Chapter Twelve: Roller Rink Madness
…
"One!"
The class of Cobra Kai Karate, all sixteen blue, orange, green, and yellow belts, stepped forward and threw a middle punch to the body.
The only brown belt was at the front of the class, Lucas Schwarber leading it.
"Two!"
The class all threw a round kick to the head, and shifted angles forty five degrees.
"Three!" said Kreese.
"Hiyai!" the class roared so loudly people across the street on Lankershim boulevard could hear them.
They twisted their entire body into a reverse punch to the head followed instantly by twisting their body downwards into a punch to a follow up blow the chest.
"Again! One! Two! Three!"
"Hiyai!"
"One! Two! Three!"
"Hiyai!"
After ten repetitions of the strike combination, Kreese then made everyone, the entire class, from Hawk to Big Red do knuckle pushups until he told them to stop.
Class was over, and John Kreese dismissed his students for another day of summer.
…
I tucked my brown belt into the backpack I carried with me to switch from my Cobra Kai uniform into the usual red leather jacket, jeans, and headband I wore to get around town on my bike.
"Mikey. Comin' in clutch last week! Gimme that." I said as Miller willingly clapped my gloved hand.
"That's right man dap me up," muttered Hawk as he bumped fists with Mikey.
Everyone nodded respectfully to Mikey as he leaned on his own bike next to ours and we kept talking.
"Crap man." Rickenberger muttered. "Miyagi-Do almost got us. You're still the champ though. What happened?"
Nothing happened. I just started spending more time with Moon. Was it possible the old Rocky law of women weakening legs weakened my legs?
They felt fine.
"Doug leave the man alone. He has too much trim to deal with on a regular basis." Shawk chuckled as Rick slapped his shoulder quickly and smiled.
"Trim? What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Hey Luke." I heard Tory say nearby.
Mikey smiled towards me as he saw Tory walking in our direction. "This is what Payne was talking about man." he smiled as Hawk jokingly shoved his face aside and laughed.
"Luke."
I nodded calmly putting my phone away sitting atop my bike. "Nichols."
"I'm working doubles at the rink this Friday. Do you. Want to go maybe?"
"Why not? Guys what do you say?" I offered. "Get some skates and make it some sorta guy's night?"
Rick and the others more or less nodded together. "Sure," said Hawk.
Tory looked disappointed for the tiniest second. "Okay. I'll make sure you get the employee discount for whatever you guys pay for. See ya."
She quickly turned around and walked off and Rick smiled. "My guy," he said to me. "You have a chick that hot who's into you. And you know she's into you. And you don't regularly tap that?"
Shawn smiled. "The dojo's like his religion man. He's abstinent when Cobra Kai's involved."
I made eye contact with Hawk for a split second. He knew the reason why Tory and I were very complicated.
"Man." Mikey smiled. "Every girl in this tooowwn wants a slice of Schwarber. Why?"
"Are we gonna sit around talking all day or are we going to enjoy a proper Ride my dudes. Also we can work out after or whatever." I said.
Mikey instantly put his helmet on. "Let's goo!"
…
OST: Mighty Wings - Cheap Trick
…
The Cobra Kais Rode for well over two hours.
All five of them went around on their motorcycles flying around the downhills of small mountain tracks, the highways, and all around Los Angeles.
Without warning, Lucas would sprint, hitting the throttle of his bike at full power and in order to catch up all four of the other Cobras needed to follow suit. A red leather jacket wearing blur flew along the highway, driving dangerously close to a much slower truck.
Lucas' black headband fluttered in the air behind him from beneath his helmet and he flew along, Mikey, Doug, Shawn, and Hawk all following him. They had modified their bikes to pass well over one hundred miles an hour at top speed with still perfect control down straight sections of the highway.
On a sand dune, Hawk hit a perfect jump and caught enough air to almost spin his bike beneath him like a BMX competition.
Hawk didn't do it but landed perfectly on the ground after the jump.
"That was awesome!" Lucas cheered as he said like always, clapping his gloved hands together as the other Cobras applauded next to him.
One by one they flew down the sand dune together.
Mikey and Shawn could catch air without fear despite how high they flew off the dune and still landed perfectly. Doug Rickenberger wasn't nearly as skilled as his friends but still tried his best as his friends.
As if he lacked a shred of fear, and extremely pure motorcycle riding skills, Lucas caught the most air out of all of his friends.
He landed so hard in the sand dune below he had to disperse his fall by sweeping his bike instantly in a semi circle, sending sand flying about.
On the way back up hill, Lucas' gloved hand met those of all four of his friends to high five all of them.
