Cochlear | A Cobra Kai Fanfiction

50

Although Jesse had begrudgingly been enjoying Eli's addition to her and Demetri's lives, she had missed the days when it was just the two of them like back in the summer. Back before karate and violence became a daily occurrence and when she could just enjoy talking for hours about whatever her and Demetri wanted to. The Wednesday before break ended Jesse and Demetri set out for their normal hang out of gathering manga and comics followed by discussing and arguing over lunch in the food court.

They had invited Eli - even if she didn't want him to come - but the boy said no, still stuck a hauntingly familiar funk that Jesse could unfortunately relate to.

"So, Eli's still saying no to karate?" Jesse questioned as they set down their bags of comics and manga next to them  and their food on the table at the food court. Demetri sighed and shook his head in confirmation. "What a wuss."

"I'm going to go talk to him later." Demetri grumbled out as he started on his food and rolled his eyes. "School starts back next week so I'm spending the rest of break either convincing him to join me or training in case he doesn't."

"Why?"

"Because I'm the best chance Miyagi-Do has at winning against Robby Keene." Demetri pointed to himself dramatically, eyes comically wide and voice going up a pitch. "Me! Lanky, gangily, awkward, uncoordinated, nerdy me!"

"Hey, don't discredit yourself." Jessi scold, pointing her plastic fork threateningly over at Demetri who rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Seriously! You've been working so hard, probably harder than most people, and you might not be as balanced as Robby, or as strong as Miguel, or as ruthless as Kyler, or as fast as Eli-"

"You know, this is the worst inspirational speech-"

Jesse threw a tomato from her salad into Demetri's mouth, surprising him as he nearly choked on it and looked over at her accusingly.

"Don't interrupt me." Was all she said before continuing, ignoring the noises coming from the boy in front of her. "But you're smarter than all of them. You're brain works at a speed that I can't even begin to comprehend creating strategies and assessing weaknesses and strengths." Jesse paused for a moment. "I mean, you're the only reason we ever win at War Hammer and Age of Empires!"

"Yeah, but intelligence versus a harsh punch to the gut?" Demetri snorted, patting his stomach almost like he could feel the ache in the moment. "I think we both know how that goes."

"Demetri Alexopoulos." Jesse hit the table in front of her and leaned forward, staring seriously at her now-surprised best friend. "Yes, Kyler, and subsequently myself, beat you up more times than I can count. I'm sorry." Jesse was sincere in her apology, but didn't back away at the flinch from the reminder. "But how many times did you find a way out before and during? How many times did you use your brain to get you and Eli out of trouble, or notice us before we noticed you, or side stepped us?"

"U-uh-mmm."

"Probably a lot more than the times we caught you." Jesse let out a sigh and sat back in the chair, hoping that Demetri would understand and believe her words. "And all those times when you prevented us from getting messed with? When you were around, no one messed with us. I only got caught when you weren't by my side."

Demetri frowned and Jesse saw the guilt forming before it even fully bloomed, quickly holding up her hands. "And that's not a guilt trip. That's a thank you for being so strong and smart, because life... life would have been hard without you." She admitted with a shrug, scratching the back of her neck with heat spreading across her face. "Strength isn't always how much you can lift, sometimes... sometimes it's about how far you're willing to fight for something."