Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

27- Let's Dance

"That's why I got it. And I thought it was cool," I shrug. I'm a fan.

"It is cool,"

"Wait you can't put that in there, there's no bag," I say as we come to the nearest trash can.

"The other one is all the way across the food court,"

"It would be rude to throw it in there," I say. If there's one thing my mom taught me-

"You're right. It's not that far anyway," Sam says. That's the spirit.

—

"I don't want to have to hit a girl,"

"You wouldn't stand a chance,"

"Six against three? More like two and half,"

"Make it four," I say, falling in beside Robby. I watch Hawk's face fall for just a second, before returning to his sinister glare. It's just like at Valley Fest. He's scared and hurt but he won't ever show it- well, almost never.

All of a sudden, Robby gets grabbed from behind, and the fight begins. Robby, Sam, and I form a protective circle around Demetri as we strike and block, and it's like we're back on the deck in the pond. Not once do we run into each other, but we flow together like a river; like an unstoppable force of nature. When we break out of it, I go hand to hand with one of the larger goons. Lead with a round kick, wax on, wax off, ridge hand, reverse punch. I leap into a double kick- front kick, back kick. He goes crashing to the ground, while I use my downward momentum to grab Robby's arms to free up both his legs for a kick.

"Thanks,"

"Anytime,"

I run over to kick a guy away from Demetri, who looks terrified. Back the hell off Cobra Kai dumbass. It feels like someone clasps their hands over my ears as I survey the fight before me. My heart pounds hard and fast. My breathing is heavy. I'm not used to fights like this. The kind where you don't hold back. This isn't like the matches I've sparred hundreds of times. This isn't even like the All Valley. These people are out to hurt me... ringing fills my ears as I spy Hawk moving to attack Robby as his back is turned. No. You can hurt me again and again, but you hurt my friends... and it's over.

"Hey Hawk!" I shout to grab his attention, adrenaline surging into my veins, "let's dance."

His focus now directed on me, he walks over to me with that over-confident asshole walk. I meet him half way.

"New hair," I say. He's closer than I would like him to be, but I have a feeling he doesn't care at all and did it on purpose.

"Looks like your knee is all better," he says back, "it'd be a shame if someone broke it again."

"So I could kick your ass with a hurt knee twice?" I return, "or would that make it three times?"

He glares at me, then strikes, beginning our fight. I block and counter, just like at the tournament. He's still as aggressive and erratic as he was then. His movements are dramatic and angry. Every move he makes is like the strike of a snake... fast, hard, deadly... but my techniques don't fail me. The two martial arts blend together as harmony and melody, creating a dangerous song of attack, and I manage to land a punch to his eye.

"You should've joined Cobra Kai. You could've been badass," he says between strikes. Oh what, like him?

"I don't need Cobra Kai to be badass," I say back.

"You'll always be a loser," he hisses. My heart pangs.

"Maybe I will," I say, a little bit of genuine hurt slipping into my voice, "but at least I won't be like you."

I watch as a look of what seems like hurt and sadness and maybe even regret all mixed together crosses his face, just for a second. Just for a second he's not Hawk... he's just Eli... the moment doesn't last long. He grabs my hands, spinning me around before tossing me off to the side. I slide across the ground, banging into the leg of a table. That's enough. I will not be thrown and tossed around. I can feel people's eyes on me. I can hear people silently shouting at me to get up and finish the fight. Hawk runs at me, and in a split second decision, I get to my feet and run right back. He moves to strike low, perhaps even strike to my knee, but I grab his arm and torso, leaping off the ground and over his back, taking him down with a move I've only seen in action movies... the Black Widow takedown. We both go crashing to the ground, but my opponent takes the blunt of it.

"Sorry Eli," I say quietly, and with that, I stand up, joining Sam, Robby, and Demetri, who looks absolutely shocked with all three of us.

"We saved your chicken!"

• • •

A/N: finally, the mall fight! I hope it was alright! Thank you to those who are reading; you all make my day :) stay safe and take care of yourselves