"Let's go! Come on let's get outta here!"
Hawk and the others quickly put their helmets back on and followed Lucas uphill.
Parked outside of their old warehouse they used to train personally, they then worked out for hours.
Reminded strongly of the defeat Miguel handed to him, shoving his face into the mud of Coyote Creek's forest floor before tearing off his headband off, Lucas went ham on the heavy bag they had bought. He pumped iron, he did drills for his footwork and reaction training.
He was hitting the bag so hard with a round kick it jumped with blow. Lucas hit it harder and harder, hitting it so loudly the chains holding bag up rang and echoed clean across the entire abandoned warehouse.
The Cobras trained their muscles, their cardio, racing each other on foot instead of on motorcycles like hours before and sparred regularly.
Ignoring how sweaty he already was from hours of hitting the bags and pumping iron with his friends, Lucas walked around the dark warehouse.
Without warning, Hawk jumped out from behind a stack of wooden pallets with a front kick. Lucas blocked and was attacked by Doug from behind.
Lucas was able to defeat both in under a minute at the same time and then Shawn wrapped an arm beneath his chin starting to choke him.
Before Mikey could then hit Lucas in the chest with a punch, Lucas threw an outside crescent kick to block before headbutting Shawn behind him to make him release his grip, and Lucas smacked Mikey in the face with a back fist and Lucas shoulder tackled Shawn.
Shawn was hit right into a stack of pallets and Lucas pinned his front hand down to avoid blocking his follow up punch.
Knowing Shawn would take a very serious blow to the face, Lucas relented, helping his friend up from the ground with a smile and patting him quickly on the shoulder.
…
Miguel and Sam were sitting inside Mr. Miyagi's house kissing quietly.
Miguel's hand passed over Sam's hair in a tight bun and then Sam spoke. "Wait. Is Demetri leading warm ups?"
"Think so. We live on the other end of town from each other and someone's always home at our places." Miguel shrugged. "Right now is the only privacy we'll get."
Sam rested her hands on Miguel's shoulders. "I still enjoy it."
"Same."
Miguel moved his tongue into Sam's mouth and the two continued to kiss until they heard Daniel's voice outside.
"Okay, Demetri thanks for warming everyone up." Daniel sighed. "Where are. Miguel and Sam?"
Miguel had to run the long way around the entirety of Mr. Miyagi's home to try to make it seem like him and Sam weren't together.
"Hey Mr. LaRusso I was just-"
"Yeah I saw your bicycle out front just a minute ago. I know what you're up to we'll talk later."
Miguel winced painfully and the Miyagi-Do boys smiled and patted his shoulder along as he walked uncomfortably to his spot and Sam walked to a spot far from his.
Daniel spoke. "The first thing I need to make clear is about the sanctity of this dojo. This isn't just a place we do karate. This is where Mr. Miyagi taught me karate when I was your age. You act. With respect and tact at all times."
Sam and Miguel looked so embarrassed they wanted to die and the rest of Miyagi-Do smiled and laughed quietly but nodded.
"Good. First kata then we'll drill in the first counter attacks."
…
Well after class Daniel found Miguel speaking to Chris and Demetri.
They smiled at him. "Good luck." Demetri muttered for a split second.
Miguel look at Daniel. "Look Mr. LaRusso I meant to-"
"I'm not an idiot. You couldn't have hid this from me for well over an entire year."
Miguel nodded painfully and looked down at his feet. "Should we have told you?"
"I just want to make sure you two are. Safe. About things."
"Safe? Safe, safe you mean. Oh. Oh god! We literally just-" Miguel took a deep breath. "Yeah. Fine. Of course. Sam and I. Are as responsible as possible in everything we do."
"I wish you were. Your reckless behavior this summer has led me to think otherwise," Daniel admitted.
Miguel was confused. "What do you mean?"
"The fight with Cobra Kai at the mall?"
"That wasn't a fight."
"You let Demetri get attacked. And now I know why you two were distracted."
Miguel nodded. "I got it."
"I've seen how they treated Demetri and Chris in the forest. Spouting that No Mercy nonsense. They. Are. Dangerous."
"I thought they just need to be shown the right way."
Daniel nodded. "They do. But some of them. Already have. They've been shown the right way more than any of you have yet technically except for yourself and Sam. Learned things and parts of Miyagi-Do most haven't. And they still sought the wrong path and stayed loyal to it. I just want you and Sam to be safe. That's all I want."
"I want the same." muttered Miguel.
Sam walked up to Miguel after the two respectfully agreed.
"He knows."
Sam nodded. "Figured. It's still fun by the way."
