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Y/N AND ROBBY RE-ENTERED THE ARENA just as the crowd erupted into wild cheers. The deafening noise hit them like a wall, and the pair y/e/c eyes darted toward the elevated platform.

There they were—Tory and Do-jin standing victorious, the sweat on their brows catching the fluorescent lights as they soaked in the thunderous applause. Yoon had one hand raised, his grip firm on Tory's wrist, while his other hand held something high above his head. The crowd was going absolutely nuts, cheering and whistling, though y/n couldn't see what Yoon was holding.

"What's he got?" Robby asked, leaning slightly to get a better look.

The girl squinted, her curiosity piqued. "I don't know. Looks like..." Her voice trailed off as the cameraman zoomed in on the raven-haired boy's hand, displaying the object on the massive screen overhead.

It was a tooth.

A perfectly white, freshly dislodged tooth.

The crowd roared even louder.

"Oh my God," y/n muttered, half in awe, half horrified. "Is that--"

"Yep," Robby said, sounding both impressed and appalled. "Tory probably knocked it out. That's..." He paused, searching for the right words. "...very on-brand for her."

The commentators couldn't hold back their excitement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what a show of dominance from Cobra Kai!" one of them shouted. "Tory Nichols, the Tooth Fairy of the Tatami, strikes again!"

His co-commentator chimed in with a chuckle. "And let's not forget Yoon Do-jin—smooth, calculated, and apparently just as savage. That coordination between them? Absolutely electric!"

Y/n felt her face heat up, both from embarrassment when she thought of her own fight, and genuine admiration for her friend. Tory and Yoon weren't just standing there—they owned that platform. The raven's cocky smirk paired with the blonde's fiery, triumphant glare made them look invincible.

"They're eating this up," Robby muttered, shaking his head with a small smile.

"They deserve it," y/n said softly, her gaze locked on the platform.

Without a moment of hesitation, the y/h/c-haired girl's voice cut through the chaos. "Tory! Tory! Tory!"

The chant caught on like wildfire, and soon the entire arena was shouting Tory's name.

The commentators weren't done teasing, though.

"Let's not forget the earlier drama between Cobra Kai's Medusa and Zeus," one said with a laugh.

"We are not calling him that for god's sake, David!" snapped the other. "Clearly he's a Hercules."

"Well, right now it doesn't matter, for our favorite duo pulled a perfect Romeo and Juliet tonight. Falling for each other—literally, isn't that right?!"

The other commentator howled with laughter. "Too bad the Tooth Fairy and her partner stole the spotlight! But hey, what a recovery for Cobra Kai after that little, uh... double sui- I mean slip! Slip... I said slip."

Y/n groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Kill me now," she muttered.

Robby snickered beside her. "You did kinda walk into that one."

"Shut up," she hissed, though her tone was more amused than angry.

Tory stood on the platform, laughing at something Yoon had said, their victory buzz still lingering in the air. Her grin was bright, her energy electric—until her eyes landed on y/n and Robby walking back in together. They stood close, too close for Tory's liking, as they exchanged quiet words that she couldn't quite make out.

Her smile faltered, the corners of her lips tugging downward ever so slightly. She wasn't sure why it bothered her so much, seeing her best friend with her on-break boyfriend.

Was it because of Miguel?

Tory hated admitting it, but ever since her first relationship ended in betrayal, that nagging fear of rejection had followed her everywhere. She told herself over and over that she didn't care anymore—that she was better than that and it was all water under the bridge now—but seeing l/n and Keene side by side stirred something unsettling in her.

Or was it because of Robby himself?

The two of them had a complicated history... While things between y/n and Robby had always been rocky—fueled by the girl's loyalty to Miguel during his endless rivalry with Robby—there had always been these strange, fleeting moments where y/n seemed to defend him. Tory could still remember all the times the y/h/c-haired girl had unexpectedly stood up for Robby:

Once at the beach, when Miguel tried to pick a fight and y/n, annoyed and exasperated, had pulled Miguel aside and told him to stop acting like a "jealous man-child."

The second time was at a party, when y/n acted as the neutral party, refusing to let Miguel and the rest of her friends gang up on the boy.

Then there was the mall fight, where y/n had physically dragged Hawk away from Robby and Sam, by his spiky red hair, hissing at him to stop embarrassing himself before snitching to Moon, who had promptly chewed Eli out for starting unnecessary drama.

Even recently, Tory had overheard y/n defending Robby against Kwon... 

Kwon's disdain for Miyagi-do often led to loud, borderline irrational tirades, and y/n had been the only one to step in, telling Kwon to "dial it down" and "not turn Robby into some villain in your head just because he's on the other team."

Tory's jaw clenched tighter. She'd always chalked those moments up to y/n's tendency to stand up for the underdog. The girl had a habit of rooting for people who had no one in their corner. But now, the taunts and teasing she'd heard over the week—whispers about y/n breaking the "girl code" or how "of course she'd defend Robby"—seemed to make a little more sense.

