"YOU READY FOR PART TWO OF MY HAWK'S AN ASSHOLE RANT?"

Hayden lifted the window, because her mom had been home more than usual. But, Hayden didn't honestly expect it to continue. She'd be back to her twenty four hour shifts sooner than later. Hayden was sure of it.

Miguel chuckled as he swung his leg over the windowsill. "That's the closest thing to a greeting you've ever given me."

"Progress," Hayden said with a smirk, turning back toward her bed.

Miguel's smile faded slightly as he dropped his duffel bag to the floor. "He trashed Miyagi-Do."

That stopped her in her tracks. Hayden turned, her brows furrowing. "What?"

"Hawk," Miguel clarified. "He and the others trashed the dojo. Mr. LaRusso stormed into class today— he was pissed."

Hayden scoffed, a flash of anger crossing her face. "Good. He should be." She moved to sit on the edge of her bed, her arms resting on her knees. "Do you even know what they did?"

Miguel shook his head, watching her carefully. "Not all of it."

"They wrecked everything." Hayden's voice hardened. "Smashed the windows, tp'd everything, destroyed the garden, and—" She hesitated, her jaw tightening. "They stole Mr. Miyagi's Medal of Honor."

Miguel blinked. "His what?"

Hayden leaned back, folding her arms. "Mr. Miyagi was Mr. LaRusso's sensei. The medal was his— he earned it in World War II. It's a big deal to Mr. LaRusso. He always says it's not just a medal; it's a symbol of everything Miyagi-Do stands for— honor, balance, all that."

Miguel nodded slowly, the weight of her words settling over him. "And it's important to you, too?"

Hayden's gaze flickered to the floor. "Yeah. It is. Miyagi-Do gave me something stable, something that actually makes sense in my life. It's more than just karate to me. It's..." She trailed off, looking away.

Miguel watched her for a moment, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You're different when you talk about this stuff, you know. More... I don't know, open."

Hayden rolled her eyes but couldn't quite hide the faint blush creeping up her neck. "Don't get used to it."

Miguel laughed, stepping closer. "I'm glad you let me in, though. Like, into your life." He paused, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "Actually, there's something I've been wanting to ask you."

Hayden raised a brow, instantly suspicious. "What?"

"Well..." Miguel hesitated, but then, in typical Miguel fashion, he went for it. "I was wondering if you'd want to, I don't know, maybe go out sometime? Like, on an actual date?"

Hayden blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "You're serious?"

Miguel grinned sheepishly. "Dead serious. I like spending time with you, Hayden. And I think... I think there's something here, you know?"

Hayden scoffed, looking away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hayden." His voice was soft but steady, and it made her stomach flip. "I know you're scared. I get it. But I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to do this alone."

She wanted to tell him to leave, to brush him off with some snarky comment. But the way he looked at her—steady, patient, like he actually meant it— made her hesitate. Then, her mind drifted off to Robby and for some damn reason, her mind planted a picture of Sam and Robby almost kissing.

She shook her head. "You're unbelievable."

"But is that a yes?" he pressed, his grin widening.

Hayden sighed, leaning back on her hands. "Fine. One date. Don't make me regret it."

Miguel's face lit up. "Deal."

As he plopped down next to her on the bed, the tension in the room eased, replaced by something warmer, something lighter.

And Hayden didn't feel as scared as she thought she would. Not with Miguel.

—

Hayden leaned her elbows on her knees, handing her head as droplets of sweats slid down her forehead. "It's so fucking hot."

"I'm sweating in places I didn't even know I had pores." Demetri leaned his head on Sam's shoulder, gulping down water.

Hayden scrunched her face up, "Ew, Demetri. Gross." She took her forearm, wiping her forehead. When she felt something cold nudge her arm, she flinched a bit, looking over at the extended water bottle Robby was offering her. She flickered her eyes up to meet his warm gaze, taking the water bottle. "Thanks," She muttered, taking a swig before handing it back.