"Yup." Miguel smiled. "I still um. Think we should plan a date. A real date by the way."
"Where should we go?"
"How about the roller rink?"
"No," Sam said instantly. "Absolutely not."
"I talked to their manager, Tory's off this week."
Sam took a deep breath. "In that case that sounds amazing. Another weekly eighties night at the rink it is. I still have my costume."
"I look forward to seeing you in it," Miguel said much faster than he meant to.
Sam looked blank and Miguel spoke. "I didn't-"
"I want to see you in yours too." Sam winked at Miguel and he stood there expressionless as Sam smiled and walked off, looking over her shoulder at him.
Miguel shook himself awake as Demetri walked over to him and spoke. "Man. I really thought you'd never win that bet."
"What bet?"
"I said if you got together with Sam I'd join Miyagi-Do. And look at us today."
Miguel nodded slowly. "Didn't realize this was actually happening either."
…
Baltimora's Tarzan Boy blared at Tory's work that night.
She spun around, taking food orders, cleaning up tables, taking tips.
And around the rink itself, five of her fellow Cobra Kais danced on the roller rink floor beneath the disco ball along with dozens of other patrons of the roller rink.
"Five six seven eight!" said Doug proudly.
Each wearing their blue and red leather Cobra Kai jackets and black shutter sunglasses, Mikey, Shawn, Doug, Lucas, and Hawk skated around howling to the song.
They stomped their feet, spun their hands in a circle, nodded, and clapped to the beat of the song.
Lucas mouthed the lyrics to the song spinning around to face his friends.
They formed two lines of two people and Lucas lowered himself onto the wooden rink floor and slid forward between them.
He rose up standing with a spin and then clapped. From how fast they were used to flying downhill around very sharp turns, the five Cobras looked like roller skating was a second instinct, they were flying on their skates. Completely calmly and fluidly.
They formed their line again and continued to skate in unison.
On a raised table nearby wearing skates of their own, Steel Eagle Karate looked more bitter than ever at losing the Coyote Creek challenge merely a week prior.
Doug, Shawn, Mikey, Doug, and Lucas continued to mouth the lyrics of the song, spin, clap, and stomp their skates onto the roller rink in unison.
"That is the gayest shit I've seen all summer," Charlotte said dryly quietly seeing Lucas and the Cobras skate by sitting next to Robby, Aisha, and Bert.
"Why are we even here?" asked Aisha.
Robby sipped his soda from a straw quietly. "To babysit Bert on his date."
Bert smiled and left his chair, holding hands with a girl clearly a year or two older than him and far taller on their roller skates as they left.
"How does that even make any sense!?" Charlotte asked herself.
Robby smiled. "Don't ask me," he said quietly.
Aisha saw the way Robby looked at Shawn, Hawk, Lucas, Mikey, and Doug were having the time of their lives just laughing and randomly spinning, dropping, clapping, howling, and nodding around the roller rink. All in perfect sync, unison, and speed.
"Don't tell me you actually miss them," said Aisha.
Robby kept frowning.
"Do you not miss Tory or Mia?" Robby looked at Aisha.
Aisha frowned, not saying a word.
Sam and Miguel walked in wearing the same eighties costumes from the year prior and muttered.
"Looks like a packed house." muttered Miguel.
"A packed house? Don't you mean like. A full house?"
"Uh." Miguel spoke quietly. "Sort of."
Tory skated past and Sam reached out. "Hey there, we need some menus and-"
"Hi." Tory spun around looking unsurprised. "How are you two doing today?"
Sam seemed to look away furious and muttered. "Fine." she looked back at Tory stone cold.
Sam's hands visibly formed fists.
"Don't give me that look, princess. I'm on shift. Can't move very well in a fight when I'm on skates."
"Is that a threat?" asked Sam. "I'll talk to your manager."
Tory laughed. "No, it's not a threat I promise." Sam didn't believe her for one second. "How can I help you two?"
"We'd just like some menus," Miguel said quietly and respectfully.
"Wassssuuup!?" Lucas slid by smooth as butter on his roller skates. He took off his shutter shades. "Ah. It's the Miyagi-Do power couple." Tory was already grinning. "Shouldn't you guys be off trimming bonsai and trying to absorb the energy of the entire universe with your eyes closed?"
"I'm a little past just breathing exercises and meditation. You should know that after you had to resort to your little trick you pulled with Mikey Miller." now it was Sam who smiled at what Miguel said.
