In My Blood (Eli Moskowitz/Hawk FF) (Cobra Kai)

Chapter 5: Blue Wasn't Their Color

A comfortable and easing silence rests between them though he fills it with intentional listening and watching. His eyes observe the peaceful features of her face the second her eyes close and her lips part ever so slightly. A soft breath fans across his face as she exhales deeply. Though normally bothered by it, her breaths calm him, reminding him to breathe slower. So he does. Matching his breathing to her until it soothed the majority of his ache away.

Chocolate and mint fan over his face once more and the relaxed half smile grows into a full one. "You were eating those Dove Chocolates again. Weren't you?" His whisper causes a light pink hue to warm her naturally red tinted cheeks and he somehow manages to grin wider at it.

Her left eye opens to steal a peek at her best friend, "Demetri brought me some. Partially because it was a thanks for paying for the marvel movie and partially because his mom bought them and he has zero good taste in candy." Eli chuckles at her whispered response and the playful jab at their mutual friend. "Don't laugh." She fully opens both eyes, scooting her body just slightly back and it allows him to see her entire face. "I love him. I do- but that child is so wrong when it comes to great food in his life." The chuckle in his throat morphs to full grown laughter and he shakes his head at her gentle banter.

He attempts to hide the case by turning his head into her shoulder however he chokes on his own lack of breath and begins to cough. He sits up, inching himself to the edge of the bed where he momentarily doubles over until he catches his breath. "Are you okay, E? Do you need me to grab your inhaler?" Concern laces her every word and the icy part of his heart once again melts. He shakes his head though he feels the movement of weight dipping down different parts of his mattress and her eyes carefully watching just to ensure his safety and health.

He takes a few deep breaths, fully recovering and sitting up straight. The dipping of his mattress behind him disappears and before he can glance over his shoulder, Zelena is standing in front of him, offering her hands. He furrows his brows quizzically at the sudden change. Instead of responding, she puts her index finger up in a silent way that tells him to give her a moment. She pulls her phone from her sweatpants pocket, grinning almost mischievously though he knows she means well and is full of good intent.

Keith Urban's voice rings from her phone, her finger pressing tighter against the side button until his voice is at maximum volume. She then places it beside him on the striped comforter. Her empty hands extend out to him once more, this time her lips parting to softly sing along- to sing to him. "I'm only going to sing louder, E." She says between breaths as the chorus begins.

"Blue looks good on the sky. Looks good on that neon buzzin on the wall but darling it don't match your eyes. I'm telling you, don't listen to those guys. It's so black and white. They're stealing your thunder." Her arms move around erratically to emphasize the lyrics in some kind of semblance of choreography. "Baby, blue ain't your color."

"I just don't understand how some boys can take your sun and turn it ice cold." He finally plucks the courage and stands to his feet after listening to these lyrics fall from her lips- not to mention hear her grow louder as promised. Her fingers intertwine with his a few moments after he slips his hands a top of hers. He matches her sways with his own, slowing and slowing until completely in sync with her. "It's making me think that I just might."  In the pause her eyes meet his, but instead of drawing away as they had, she maintains eye contact. "Tell you. As a painter I wouldn't change ya. I'll just paint you bright."

Warmth spreads across his body, the fluster causing his mind to go astray so his feet lose the message to step to the left. He stumbles and luckily Zelena finds balance to hold both of them upright by pulling him toward her and stepping back only slightly to leave space between them. Eli's eyes wander over his best friend who has returned to singing the chorus once more.

A familiar tingling sensation rises at the depth of his stomach and slowly burns through every atom of his being the more he zones in on her electric personality. Almost as if she can read his mind, she slides forward gingerly to avoid pushing him too far physically and emotionally. He grins down at her, noting the soft little crinkles beside her eyes from a growing smile of her own.

Her head slowly leans until she props it against his left shoulder. Her lowly sung words are breathed practically against his neck. The subdued tune and tender brush of her arms against his chest as her arms hook around his shoulders cause the aforementioned sensation to intensify. Swallowing the gasp threatening to spill off his tongue, Eli rests his chin atop her head and clenches his jaw for full safety measure.

'Can she feel the racing of my heart pounding against my ribcage with every word she utters? Or the flip my stomach does when she changes the lyrics for me?' He thinks to himself growing more and more concerned by the second as he feels the middle of his pants growing tighter and tighter by the second. He shifts to the side carefully to avoid alarming her, easing the stretch of his jeans a little more- at least enough to be comfortable for now.

"I'm telling you, don't listen to those guys. It's so black and white, they're stealing your thunder. E, blue ain't your color." She hums the remainder of the song where Keith Urban basically mutters sweet nothings. However, his breath hitches the second Zelena pulls from his grasp around her and lets her fingertips glide down his left arm. She intertwines their fingers, lifting his arm and giving him 'look #3'.

To humor her and to hide the small remainder of what may be problematic if she found out, he follows the silent instruction her look gave and spins his body. "E, you light up my world." She alters the ending lyrics and he forces his body to slowly shuffle back to face her in hopes it may alleviate the tension rising between them. Or rather- just him. The frustration he'd felt earlier is completely replaced by her brightness.'

He could never explain how she could do that. And most times when he thought about it, it simply drove him nuts. The low tingling resides in his body now, his fingers curling into fists while he pictures her in that moment. It had been much later in the evening and he recalled the buzzing of his phone that he had ignored following the initial outburst with his mother. Her curls pulled into a messy bun, her navy sweatpants hanging loose everywhere but at the waist where she'd double-knotted the tie to secure them. Her only white shirt striped with thin lines of tan hung off her figure and the brightness in her eyes were a light with pure emotions.

She had dropped everything when she got his mother's phone call- he could tell by the lack of a bag attached to her shoulder and the noted lack of a sweater of some sort. Her cheeks had been flushed while they were dancing and- and Hawk swears he nearly chokes on the chocolate mint scent practically dancing on his tongue.

His body spins, his left arm swinging with it just in time for his fist to collide with the hospital wall. Though easing the tension in his muscles, his emotions and the image of her that night in his bedroom remain imprinted on his conscience. They are unfettered and untouched. So logically, he swings again- this time a cracking sound echoes upon collision. The throb and burn of such wounds goes unfelt by the Cobra Kai as the ache of his torn heart burns much greater.

She wore that exact look the night she walked out of his life.