stuff out of it to prove that I can still win using mainly the Cobra Kai style. But at the same time, if 'defeat does not exist in this dojo', shouldn't that mean winning even if it's by means that are taught by another? No sé, but it's working for me.

"The best defense is more offense,"

"Yeah, yeah, I know,"

"You should teach me your tricks one of these days,"

"I don't think you would like the method I used to learn my 'tricks',"

"If I can handle almost drowning in a pool and having baseballs shot at me, I think I can handle however it is you learned how to not get your ass kicked," Miguel says, leaning on the broom. I just smile and shake my head.