Lucas chuckled, looking at the roller rink floor and then up at Miguel. "Of course. It wasn't Miyagi-Do that gave you that muscle strength, last I checked Daniel LaRusso didn't include any sort of conditioning. Besides, I wasn't ready last week. I wasn't ready for you to be ready. Now. I'm ready for you to be ready for me being ready."
"Well be ready to be disappointed," Miguel said quickly, clearly, and quietly.
Tory could see customers of the roller rink waving her over and Tory spoke. "I still got work to do."
She skated off to take orders as Lucas turned around to face Miguel and Sam. "I got some work of my own to do too. When that rematch happens Diaz. Again. I'll be ready." he said before he left. "Otherwise you know what might happen."
"No mercy," Lucas whispered, giving them both a wink and a quiet chuckle.
Lucas nodded to a pair of people who recognized him and pointed back to them with a light smile.
"God, what is wrong with them?" Sam asked Miguel.
"We should probably get some skates," Miguel said to Sam uncomfortably.
…
Another few rounds of skating and then Tory tossed me a water bottle with a wink I was more than happy to pay for at the cash register.
I watched her skate by looking absolutely on fire with her black fishnet outfit. She was more than beautiful, she was powerful. She smiled at me as she skated past, and wow she just looked stunning tonight even thought I'd already seen her like this several times.
That wink, the way she looked at me and talked to me sometimes. I knew she was into me. But she wasn't the only girl in my life who meant a lot to me.
"All that matters. Is what you see." Moon was pointing to the center of my chest with a smile. "Got it?"
I couldn't believe it.
I was thinking about Moon right now.
Why?
Hawk found my table on my own and patted my shoulder. "King Karate. Aaand king of sulking. The hell has your panties in a twist man? We're here to have fun tonight. Come on."
I smiled. "Nothing dude. You wouldn't get it."
"Get what?"
I might actually be enjoying my time with Moon beyond just the sex. Possibly.
"Don't worry about it."
I looked down at my skates. I was ready to go home for the night really. I had spent a solid three hours here with the guys and I was done.
I got in line to turn in my skates and get my shoes back and I saw Miguel skate over behind me.
"Hey."
"Let me guess. Your skates are too big?"
Miguel nodded but looked confused.
It was really odd how that worked. I still knew how certain things would happen even if things were astronomically different.
"What do you need man?"
"To try bury the hatchet."
"There isn't a hatchet to bury."
Miguel scoffed. "Right. That's why you and Tory threatened us when we got here."
"Those weren't threats. You know that."
"I might not. But I know your timing was sure strange on doing that. Striking first."
I nodded slowly. "Well honestly. I don't get why you care what I think of you."
"I don't. I just don't want any harm to come to me or my friends. Miyagi-Do. Does not deserve any of what you've done to it. And keep doing to it."
"Keep doing to it? You're acting like I broke into Mr. Miyagi's house and started trashing the place. All I did was try to find my own path."
Miguel nodded. "With John Kreese."
"So me choosing a Sensei different than Daniel LaRusso is evil?"
"It's not. Until that Sensei tries to do everything in his power to make this summer hell for me and all of Miyagi-Do. Despite him winning that tournament."
I sighed. "Okay. I can see where you're coming from. But honestly, I won't forget that you beat me last week. You shoved my face into the dirt."
"Let me guess. You spent this whole week with your buds. Training hard again?"
I did in fact spend several hours with the squad back in the old abandoned warehouse doing everything from drills to sparring, to even muscle training.
"Why?"
"You want revenge. Is that it? That's pathetic man. I get our dojos are rivals and have been for decades. But-"
"You wanted me to come back to Miyagi-Do the night of the tournament remember?"
Miguel nodded.
"Miyagi-Do is meant for someone like you. Cobra Kai, is meant for someone like me. Daniel LaRusso didn't hesitate. He didn't ask me why, he didn't try to understand what I did. He just turned his back on me the moment he found out."
"So tell me why. Tell me what you wanted to tell him."
"You want to know. You really want to know."
"It was for a trophy right?" asked Miguel.
I shook my head. "Typical," I said quietly.
His voice was noticeably angrier. "Wasn't it?"
"As a matter of fact, it wasn't. By the end of my first tournament. I knew that I couldn't just pick between Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai. I had to try both at the same time to get a good feeling for the karate I wanted to do. The person I wanted to become. At one point I respected Daniel LaRusso."
I moved ahead in the line to return my skates. "At another I wanted him to be my mentor. I didn't just want to make history by learning both his karate and Sensei Kreese's. I wanted to bring back karate to the Valley. To give this place. A meaning, an energy, a life! It hadn't had in decades."
I scoffed. "My mom hid most of her history here from me my entire life. I caught a glimpse of it one day, on my fourteenth birthday. And I knew right then that that history, would be more meaningful than anything I could do over in Denver."
