𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍. scorpion's eye dojo

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT UNMEASURABLE TIME THAT WAS torture to the mind, body, and soul. It stretched one thin somehow, so unbearably thin. Perhaps it was because there was no love there, no hugs or kind smiles, and no one to tell you everything will be okay.

And then there were the eyes of everyone in that juvenile facility, alive and dead as if they were so desperate for this nightmare to be over they tried to sleep even when they were awake.

The guards felt the need to take their freedom, that much was obvious. They were scared of them, yet it was more than that. Robby could see the disgust in the way their faces moved, indifference in the little they say, grimly seeing out their time as guards before they may leave. At what cost to their souls?

This life was but a magic mirror, giving back what you give out. And so he sat there, on a plastic chair, and let his eyes rest a while.

He asked his imagination for a bird so that it may sing and move its wings in the sunlight that warmed it. He could hear its song, so bright as if it were all the colors he's been missing for so long.

Before he can help it a small laugh escaped his lips; he imagined himself, who would stop in the middle of any path to savor such music, no matter how humble the bird.

"How was your lunch?" Yujin murmured, scooting a chair to his side.

Robby hesitated, "Mmm, not complaining."

"You learn fast." He continued after a minute, "so, how's it going?"

Robby focused his eyes on his shoes, "y'know I can't shake the feeling that at the end of the day I'm not going home. And, like, in the morning when I wake up... there are these few seconds before I realize where I am." He paused, "and then I do realize, and I can't breathe. And I want to cry and throw shit." Robby shared a tense glance with Yujin, "When does that end?"

Yujin chuckled, slapping a hand against Robby's shoulder, "I'll let you know." They both faced the door. Yujin fumbled with the hem of his grey sweater. "You in here for long?"

His eyes met Robby's. He could tell he was afraid, and despite his newfound reputation, Yujin knew Robby was a sensitive boy, and this had all been too much for him. "I don't know." Robby turned to the only friend he's made since being there, "I haven't heard anything about Miguel," he cleared his throat, "what about you?"

Yujin ignored the question. "Your girlfriend hasn't updated you?"

"My ― wait, wait? We're not ― I mean, we..." He stuttered, and bit the inside of his cheeks as his stomach churned, the boy beside him smirked at the reaction. "Yeah yeah, very funny." He hissed, through his gritted teeth, looking around to make sure no one was listening in to their conversation, more teasing was not on his itinerary for the day.

"I thought you were into that other girl, the one from the tv?" Yujin replied. Robby stayed silent, "wow, two-timing? didn't expect that from you, Robert."

He shook his head, "no, we aren't together anymore." Yujin raised an eyebrow, "or, I don't think we are. Not after what I did."

"She hasn't visited you?"

He was pushing his buttons, Robby guessed. "Is that really important right now?" He pushed Yujin's shoulder lightly.

"I'm not asking because it's important, I'm just curious." He chuckled.

Robby pressed his lips in a fine line, "I don't really know how I feel about either of them." The boy nodded slowly, not looking at him. "Am I being unreasonable?"

"Hey, why are you asking me?" He wrinkled his nose. "Do as you wish."

"What do you think?"

"I think..." He paused. "The one that's been visiting you doesn't deserve that."

Surprised, Robby touched his hair lightly. "I think I need a little more time to figure out my feelings."

Yujin stifled a laugh. "God, Robert. I have cleaning duty, I've seen you with her in the visitation room. Do you think I don't notice how you basically swoon when with her? I bet if she told you to break out, you would." Embarrassment crawled up Robby's spine, making him want to curl up into a ball and hide. He said nothing. Yujin then turned his attention to him. "If it helps, I think she might be interested in you, too."

Robby smiled lightly, I hope so, he thought.

Most guys in this center he knew were automatons, units in corporations, measured and valued only for their productivity. They were tense from subducting so much anger, burying it so they can get up and do the same tedious job over and over. They were bitter, confused, and full of resentment.

