Calamity | A Cobra Kai Fanfiction

Things I Can't Change

"Grace me with nothing but patience"
-

"Oi, gringo. These parts aren't the greatest to be alone in."

Robby let out a sharp breath and turned around to the tattooed cousin. "I lived with Jade. I think I know bad parts and how to get around. I don't need a babysitter."

"Now Robby, I know you're not stupid like your daddy." Rico responded in seriousness. Robby snorted and sat down at a public table where Rico soon followed. "This town is owned by my uncle. Talk and walks are reported. And at least in America you could understand before they started shooting."

Robby sighed and threw his head onto the table with a loud thump. "This sucks."

"Life is just one big blow job and you ain't on the receiving end, buddy." The joke got Robby to relax a little bit and Rico kicked the boy's legs. "Alright, Robby. We all have daddy issues and I'm not your therapist, but do you want to get Jade back?"

"Yes!" Robby said passionately after sitting back up.

"Then get your ass in gear and stop causing fights." Rico said simply while passing a napkin over to wipe his own face. Robby took it gratefully and started to clean up. "Make up isn't just a woman thing. Make up with your family before it's too late. I've seen many families torn and loved ones not say what they needed to... it'll one day become too late."

"I don't want anything to do with him." Robby said quietly but even he could hear the lie in his voice and sighed heavily. "I just want someone who looks out for me and I look for them. I just want a family."

"Family ain't always blood. But you already know that."

"But it really hurts when your own blood rejects you."

Rico hummed in agreement and eyed the greenery around them. "So you know how Miguel feels."

The brunette paused as he went over that sentence. He hadn't considered Miguel's emotions and home life because, well, the kid had a mom who wasn't an addict and his dad to look after him. Hell, kid even had a grandma at home.

Miguel didn't know what it meant to be truly alone like he had before Jade. And well, Robby wanted to tell Jade all of that and to apologize because he wasn't the best brother. He didn't always show how much he appreciated her and from the minute he gets eyes in Jade he's never going to let a day go by where she doesn't know she was appreciated and love.

"Your daddy wanted nothing to do with you and his daddy, well, wants nothing to do with him... his dad truly has no heart while yours is still human."

There was a silence as Robby continued to ponder. No he wasn't stupid. He grew up his entire life without parents and could plan his way through most things. He was strong and smart. He could figure this out.

Rico didn't say anything while the teen seemed to get lost in his own mind. The tattoo artist didn't mind sitting in the warm air with the sun on his body. He let Robby sit in silence while he smoked a cigarette. Or maybe two.

On occasion a thought passed through that he was thankful he got the rational of the three. Robby was a quick thinker and although his anger was unchecked sometimes... he could draw conclusions in order to make the right decision.

But Rico smirked.

Diego had his work cut out for him as student and teacher sat together at the table after cleaning up the motel. There was a tension in the air that felt almost as bad as your mom walks in on you watching porn. The two wouldn't even look at each other!

"Ay Dios..." Diego grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "You guys are acting like you're both 12."

"Neither of us is 12." Miguel snapped bitterly nursing his eye with a cold water bottle. He was really annoyed, embarrassed, angry...

"I don't know when Hulk comes back but look. You three need to work out the dirty laundry water before we do the plan otherwise someone might die." Miguel flinched at the harsh words and Diego ignored the reaction. "Rico and i aren't babysitters. So either settle it with fists or start yammering."

Neither spoke for a few clock ticks and instead looked at each other in hesitation. When Miguel looked at his sensei he frowned as he remembered the lack of concern over his injury, the drunken night, and other times the man had failed.

"I love you, too Robby."

"So, uh..." Johnny began uncomfortably in almost physical pain from having to talk things through. Miguel looked over in mild surprise that he would start the conversation. "If you came here because I pushed you to fight when you didn't want to, I just want to say I'm sorry. I didn't, I don't.." Johnny sighed aggressively as he tried to come up with the words. "I do care about you're well being, Miguel."

"You think my dad cares about you? He's just trying to make himself feel better for screwing up with me!"

"I love you too Robby."

It would be a lie to say that the apology didn't make Miguel feel a little better, but at the same time he felt like Johnny still had no idea what his actions did to people.

"It's not just that, sensei." Miguel began with his heart on fire. "You... you were the dad I never had."

Johnny's heart soared, but it didn't get too far because the look on Miguel's face was devastating. His eyes held a deep sadness and his mouth formed a from af if to hold something in.

"My first drink, concert, sports... you cheered me on, gave me confidence when I had none. Hell, you helped me walk again!" Miguel said with a sad chuckle as he fidgeted with the water bottle. It wasn't as cold anymore and no longer served its original purpose sadly. "You know ever since I won the karate tournament I've had nightmares?"

Miguel seemed to swallow glass to stip the lump in his throat from growing further. He looked everywhere but at his sensei out of fear of his reaction. "The feeling of falling, my face getting pounded in, my legs not working... but the worse of them all was that night after prom when..."

Johnny listened to the retelling of the night he broke Miguel's heart and felt his own shatter at the realization of pain his student had been harboring. And it was because of him. Once Miguel finished his story the man let out a sighed and rubbed his face in exasperation.

"Miguel... you are the closest thing I've had to a son." Johnny admitted quietly, not really looking at the boy. "Look, I-I messed up big time with Robby and his mom, something that I will regret for there rest of my life. When I started training you, I felt myself, I don't know, get protective. Shit, all that weird mushy stuff that I tried to stay away from. I wanted to be better, do better. For you."

Miguel frowned even though his chest soared his stomach felt weird. He would liken the emotion to an almost guilt when he thought about Robby - how terrible it must be to have a father like Johnny.

Or was it worse to have a father whose killed people?

The teen sighed quietly and shoved his hands over his face. This was a lot of work and he was sure he hadn't had this much emotionally charged conversation in his life.

"Look kid." Diego jumped in, tired already. He looked into Miguels eyes seriously. "You can choose to hate blondie all you want, but there's a man wanting to be your dad - do you know how many people would kill for somethin' like that?"

"B-but what if he abandons me like-"

"You'll never have life fully figured out, Diaz. No matter your age, trauma, career... you will always make mistakes. But, what matters is that we try to move forward and change." Diego frowned and rubbed his facial hair with annoyance. He hadn't shaved in a while, he really should do that if he was going to get any last time before they went back to the states. "Im becoming a fucking Shrink."

"Ugliest shrink I've ever seen." Rico commented as he bursted through the door unceremoniously. Robby trailed after him and looked almost awkwardly over at the other two Americans. The Hispanic man rolled his eyes and motioned for his cousin to follow him. "We are leaving you three in here until you can figure your shit out."

"Fists or yammering - we really don't care."

And the door close and left the three alone in a room together.