Miguel stayed silent for about half a minute.
"That does sound honorable and, reasonable. But what you're doing now? Isn't. John Kreese is evil. He let Sam's car be spray painted, you guys broke Nate's nose and his bike just to threaten us. To send a message. And you're okay with that?"
"Yeah." I said. "Because I wasn't here for that and neither was he. And every problem I have with both Daniel LaRusso and you. Were confirmed. Sensei Kreese and I got back from a hunting trip, and everything that happened when we were gone was blamed on us. How would you like that?"
I moved forward in the line and spoke. "Let's say Demetri or some other Miyagi-Do pisses us off. And instead of you know, blaming him. We say it was Daniel LaRusso even if he was on a plane to. I don't know. Okinawa or something. Do you understand why LaRusso's high horse and paranoia." I began to enunciate as clearly as I possibly could. "Is absolutely infuriating!?"
"He's a damn better Sensei than Kreese."
"Doubt it. People have been calling this man evil for most of his entire life. I gave him a chance, I talked to him. Listened to what he'd been through. Through what this country had him do. And when he came back, the only opportunity he had? The only job he was able to maintain? Was passing on everything he had learned."
I scoffed.
"Again. Daniel LaRusso blames Miyagi-Do's imperfections on everyone but himself. Saying stuff like. Any sort of offense is too aggressive, too hateful too evil. So when someone attacks us after we started a fight, it's their fault."
"How was Nate being attacked our fault? How did we start this fight?"
I shrugged. "Sure wasn't ours. I lost a bike race to a mechanical issue, all of you guys were acting like it was some sort of ultimate triumph. Like the great evil, the horror of the Valley was defeated. And it wasn't."
I quickly swapped my skates for my shoes with help from the roller rink employee.
"Listen," I said. "I understand your confusion and your frustration perfectly. But you need to understand something. Something that if I don't make clear. None of this will ever make sense to you. Do you understand that there's a part of Miyagi-Do beyond just karate? A philosophy. A rule of ethics? A background, a history?"
Miguel nodded.
I thought of the picture of Grandmaster Kim Sun Yung. Of all the war stories of Vietnam Sensei Kreese had told me of.
"Cobra Kai has that too. Until you don't talk to Daniel LaRusso as a family member, not a student. Want to seek him beyond karate. Want to connect with him to really connect. You will never understand what I fight for and why I fight for it so hard. Ask him. Go on fishing trips, talk to him."
Miguel looked at me calmly. "After you find out just how much Miyagi-Do means to him. And more importantly. Why!? You'll have to connect to Miyagi-Do on a level that it becomes a part of you, of your family. Then you'll get it. You won't have to ask ever again why I do what I do. Because you'll be doing what I'm doing."
I left Miguel Diaz there without a word.
He was my ultimate rival.
Not because we were even in fighting ability. But because he was the only person who I think could ever challenge me ethically in the morals and philosophies of karate.
Despite me rather disliking him for everything that happened lately, I still respected him a little.
…
In the parking lot walking towards my bike, I heard Tory speak.
"Hey."
She was out of her work uniform wearing normal clothing.
"I just finished my shift. The guys were gonna go watch a movie or something. And I was hoping. You and I could maybe. Get something to eat?"
She had asked me out. And I didn't know what to say.
I could see myself dating Tory in the event that I hadn't connected to Moon at all this summer. It was that simple.
My attraction to Tory was heavily, heavily physical. The first time I was really with her I was drunk and saw her completely naked.
But I knew what she was. Because of what I'd seen in literally another dimension.
"Lucas?"
"One second."
She was a champion. She was basically me, Kreese's daughter, or grandaughter and the most loyal student he'd ever had.
I could get to know her emotionally. I could really find the person I knew was underneath her absolutely manic and aggressive demeanor. She was just hurt at her core, hurt in a way I was since I literally did not belong here in a way.
"I can't." I said.
"Why not?"
"Because I just can't." I said. "I don't think we could work anyway. Just-"
"Is there someone else?"
There was. But it wasn't the only reason.
"I really. Really admire the fact that you want to be next year's girl's champ. I can see that happening. I admire how much you want to put LaRusso in her place. I want to do the same thing with Diaz. But I can't start a relationship based on hatred of other people."
"But that's not the case Luke." Tory smiled. "I don't care about your trophies. Or your money or how famous you are-. But wait, you know that. You know that already. What's the issue?'
"I'm not ready to see anybody soon."
"Because of Charlotte. You. You can't be serious."