"Alright, guys." Daniel clapped as he approached them, "Get out from under that tree. It's time to get to work."

"Hey, Mr. LaRusso, it's like a hundred degrees out. Can't we take it easy today?" Robby asked after the group collectively groaned.

"Are you kidding? This heat wave is a gift."

"We have different definitions of 'gift.'" Hayden muttered, leaning her head back against the tree.

Daniel ignored her. "Today you are going to experience Shochu-Geiko."

"...Like the car insurance?" Chris suddenly asked earning a snort from Hayden.

"Shochu-Geiko is a japanese exercise where you train during the hottest days of the year. It's about pushing yourself to your limit. The fight isn't always gonna come to you when it's seventy-five degrees and breezy."

"Aren't we supposed to avoid fighting?" Sam asked with a pointed brow.

Daniel went silent for a minute, Hayden tilting her head at him. "Sometimes, you can't. Someday, the fight may come to you. And I wanna make sure you're ready." Sam side-eyed Hayden, who gave her a brief glance and looked back at Daniel, "So, today, we're gonna see what Miyagi Do is made of."

Hayden sighed, pushing herself to her feet. "Pretty sure I'm made of heat stroke at this point." Hayden muttered, letting her head hang as the sun beamed down at her, feeling a minor headache form from the heat.

—

"Two!"

The call rang out, and the boy across from Hayden stepped into the circle. He charged at Robby, throwing a quick punch. Robby deflected it with ease, his movements fluid as water, before redirecting the boy's momentum and guiding him to the ground as gently as possible.

"Six!"

Another guy stepped up, sending a kick up that Robby stepped back from. Robby send a jab to his abdomen, earning him the point.

"Nine!"

Hayden was quick with her movement, throwing a jab that Robby blocked with the wax on, wax off movement, throwing his foot up. She caught his foot mid-air, sending her elbow to his ribcage and striking him cleanly.

Robby stepped back, one hand instinctively moving toward his side.

"Nice one," Robby said, a hint of breathlessness in his voice.

"Thanks," Hayden replied, already stepping back into the circle's edge, her voice calm and unshaken. She shot him a brief glance, her eyes glinting with something between pride and a challenge.

Robby smirked, rolling his shoulders as he retook his stance. "Guess I'll have to try harder next time."

"Maybe," Hayden muttered, crossing her arms as she went back to her spot. "But don't hurt yourself trying."

"Alright, Demetri's turn."

Robby stepped aside, trading places with a reluctant Demetri. Shoulders slumped and feet dragging, Demetri trudged to the middle of the circle, looking more like he was heading to his doom than preparing to spar.

"Set, three!"

Chris wasted no time, charging straight at Demetri and landing a quick punch to his stomach before Demetri could even think about blocking.

"Sorry, Meat. You gotta block that," Chris said with a shake of his head as he backed up to his spot.

"Six!"

The boy next to Robby stepped in and went straight for a leg sweep, knocking Demetri to the ground with a dull thud.

From her spot at the edge of the circle, Hayden winced, letting out a low whistle. "Ouch. That'll bruise later."

Demetri groaned dramatically, rolling back and forth on the ground like he'd been mortally wounded. "I hate this!"

"Come on, get up," Daniel called out, clapping his hands to get Demetri moving.

"Can we please take a break?" Sam interjected, shielding her eyes from the relentless sun. "This heat is brutal."

The group of teens turned to Daniel, a collective plea written across their sweat-soaked faces.

Daniel paused, as if considering their request, before a sly smirk spread across his face. "You guys wanna cool off? Alright... I think I can accommodate that."

Hayden's eyes narrowed as she tilted her head slightly, the faintest hint of suspicion flickering across her otherwise stoic face. "I don't trust that."

Chris glanced at her, "Maybe it's ice cream?" He offered with a hopeful shrug.

