Chapter Text
It was another scorching day in the valley, two weeks had passed since the All Valley Tournament and two weeks since Robby lost to Miguel Diaz of Cobra Kai, since then Samantha and Lainey LaRusso decided to take up karate once more, meaning they were training during the days with Robby – Lainey even managed to get her friend Demetri to join too.
Sweat droplets forming on her forehead, Lainey wiped them away with her palm – chugging the liquid from her water bottle, she took a deep breath as she sat down on the wooden decking, checking her phone to see when Robby and Demetri were deciding to turn up. No calls or texts, typical.
Lainey turned to her sister who was doing kata near the fence.
Samantha could sense her sister's impatience. “They’ll be here soon.”
Lainey sighed. “I doubt it. Not even dad is here yet! He’s always early. Something must be wrong.”
Hearing a car pull up outside, Lainey rose to her feet. “Finally. Someone’s here!”
Waiting for the gate to unlatch, she watched as it did, but it was not her father’s face she was greeted with, rather Eli Moskowitz and his pretentious new look. The blue mohawk just made him seem like he was going through a punk phase that never seemed to end.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Lainey snapped, taking a step towards Hawk before her dad emerged, stepping in front of the young boy.
“Lainey!” Daniel scalded. “That’s no way to treat our newest student!”
Lainey scoffed. “New student? Dad – You do realise he’s in Cobra Kai, right?”
Lainey’s eyes wandered to Hawk’s face, he was looking at the ground as Daniel angrily stared at his daughter.
“He quit,” Daniel responded.
Lainey’s face panged with confusion. “Quit? Woah, that’s new grounds for Eli Moskowitz!”
“That’s not my name,” Hawk snapped.
“Yeah, whatever.” Lainey folded her arms and stepped closer towards him. “So why did you quit?” she asked, staring him down.
Daniel huffed. “Come on now, that’s not your business.”
“It is my business if he wants to join Miyagi-Do.”
Samantha sighed. “Just drop it, Lainey. Listen to dad.”
Hawk looked in Lainey’s direction, a small smirk peering on his face once she had been yelled at multiple times by her dad and sister.
“Whatever. He’ll never change,” Lainey mumbled.
“Lainey, inside now,” Daniel instructed.
With a groan, she followed her dad inside the dojo.
“What?” she asked as she sat down on the wooden flooring.
“You can’t treat him like that,” Daniel responded.
“But it’s Hawk.”
“I don’t care who he is. He’s just a kid!”
Lainey shrugged. “But he’s Cobra Kai.”
“Not anymore.”
“Why did he suddenly decide to quit?”
Daniel inhaled. “I told him I wouldn’t tell anyone,” he said, lowering his voice. “But apparently Johnny was really harsh on him and that Diaz kid because of what they did to Robby at the tournament.”
“Wow, I actually agree with Johnny for once,” Lainey interjected.
“I’m not finished.”
“Sorry.”
Daniel shook his head. “Anyway, he got into some big argument with Johnny and they fell out so he turned up outside our house this morning.”
Lainey’s eyes widened. “Our house? What?”
“Exactly. I think he just needs to be taught karate again, he seems like a good kid.”
“Give me a break,” Lainey sighed. “Train him or whatever, I’ll just keep to myself.”
Rushing back outside, she sat back down on the wooden deck with her legs crossed as she observed how Hawk coolly stood beside her father.
Sam continued her kata, Lainey noticed Hawk was watching her.
“What’s your problem?” Hawk asked.
“Mine?” Lainey retorted. “Stop staring at my sister!”
“I just don’t get what she’s doing – is that supposed to be karate?” Hawk asked.
“Kata is the foundation of Miyagi-Do.”
Hawk nodded, but his nostrils flared. Lainey made a mental note that he wasn’t taking things seriously.
“Is it just breathing exercises?” Hawk asked, laughing lightly.
“Not necessarily—” Daniel was interrupted.
Demetri and Robby walked through the side gate.
“Hey Mr L- Eli?” Demetri said, surprise laced his tone.
Hawk merely nodded.
Robby caught sight of the blue haired boy and scowled. “What’s he doing here?” he asked, dumping his bag onto the decking where Sam was standing.
Daniel sighed deeply. “Hawk here wants to join Miyagi-Do.”
Lainey snorted at her dad's words.
“What?” Demetri laughed. “For real?”
Hawk nodded in response. “For real.”
“Are you forgetting how he purposely injured my shoulder, Mr L?” Robby asked as he took a seat beside Sam.
Daniel sighed. “Look Robby—”
Infuriated, Robby stood up. “Once a Cobra Kai, always a Cobra Kai!”
“That’s not true,” Daniel stated. “I know that because I used to be a Cobra Kai.”
Lainey laughed. “Good one, dad!”
“I’m serious.”
Realising her dad was being honest, Lainey looked to the floor.
“When?” Sam asked. “Why did you never tell us?”
“It wasn’t something I was proud of… Mr Miyagi wouldn’t teach me certain techniques, I got angry. I got greedy – Terry Silver turned up and he corrupted me, made me believe I could become a better fighter. Yes – Cobra Kai enables you to feel stronger and tougher, but it also turned me into a bully. I was a horrible kid and I just count myself lucky that Mr Miyagi took me back after what I put him through.”
Lainey looked at her dad with shock. Mouth agape as she stared at Hawk who was still standing beside him.
“Wait,” Demetri blinked. “Who’s Terry Silver?”