Yujin wasn't like them, he was a total enigma, but Robby couldn't tell why. He had all the same reasons to be bitter but he walked and talked like he'd just been on an inspiring hike in the mountains. Somehow the stress rolled right off him instead of sinking in and twisting the way he thought.

Every day was fresh to him, every person was fresh, he wouldn't know how to hold a grudge if it came with handles. ❨ actually, just the one. Robby still had no idea what that was about, by the way. ❩ Just being near him was like taking a vacation, but he was no open book.

Yujin almost belonged there, but not quite. He dressed in the same uniform as the others, but his hair was styled like some boy band prima donna, and something about his eyes was bookish.

Then there were the scars on his arms, he hadn't meant for them to be seen. Some guy bumped into him with a juice box and he had whipped off his sweater to wipe the stain before it set. He was at it pouring on some water and rubbing it when he suddenly froze mid-stoke and pulled the sleeve down before he'd finished the job. Then he smiled and resumed his conversation about indie music with some other inmate. But Robby caught it. And it just filled his head with even more questions about the boy.

But before he could ask the boy any questions he'd been dying to have answered, he was escorted to the visitation room.

Yujin sat there frozen for one, two, three seconds, waiting for Ben Sparrow to say something. He had yet to speak one word to the boy, surprisingly, Ben never missed a visitation.

But something was different. Ben Sparrow stared at Yujin Choi like he was dead to him.

Waiting, Yujin gave him an impatient expression. Unlike his usual soft profile, he contorted his face into sharp angles and dark features. "I know you talk," he said, leaning back, "Robby's a good kid, doesn't need you to fuck up his life even more than it already is."

"Just because you didn't make the cut, doesn't mean he won't." He sounded annoyed, but there was a hint of sorrow.

"What makes you so sure he'd follow you?"

Ben responded with a displeased groan, "because he's desperate." A gentle smirk lifted the corner of his lips as he took a sip of the water bottle in front of him, "because the only other person on his side is on mine."

Yujin looked taken aback. Then, he leaned forward. "The girl?"

A deep chuckle carried across the room, tickling the back of his neck and Ben smiled. And he watched him lean back, staring at him like he was sizing him up. Yujin suddenly felt like he was applying for a job and he was waiting to see if he'll hire him.

"Now she, she has potential. I knew she would."

There were only a few reasons why Ben would tell him this; he was trading him, dropping him or this had been a test.

Yujin wasn't so badass or indestructible that he wasn't on the verge of losing it. First, he didn't want to get traded. Second, he sure as shit didn't want to get dropped from Ben; even though he got him in juvie in the first place. Third, if this was a test, it sure as hell was a shitty one.

Taking a deep breath, he gripped his thighs and steeled himself. He might as well bite the bullet. "What's going on?"

He sat back, crossing his arms over his chest, and smiled. "If I asked you to kill a man tomorrow, could you do it?" Yujin's head says yes, without hesitation, without question. But his gut knew his head was full of shit and come time to pull the trigger, that stance may change. "Always quick to agree, that's why I like you, Yujin."

It was quiet as he stared at the boy, drumming his fingers on the table. Yujin could see a hint of excitement in his eyes, and he wondered if he had made the right choice. "So are you gonna tell me what's this about?" To his credit, he sounded calm, not at all like he was on the verge of taking a bat to the room's furniture.

"I'm giving you one last chance," he reeled back. "You get out in a few days. Win, and the organization will protect you. Lose," he paused, "and you're back on the streets."

Win, lose; the battle that Ben hosted that came every few years that brought the best fighters he had to fight against each other to see who came out on top ― the winner getting a spot in his organization and ten thousand dollars.

Yujin had lost a few years back.

"I can handle it. Give me a chance."

For a moment, Yujin felt like a hypocrite. Telling Robby to stay away from Ben just to come reeling in like a fish caught in a hook the second he showed to take him back in.

Ben Sparrow was a dangerous man. He's seen his worst days and the outcome of those days. Maybe he saw himself as too far gone to decline such an offer. Maybe that was why he was so keen on Robby saying no because he saw more potential in the boy than he did himself.