Hayden shot him a sidelong glance. "Yeah, sure. And maybe Demetri will win his next match."

"Hey!" Demetri protested, stumbling after them. "I could—"

Hayden didn't even turn around, cutting him off with a casual, "No, you couldn't."

The group trudged forward, bracing themselves for whatever Daniel had planned.

—

"So, you couldn't take the heat of Shochu-Geiko. Perhaps you'll find Kangeiko more to your liking."

Hayden had her eyes narrowed and her arms wrapped around her body, shivering. "Still think we're going for ice cream?" They stood in a meat freezer.

"Are there no 'geikos' that take place in a spa?" Sam shivered.

"It's not about the heat or the cold. It's about adapting to the environment around you and using that to your advantage. Look around. What do you see?"

Hayden let her eyes flit around, eventually landing on Sam and Robby, who glanced at each other and laughed at whatever they found funny.

"Frozen London Broil." Chris answered as he rubbed his arms for some warmth.

"No, not the meat. Look past that."

Hayden tuned out everything they were seeing once her eyes zeroed in on Robby and Sam whispering to each other and laughing simultaneously.

"I see the exhalation of a breath. The twitch of a muscle. The shift of a stance."

"I see desperation." Hayden muttered, looking down at the floor.

Daniel didn't hear her, continuing. "If you lean into the cold, it will heighten your senses. And then, you'll anticipate the moment before your opponent strikes and you'll always be ready."  The group nodded uncertainly as Daniel's phone buzzed. He glanced at it briefly, dismissing the call before texting a response. "Alright, circle up!"

The teens formed a loose circle, Sam stepping into the center first.

"Seven!"

Chris lunged forward, throwing a punch at Sam, but she deflected it cleanly, countering with a kick that forced him back.

"That's what I'm talking about. Five!" Daniel called out, motioning for Robby.

Robby stepped forward, and he and Sam exchanged strikes with fluid ease, deflecting and blocking as if choreographed. They ended up locked in place, hands gripping each other's arms, both smiling as they caught their breath.

From her spot, Hayden's lips twitched into a faint scowl. She dropped her gaze to the floor, jaw tightening slightly.

"Three!"

Hayden stepped into the circle, her face unreadable, but there was a sharpness in her movements.

Sam faced her, eyebrows raised as if to silently ask if she was ready. Hayden didn't respond, just nodded once.

Sam lunged first, throwing a punch, but Hayden blocked it swiftly, countering with a sharp kick that Sam barely dodged. Hayden pressed forward, her strikes quick and calculated, forcing Sam to stay on the defensive.

Sam attempted a spin kick, but Hayden anticipated it, catching her leg mid-air. Instead of letting Sam regain her balance, Hayden twisted sharply and swept Sam's other leg out from under her. Sam hit the ground with a loud thud, her breath puffing into the icy air.

"Better," Daniel commented approvingly as Hayden stood over Sam, extending a hand to help her up. Sam hesitated for a moment before taking it, her expression more surprised than annoyed.

Hayden stepped back to her spot, her face stoic as ever, though there was the faintest flicker of satisfaction in her eyes.

"Alright, let's get Demetri in there!" Daniel called.

Demetri groaned dramatically but stepped into the circle, appreciating the small pats on the back Hayden gave him. "Here goes nothing. Literally."

"Set, six!"

Demetri's opponent moved quickly, delivering a kick to Demetri's side that he made no effort to block.

"Come on, Demetri," Daniel urged. "Look for the signs. Anticipate. You can do this!"

Demetri stared at the ground, muttering, "Oh, you come on. Just give me a second."

—

As practice wound down and everyone started packing up, Hayden approached Robby, her hands shoved into her jacket pockets. She leaned against the side of a bench, her voice low but casual. "So, you and Sam decided to give it a shot?"

Robby glanced at her briefly, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. We talked, and... yeah. She's nice. She likes me." He hesitated, his tone softer. "We decided to give it a try."