Daniel clicked his tongue. “That’s not important.”
“So, you used to be a Cobra?” Hawk asked. “Badass!”
Lainey groaned. “Did you not just hear what he said?”
“Oh I heard.”
“Well shut up!”
“Sam and Robby, meet me outside by the cars in five minutes?” Daniel asked.
They both nodded.
“Demetri, do you mind painting the fence?” Daniel joked.
Demetri shuddered. “I am never painting another fence again!”
Daniel laughed. “I’m joking. Go with Sam and Robby.”
Demetri nodded.
“What about me?” Lainey asked.
Daniel looked between Hawk and his daughter.
“I can’t help but get the impression you two don’t get along very well.”
“What gave you that idea, dad?” Lainey scoffed.
“But if you’re going to be training together you need to learn to work together,” Daniel continued.
“What does that even mean?” Hawk asked.
“Follow me.”
The two teens followed Daniel towards the edge of the Koi Pond.
“What, you want us to go for a swim or some shit?” Hawk laughed.
“No Hawk – that’s not the shit I was thinking of,” Daniel explained. “See that board?” Daniel asked, pointing towards the circular board in the middle of the pond.
Both teens nodded.
“Well Mr Miyagi built this as a monument for balance and you two – well, I want you both to learn a technique called the wheel technique.”
Hawk chuckled. “That sounds lame.”
“Shut up birdman,” Lainey scoffed. “Listen to my dad.”
“How are we supposed to learn it?” Hawk asked.
“You need to get in.”
“In where?”
“The pond, Hawk.”
“What?” Lainey laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No. Get in and hop up onto the board. The pair of you,” Daniel said. “If you’re going to bicker, you might as well put that energy to good use.”
Hawk shrugged. “Well Mr L, that punch bag is calling my name—”
“Just get in the pond already!”
“Sure thing.”
Lainey watched as Hawk climbed into the pond.
“Shit its freezing!” Hawk gasped.
Lainey heckled.
“Now you Lainey,” Daniel said.
Dipping her foot in first, she shuddered at the cold contact.
“No way.”
“Yes way!” Daniel argued. “Poor Hawk is waiting.”
“Yeah Lainey, I’m waiting,” Hawk smirked as leaned against the wooden circle in the centre of the pond.
With a grunt, Lainey waded into the opposite end of the circular disc.
“Now climb up,” Daniel explained.
Climbing onto the wooden platform, it tipped as both teens were eager to get on.
“One at a time!” Daniel shouted.
“Sorry,” Hawk laughed as he stopped trying to get on, waiting for Lainey to climb on before he did.
“Good!” Daniel smiled. “Now stand up.”
“Stand up?” Lainey asked.
“Yes!”
“Come on!” Daniel urged.
With a deep breath, Hawk stood up, legs shaking and body wobbling, feeling unsteady he found at least one second of stability before colliding into the water with a crash. Lainey couldn’t help but laugh when he resurfaced, his blue hair was no longer styled into a mohawk, it was now sticking to his wet face. Wiping his face, he climbed back up.
“Don’t say anything,” Hawk stated.
“Sure.” Lainey nodded and stood up, copying Hawk’s actions.
Daniel guided them through the moves. Taking things slowly, they fell a few times. Both teens were soaked to the bone, good job the weather was hot, they were dry within minutes. But then there was no point of drying off, because within minutes they were also crashing into the pond.
Daniel left them to their own devices to practice as he went to check on Sam, Robby and Demetri.
Getting one move wrong, Lainey and Hawk slipped off the board and into the water again. Lainey sighed in frustration as swallowed yet another load of pond water. Coughing, she climbed out.
“This is hopeless,” Lainey admitted.
“Don’t say that,” Hawk sighed. “It’s looking pretty badass!”
“Really?”
“Well I think so.”
“I forgot, your opinion counts the most.” Lainey rolled her eyes.
Hawk sat beside Lainey, he rubbed the side of his face with his already wet shirt.
“Why are you doing that?” Lainey asked.
“I’m warm. That really took it out of me,” Hawk heckled.
“Well, it is hot.”
With a sigh, Hawk removed his black shirt that clung to his damp skin. Placing it on the deck he stood in front of Lainey.
“Are you ready to continue?” he asked looking down at her as she sipped her drink. “Or do you need more of a breather, princess?”
Standing up, she tossed her bottle to the side. “Listen here you jerk—”
“What?” he smirked.
“Get back in the damn pond before I push you.”
“Is that a threat?” Hawk laughed, edging closer towards Lainey.
“Hey!” a voice boomed.
Lainey turned to see Robby marching toward them, she mentally face palmed.
“What the hell is going on here?” Robby interrogated.
“Practicing, what’s it to you, Keene?” Hawk asked.
“I can’t believe Mr L is teaching you the wheel technique,” Robby shuddered.
“Well Lainey and I make a pretty good team, don’t we?” he asked as he wrapped arm around Lainey’s shoulder.
Robby glared at Hawk. “You’re a real piece of work, you know that right?”
Hawk exhaled. “You know Keene, considering your name is Keene.. I’m not so keen on you…”
Robby scoffed. “Is that supposed to be funny?”
Hawk shrugged. “Whatever. I’m over this.”
Turning away from the conversation, he got back into the pond, waiting for Lainey. She was surprised he didn’t make an excuse to fight Robby, perhaps Miyagi-Do was helping him already?