Still, the blonde wasn't one to overthink. She told herself it was ridiculous to read into it. y/n was her best friend. Robby was... Well, things with Robby were complicated, but he was still a good guy.

And yet, the sight of the two of them walking in together left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Tory," Yoon said softly, his hand brushing against her wrist. The gentle touch snapped her out of her thoughts, and she blinked, turning to face him.

"Hmm?"

"It's time to go down," he said, his tone warm but firm.

The girl nodded, shaking off the strange tension creeping into her chest. She followed Yoon down the platform, forcing herself to focus on the victory. They'd won. Cobra Kai had secured the match. That's what mattered.

Still, she couldn't help glancing one last time at y/n and Robby, who were now making their way toward the rest of the team. Something about the scene nagged at her, but she pushed it aside, determined not to let it ruin her moment.

After all, this wasn't the time to dwell on complicated feelings. Not yet, anyway.

As the two fighters descended from the platform, the crowd's deafening cheers seemed to echo endlessly in her ears. She barely had time to process the applause when she felt y/n's arms wrap around her tightly. The sudden embrace startled her, but as soon as y/n's voice reached her ears, all the tension seemed to dissolve.

"You were amazing!" y/n said, her voice brimming with pride. "Seriously, that was insane! You and Yoon killed it out there!"

Tory blinked in surprise, but then a laugh bubbled out of her. "Thanks," she said, hugging y/n back just as tightly. For a moment, all the doubts and unease she'd felt earlier dissipated. In this fleeting moment of celebration, it was easy to forget.

When they finally pulled apart, y/n's grin was infectious. Tory found herself smiling despite everything lingering in the back of her mind.

"Are you okay?" Tory asked, her voice softer now, more concerned. "Where were you? You missed the match."

Y/n hesitated, her smile faltering for a split second before she nodded. "I just needed to clear my head," she replied, her tone even.

Tory studied her closely, skepticism flickering in her eyes. There was something about the y/h/c-haired girl's demeanor—something evasive. But she didn't push. Not here, not now. Instead, she nodded slowly, glancing over y/n's shoulder toward Robby, who stood a few feet away, watching the two of them with a warm expression.

"Alright," Tory said finally, though her tone was laced with quiet doubt. "Just... don't disappear like that again, okay? We're a team. We're supposed to have each other's backs."

Y/n gave a sheepish smile. "I won't," she promised before excusing herself to find Yoon.

As the girl walked away, Tory's smile faded, and the unsettled feeling crept back in. Her gaze shifted back to Robby, who was now engaged in conversation with his father, but her mind was somewhere else entirely.

Before she could dwell on it further, Kwon appeared beside her, his presence as loud as the crunching sound of the M&Ms he was aggressively chewing.

"Congrats on the win," he muttered sarcastically, his tone practically dripping with disdain.

Tory rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Don't sound too excited, Kwon," she snapped. "Or someone might think you actually care."

Kwon snorted, popping another piece of candy into his mouth. "Relax. You and Yoon did fine. Doesn't mean I'm about to write you a fan letter."

Tory smirked, her tone sharp. "I'll live without it, thanks."

But the boy wasn't here to trade quips. His expression darkened slightly as he glanced toward y/n, who was now laughing at something Yoon had said as the two of them eyed him flirting with the Kenyan captain. 

His jaw clenched, his grip tightening around the small packet of M&Ms.

"Why's she so afraid of falling?" he asked abruptly, his voice low and cutting.

Tory stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "What?"

"You heard me," Kwon said, stepping closer. His tone was sharper now, more pointed. "Why's y/n so irrationally afraid of falling? I've seen it before, but today it was different. Sensei Kreese warned me weeks ago that there's history between you two. Between her and Miyagi-do. So don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about."

Tory's expression faltered, her sharp retort dying in her throat. She let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "It's... complicated, okay? Not something I can explain in two minutes."

Kwon's eyes didn't leave hers. His gaze was piercing, unrelenting. "Good thing I'm not going anywhere," he said flatly. "Tapas bar. Beach district. Tonight."

Tory raised an eyebrow, her arms folding tightly across her chest. "And what makes you think I'd go anywhere with you?"

Kwon leaned in just slightly, his tone dropping to something almost sinister, yet teasing. "Because y/n will be there."

Tory scoffed, her posture rigid. "So?"

Kwon's smirk widened, his next words like a dagger slipping between the cracks of her defenses.

"With your boyfriend," he taunted, the words deliberate and venomous.

Tory's breath hitched. Her mask slipped for just a moment, but it was enough. Kwon saw it, the flicker of something vulnerable beneath her fiery exterior.

He didn't wait for her reply. Tossing another M&M into his mouth, he walked away, leaving her standing there, the weight of his words lingering heavily in the air.

"Don't be late..."

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