"It's not just Charlotte. Tory we don't belong together. I don't. I just. I can't see myself being happy with you, or you being happy with me. We're friends. Yeah. We know each other pretty well after all this time. But I can't date someone who I knew would genuinely hate and go after the person I'd end up with."
Tory didn't say anything.
"Right now. You could probably ask yourself. Would I attack someone who ended up with a person I was into? And you'd say no right? The thing is. You do give off the impression to be that angry."
"Really?"
"In a way. I know that sounds a bit insulting but-"
"Of course it's insulting. How would you like it if I said you would just go after a guy I ended up with and beat the hell outta him? If I rejected you?"
I shook my head. "Just trust me on this. We won't work."
Tory looked unconvinced. "Hold on. So you feel nothing for me?"
"I have to admit the fact that you possess a kind of strength most people don't have. But I can't bring myself to tell you how I feel about you. And that's not your fault." I muttered. "And you know it is." I added.
"You want me to blame you then?"
"I think I want you to blame nobody Tory," I said looking at her for a second.
Tory seemed to watch me mount my bike quietly, turn the engine on, and then leave.
I needed to speak to someone very seriously right now.
The only person I could find myself speaking only the truth to.
…
Moon opened the door to her house being modestly dressed for once.
"Moon um," I said. "We need to talk."
She gave me a light smile and helped me put my bicycle in her backyard like always.
We sat on her couch and I told her. "Would it surprise you? If I told you Tory Nichols asked me out. About, forty five minutes ago?"
Moon shook her head quietly.
"I said no."
"You said no. To a girl who's into exactly what you're into. And who's. You know. Busty and hot as hell, can't lie." Moon laughed which actually lifted my spirits.
I put my hand on top of Moon's. "I said no. Because I'd have to tell her the truth. That. Whatever the hell we're doing has been going on."
Moon smiled. "Lucas we agreed that there were no strings attached here. You didn't have to walk around knowing we were exclusively together. This is just, an experiment. It never happened."
"Would you say this experiment went spectacularly well?"
Moon bit her lip. "I think it extraordinarily well."
"Moon I'm starting to feel so comfortable with who I am and what I'm doing. And what my goals are. That even if I walk away from us at the end of the summer with absolutely nothing but memories. With all the people I've started to. Get to know. I don't care. I'm fine with it. I'm just happy now."
Moon nodded a little. "I think I feel the same way."
"But I. But I do feel angry towards them, Sam and Miguel. Just because they are Miyagi-Do. I hate that they, that they hate me. I know they do, how they look at me, how they talk to me. I hate that they. That they don't get me. That they make that clear."
Moon cupped my face. "I find it pretty unlike you to hate anything for just being different than you. You're not hateful. Deep down you just want to win. Deep down you're loving and passionate. That's why I still do this. That's why I still trust you."
"Despite tonight?"
"You instantly felt guilt. It's not like you kissed Tory or something. You politely rejected her, and you instantly talked to me. If anything. I'm happier you were this honest. It shows how much you care. You told the truth right?"
"I did but." I was confused. "The hate and another girl? And you're fine?"
"Luke these aren't unnatural things to have happen. You're just dealing with them, admittedly in a pretty mature way, I think. I like that. I really like that. I like that you're finding yourself."
"I like that too."
Moon leaned over and kissed me, laying her bare leg across my knees.
Then we started to make out and I realized something.
With most girls I talked to, especially Charlotte, I wasn't ever able to communicate with them as well as I felt I could. I was never as comfortable, as open, as connected with her or anyone as I was with Moon.
Moon felt like the only person I could truly let my guard down around.
The same applied to Tory and even Yasmine who I still talked to overseas in France.
I just wasn't that happy with them. I liked some of them, but it just wasn't this.
Moon took her shirt off, I helped her unclip her bra, we both slipped out of the rest of our clothes, and I laid with her against the couch. Moon still had an incredible body, perfectly tanned, and smooth skin all over with fantastic curves, but I mostly always kept my eyes on hers, I just liked doing so I didn't know why.
We kept making out for a bit and then soon we made love for a decent bit of time.
Moon and I held each other tightly in our arms, kissed, I panted into the crook of her neck, she panted against my own neck, I looked into her eyes for a bit before we kissed again.
After we were done, we snuggled together.
Slightly sweaty in each other's arms I held her.
Moon shifted cuddling atop me. "Mm," she murmured as we kissed again. "Definitely missed that today."
"Same."
Moon chuckled quietly against my neck.
Despite it being the first time for both Yasmine and Tory, as well as Charlotte according to them when I was with them. It wasn't like this when we were, amorous, together, maybe because the three of them weren't used to being with me or anyone at all.