Ben nodded and stood up, toying with his cufflinks. "Don't fuck it up."

Yujin swallowed the bitterness back, reminding himself of all the good things that could come out of this. with a sigh, he shook his head and scratched at his neck. "And Robby?"

"Didn't you hear? The kid can walk again," Yujin's eyebrows went up in disbelief, but he didn't comment. "He'll be getting out soon when the charges are dropped."

He nodded and stood up, ready to get out of there so that he could think of as many strategies as he could in private.

JIEUN MOVED BACKWARD AND evaded Ben's kick and felt the rush of wind from his foot as it passed her face. Cursing herself for not immediately capitalizing on his attack, she punched him hard on his chest and he staggered back as she tried to drop an axe kick on his head.

The axe kick, as Ben recalled, was a banned move as it was uncontrollable once it began its descent. It had been responsible for seriously injuring several competitors ― but he didn't care; since it hasn't been used in years no one really knew it existed or how it looked, in his words.

The kick missed his head and slid down his ample chest, removing a few hairs by the roots. As if he hadn't felt a thing, he retaliated with a punch that caught Jieun on the side of her head.

She spun to her left and gave herself enough time and space to recover. There were several more hurtful exchanges, mostly to the body. that had the both of them sucking in the air; Jieunn could see in Ben's eyes that his fight plan was similar to hers ― inflict as much pain as possible to the opponent's body with a single, vicious technique.

Ben made his move for victory; he threw a punch to her stomach to get her hands moving downwards before he again attempted a kick to her head.

But she was 'in the zone.' in which there was no conscious thought. If someone were to ask her how she reacted to Ben's punch to the stomach, she'd respond that it did not hit her, and this time she did not step back or to the side, she stepped in to deliver a punch to his chin before sweeping his supporting leg from under him.

Ben hit the ground, legs, and arms sprawled out, as she quickly followed up by stamping on his stomach.

The technique she used was controlled, hard enough to hurt, but not enough to injure.

"Little shit." Cried Ben, with more than a hint of approval in his voice. The look on his face was one of sheer astonishment, and for the many years he had lived he would consider that fight as the most amazing he had ever witnessed.

"Regret teaching me?" She grinned, as they strode across the room for water.

"Nope."

Jieun crinkled her lips. "So, I was wondering..."

"― I'm not helping any more of your friends."

"I'm thinking of joining a dojo." She interrupted, she watched him for a second before continuing, "Miguel's Sensei's been recruiting and, I figured since I know so much, why not join to compete?"

She decided not to bring up the fact her and Miguel's friendship had been on the rocks since he found out she had been involved in the arcade fight. She figured joining his new dojo would help rekindle that.

His eyes stared at her from his position eight inches above hers. A furrow creased the space in the middle of his eyebrows. "I'm teaching you to compete."

She took a sharp inhale and met his gaze directly with a single shrug. "I'm still planning to find my father's killer I just, wanna do something on the side. Plus, learning a new technique won't hurt, right?" She wasn't going to lie to him or make an excuse, there weren't any.

Honest to God, if Ben was the type of person that smacked himself in the forehead, he had the expression on his face that said he'd be doing it right then. "Why would I let you go off showing some nobodies my moves?"

Even though she was sort of expecting his response to being that way, she still recoiled. "I won't be teaching them anything, look, I get to hang out with Miguel more and I get to come back with a trophy once the tournament comes up."

"Tournament," he whispered, he wasn't even looking at her; instead staring off into the distance, like he had come up with the greatest idea in the world. "No." His one-word answer sounded as brutal as usual.

Of course, the asshole said no, Jieun thought. She groaned but not before Ben shut her up.

"How do you feel about bringing Scorpion's Eye Dojo back from the dead?"

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄

a small filler, have a big fight next ch planned heheheh

i don't really wanna do the whole sam house fight at the end of s3 so idk if the next ch will be the end of this act or not, i just cant wait for s4 T^T

also yujin and robby will def be besties

much love,