Hayden nodded once, her face giving nothing away. "Good for you."

Robby studied her for a moment, trying to read her. "Not that it matters to you, right?"

She tilted her head slightly, her expression calm and cool. "You're right. It doesn't." Her words hung in the air, steady but sharp, like a blade left on the table. She turned to walk away.

"Hayden," He spoke before she could fully make it out the door.

"Hm?" She turned slightly.

"We're good, right?" Robby wouldn't say it out loud, but it was clear in his tone that he was desperate to remain as close to the girl as possible. The unknowing if they were good or not killed him.

She eyed him, letting a beat of silence pass by. "Yeah, Robby." She murmured, "We're good."

And she meant it. Maybe she was initially annoyed because Sam seemed to get everything she wanted and that made Hayden want to rip her hair from her scalp. But she couldn't control everything. She was coming to that painful realization.

And she had Miguel. He was there for her, even if she didn't want him to be. Even when she pushed him away so many times. He was always there.

Robby nodded, swallowing as she walked out and disappeared, leaving him to his thoughts.

—

A knock on the LaRusso's door broke the quiet of the evening, pulling Robby from his thoughts. He looked around, unsure if it was his responsibility to answer. After calling out for Sam a couple of times and getting no response, he sighed and headed for the door.

Opening it, Robby's eyes narrowed immediately at the sight of Miguel Diaz standing on the porch. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Miguel raised his hands in a small gesture of peace, his tone steady. "I'm not here to fight. I just came to give something back." He held up Mr. Miyagi's Medal of Honor, the light glinting off the metal.

Robby's jaw tightened, his stance bristling. "I knew you took it."

"No," Miguel shot back, his voice firm but calm. "I didn't take it. I had nothing to do with what happened to your dojo, either. I was with Hayden the whole night. She told me how important the medal is to Miyagi-Do—"

Robby's gaze sharpened at the mention of her name. "You've been talking to Hayden?"

Miguel hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded. "Yeah. She's the one who made me realize how much this means to you guys. She cares about this place."

There was a flicker in Robby's eyes, something that mixed with frustration and a tinge of hurt. But he quickly masked it with a cold smile, his voice low. "You think you're some kind of hero now?"

Miguel didn't back down. "I'm not looking to be anyone's hero. We both know Hayden doesn't want a hero, either. Just trying to do what's right."

Robby took a step forward, tension sparking like electricity between them. "Don't act like you know her. Hayden doesn't just 'let people in.' She doesn't trust anyone that easily."

Miguel held his ground, his voice calm but firm. "Maybe she doesn't trust you."

The words hit Robby like a jab, but he quickly masked it with a bitter laugh. "You think she trusts you? She doesn't need some guy following her around like a puppy, trying to impress her. Hayden's stronger than that."

Miguel's calm façade cracked for a moment, irritation flashing across his face. "I'm not trying to impress her. I'm just... there for her. Something you clearly can't figure out how to do."

Robby stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low growl. "You really think you're what she needs? Someone who barely knows her, but keeps showing up like it's a competition?"

Miguel scoffed, rolling his eyes. "If it's a competition, you're already losing considering I have a date with her tomorrow night."

The words landed like an air-stealing punch. Robby's chest tightened, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. He stared at Miguel, trying to keep his composure, but inside, a storm raged. He hated the way Miguel always seemed to have the upper hand when it came to Hayden. It made him feel... out of control.

Robby forced a nod, but his gaze lingered on Miguel's retreating figure. He wasn't just another opponent in training or a rival dojo member. Miguel was competition for something— or someone— Robby didn't want to lose.

And for Hayden, Robby knew he'd fight until there was no fight left.

authors note
I kinda hate how this chapter came out but I've rewritten it so many damn times it is what it is atp also my goal is to have all of season two and hopefully some of season three done by Christmas and I feel like at the rate I'm going, it's achievable? Idk but yes bye lovers