It wasn't like that when I was with Moon now at all. We were really used to being with each other, really happy, I was at least.
Most people I know would wear this like a badge of honor having devirginized four separate very attractive girls, two at the same time even on one occasion, but very oddly, being with Moon was the only time sexually, that I was proud and happy with what I did at all.
So I closed my eyes, drew Moon and her gorgeous figure bare beneath the small blanket on her couch we had closer to me, and sighed.
"Lulu."
I smiled, it was always odd when she called me that but I liked it. "Yeah?"
"What do we do when Yas gets back from France?"
Moon kept resting her head atop my chin. "You mean like. A solid two and a half weeks from now? Um. I don't know."
"Because. Well, you've seen her Instagram right. And she looks. Good, in those bikinis over in France. That's not me perving on my best friend." As she was still pretty bi I didn't say a thing at these statements. "She does. Yasmine is beautiful."
"And?"
"And what have you guys been talking about?"
"Well. What it's like over here. What it's like for her over there." I said. "Just staying in touch."
Moon shrugged, now looking at me and placing a hand on my bare chest. "I'm sorry for asking. I just want to know what we're gonna do."
"By the time summer ends and Yas comes back. We'll figure it out. I mean. I don't want to hurt her."
"Is she sort of. Waiting for you? And are you waiting for her?"
I didn't know what to say. A decent portion of our conversations over text were amorous, but not all of them. It's not like sex was the biggest thing on my mind when talking to Yas.
"No I'm not waiting for her to be honest. Yas. Might be waiting for me though."
"How do you feel about her?"
I shook my head. "Look the party at the start of the summer kind of ended up being a decent mistake."
"Because?" wondered Moon.
"Because both Tory and Yasmine have kind of not ended up. Feeling decently awkward about the whole thing when I talk to them. And I have been talking to them. It isn't the same like it was before."
Moon kept asking. "Why?"
"Because we got drunk. None of us were blacking out or stumbling everywhere. Except for me a bit in the beginning. But, I can barely remember that night properly. I was hurt and regretful over everything with the dojo and everyone leaving. I wasn't whole. I wasn't happy. Not like now."
Moon was surprised. "So I make you happy."
"The happiest I've been in a long time yes. And you?"
Moon smiled, closing her eyes and resting against my chest. "You make me very happy Lu. The happiest I've felt in a while."
We rested for a bit together, and then, because we were this comfortable being completely naked around each other at this point, I tried cooking something for us with what I could find in her kitchen.
I picked up my underwear before I put it back on and began rustling a pot and a pan around to start cooking. No reason to get my junk anywhere near the actual food we were gonna eat.
"Aw." Moon slinked up behind me and wrapped her arms around my neck. "What's with the clothes?" she pouted and said jokingly.
"So I can focus on us not starving for tonight," I said. "Also I distract you that much?"
"Of course you do." I laughed quietly in surprise when she started squishing my ass just to be playful. "As much as I know I distract you Lu."
I turned on her stove and started making ramen with a decent number of vegetables I started to cut and Moon kept trying to distract me.
I started cutting carrots and Moon was slipping her fingers through my boxers, kissing me on the cheek and my neck and the back of it.
If I wasn't so incredibly hungry, I would've turned around and just fully given in to what she wanted quickly so I could actually cook.
"Moon I do need to focus here."
"You can't focus and let me have my fun?" Moon whispered, kissing me on the jaw.
"No," I said calmly. "Need I remind you that you were basically as naked as I was while cooking here once, and made me sit and watch the entire thing?"
"Please Lulu." her hand moved across my chest and she kissed me strongly on the cheek. "Now."
"Oh my god, I can't multitask like this."
"You don't have to multitask at all. Just stand there and cook and let me do my thing."
I shook my head. "I never do anything halfway."
Moon sighed. "Then a few minutes then."
"Trust me this will be quick," I said. "Also this ramen is probably gonna taste amazing trust me."
…
It did end up being great, as did the hour of intimate time I had with Moon in her bedroom.
Snuggled up to each other beneath the covers, Moon and I spoke sharing the same pillow.
"At first I didn't know what to think," Moon said quietly.
"What?"
"Of us." Moon shrugged. "I liked it when you came over and we fooled around. And then the more we shared. The more I wanted to share."
I ran my hand through her hair. "Same here. The only real issue I have is that the nickname Lulu is a little feminine but other than that. It's all great."
"I can see that, I'll try to use it a little less. But um. Luke. What are we going to do about Yas? I can't help but feel bad for her since you're basically leading her along. Unless this whole time you just wanted us to have fun and then. Actually forget the entire thing the minute summer's over."
"It might've changed but. That was the intention right?"
Moon slowly nodded. "We didn't know. Who the other person really was yet," she said slightly painfully. "In this. Right?"
"Yeah."
"What do you want now?"
"Well what do you want?" I asked.
"I asked first."
I sighed. "I mean right now. No clue. With everything that happened between Tory and Yasmine at the start of the summer. And how stressful battling not one dojo but two for. I don't even know what for at this point besides dojo philosophy. I didn't actually think I'd be happy at all at this point."
Moon smiled. "So?"
"So when I said no to Tory. She asked if there was someone else."
"And what did you say?"
"I didn't tell her anything. But I told her a, different part of the truth. That we just wouldn't work for other reasons."
Moon looked at me. "So you lied to her?"
"Are we a thing? Because honestly Moon. Regardless of what we are or not, I can't have Tory make another enemy in all of this."
"I did nothing wrong."
"Not saying you did. She wouldn't take it that way. Tory is not like Yasmine, Moon. While she is much more reasonable than I initially thought. She wouldn't spread nasty rumors about you. She would gather up all the girls in Cobra Kai and key your car, maybe spray paint it or probably just jump you."
Moon was surprised. "What!? Why?"
"That's what they did to Sam LaRusso and all she did was beat Tory in the semis of the last tournament."
"So she's crazy."
"Eh. She's. Working on her stuff. I've tried to help. I think it's mostly worked. But don't worry about that. I just never wanted to put you in the middle of that. My point is, that should Tory and Yas think I'm not going to go out with them because of another person. They'll quickly realize it's not each other."
Moon looked slightly blank. "So when Yas gets back. Either the truth comes out about us one way or another. Or people will clue in that you just stopped wanting to date either of them for what looks like no reason."
"Bit of a predicament yeah. Like you said, I'm worried about hurting people. Heartbreak for either of them is not what I planned."
Moon smiled. "That is actually really kind of you. But a part of me was wondering back when all this started if you just wanted to add notches to your belt." I was going to protest but Moon spoke kindly. "I later saw that's not the case."
"Moon, even though you're friends with one of them. Best friends actually. You should know I don't think of Yasmine as completely shallow. And Tory as just crazy. That's not them. That's not fair to them."
"And?"
"And I just. I really don't know what to say when you ask me what I want. I just want what's best for everyone."
Moon smiled, drawing herself closer to me. "Again that is really sweet. There are a few weeks left of summer anyway. Best make the most of them."
I nodded. "That would be the best."
We kissed and I deepened it, Moon sharply inhaled through her nose. I knew both Moon and I were a little tired but I offered. "One more time for tonight?"
Moon chuckled. "Best way to fall asleep in a way and end the night."
Then we slept together for. I stopped counting after the third time this summer.
…
…
…
A/N:
Not much to say here except for thank you all for reading and supporting.
Because I don't mean to bloat the word count for the chap I will respond briefly to Alvarez Diego here. I could've PM'd but sometimes the chap itself is more reliable for response.
Response: Lucas was never nerfed. It's just Miguel actually is reaching his canon power level and more at this point.
Yes. Lucas has had 1 year of actual karate training prior to transferring, then he did boxing for months, and then he did 1 year of hard regular training and Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do before Miguel even started karate.
However. Miguel in canon was a prodigy, he was an absolute unit. With 1 year of training with Johnny, he almost lost 0 points during the entire tournament in season 1, except 1 to Xander Stone we didn't see so it more or less didn't count, and two to Robby who's insane. One of these was a two legged kick which is basically impossible to block, dodge, or counter since it never existed, no one knew what it was because it was essentially never pulled off.
So imagine Miguel trains not only in Cobra Kai like he did in canon, but also in Miyagi-Do for the entire time. Not only that but is able to three one Hawk in AVT 50 who in canon made it to the semis very easily without losing a point, and Robby 3-2 who is also really great and has been training for an extra year with Johnny too.
On top of that like I said in the previous chapter, Lucas heavily underestimated the degree of physical strength Miguel could obtain with a few months of serious focus on muscle work. That was an aspect Miguel realized very fast Lucas outclassed him in during their final match.
Moreover, I have no doubt that Season 2 of Cobra Kai Miguel could have enough natural talent to bridge the gap to someone with such an experience advantage over him as I have seen it happen. It's not a matter of plot armor, Miguel canonically has this much natural talent for fighting and is a beast physically and mentally both in canon and in this fic especially.
That's about it guys, I will see you all in the next chapter.