TWENTY TWO
your lips, my lips, apocalypse
💋
❪ tw: injury, mentions of passing out, strong language, threats, blood, mentions of depression, and mentions of alcoholism ❫

COBRA KAI
(season 3, ep 10)
act two finale pt. 2

     THERE SCARLETT LAID, her head now in Hawk's lap. Dried blood on the palm of her hand and nose, one bruise on her neck, another under her eye. She was weak and unresponsive. No matter how many times they called her name she didn't even move. Hawk was so scared that he didn't even think to check if her heart was still beating. He placed two fingers on her neck, waiting for the feeling. She still had a pulse which made him sigh in relief.

     "Check her breathing too," Demetri mentioned as he, Miguel, Doni, and Mar surrounded them. "You just look to see if her chest is going up and down." Hawk listened to Demetri and his eyes shifted down. Her breathing may have been slower than usual but she was still breathing. "Thank god." Hawk exhaled. Thank god she wasn't dying in his arms. "Do we just sit here and wait? I didn't really pay much attention in health class." Doni looked over at Demetri. "Then how did you pass?" Miguel questioned. "I cheated, duh." Doni replied. "Stop." Mar groaned.

     Demetri just gave them a look before looking back at Hawk. "Well, calling her name didn't work. So you can shake her or throw water on her. But, if none of that works then we have to wait. When people pass out they usually wake up on their own." Demetri explained. "I already shook her a bunch of times." Hawk looked back down at her. "I'll get the water." Miguel offered before standing up.

     Doni looked over at Hawk who was just staring down at Scarlett. "Hey, she'll be fine." Doni reassured. This was the first time they talked since the fight at the party. Doni always knew how much they cared about each other and he wasn't even mad at him anymore, he probably would've acted the same way if he was in his situation. "I know. It's not just that." Hawk shook his head. "What's up?" "It just feels like deep down she hates me. For everything I did." Hawk explained.

     "No, she doesn't." Doni denied. "How do you know that?" Hawk questioned. "I don't mean to brag but I am one of her best friends. She doesn't hate you, okay. She didn't mean to say that. We didn't work because she missed you so much. And I understand that." Doni wasn't going to lie. He was a little hurt at first but even during that whole thing she still felt like his best friend. He was glad that they grew closer and he was able to help her but, they all just needed to be friends.

     "I'm really sorry." Hawk apologized. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean it. But I suggest you stop being a pussy and get her already. You've been whipped for like 6 months." Doni nudged him which made Hawk smile. "Are you sure you're okay with everything?" Hawk asked. "Yeah. Let's just be friends again, okay?"

     "Okay." Hawk nodded.

     "I'm pretty sure we broke the majority of Sam's glasses but—" Miguel came back from the kitchen with the glass in his hand but his sentence was cut off by Hawk. "Wait!" Hawk held a hand out, making Miguel stop his movements as he felt Scarlett move. "Is she moving or am I crazy?" Hawk looked up. "Scarlett?" Mar leaned over. "Give her space." Demetri gently pushed Hawk who was hovering over her.

Scarlett started to hear their voices and her eyes slowly opened before they squinted at the light. She tried to get up but Hawk quickly stopped her. "Not too quickly." She didn't even see him yet she was just focused on getting back up. She looked over at him in confusion. Scarlett and Hawk made eye contact for a second before she turned her head to look at everyone else. She wasn't shocked to see him because she remembered what she saw before she passed out. "God, you look horrible. Ay, Probecito." Scarlett said as she looked at Miguel, his face bloody. "I can say the same about you." Miguel chuckled. "Is that really the first thing you say?" Doni questioned.

"How does your head feel? Because if it feels like how it felt when you had a concussion we can take you to the hospital." Hawk began to ramble. "No need to twist your panties, I feel fine." She said in a slightly weak tone. "She says the weirdest things sometimes." Mar smiled.

"Can you stand up?" Demetri asked. Scarlett lifted herself up and Hawk stood up with her. She tried to keep her balance but she almost fell back down and they all rushed to catch her. "Let me help you walk." Hawk offered. Scarlett looked up at him, a little hesitant. She soon wrapped her arm around his shoulder and he guided her out of the house.

     ALL SCARLETT COULD FEEL WAS PAIN. Hawk tried to speed up because Chris had informed him that Tory ran after Sam and they were probably in the storage room in the backyard where Daniel kept his trophies and karate equipment. Doni and Mar had already left after she offered to take some people home since most of them were injured. "Hawk. Stop!" Scarlett groaned out in pain. Her side felt like it was burning and different parts of her body just felt sore.

     "Are you okay?" Hawk looked down at her. "No." Scarlett shook her head. "I can carry you or put you in the car or something." He spoke frantically. "Just give me a second." She said out of breath. "How bad does my face look?" Scarlett looked up at him. "It's a little bruised but you don't look bad. Not at all." They stared into each other's eyes for a second before she blinked and looked away.

     Scarlett moved her arm from around Hawk's shoulder and moved in front of him. "Woah, be careful." Hawk placed his hand on her arm. "Is this a trap?" Scarlett looked up at him. "What?" Hawk raised his eyebrows. "You switching sides." Scarlett explained. "No. I would never do that." He quickly shook his head. "Everything you guys said and everything I did just came back to me and I switched. You were right, Kreese was never on my side he was on his own side. You can trust me."

"Okay...Let's go." Scarlett nodded. "You sure you can walk?" Hawk questioned. "I can power through the pain." Scarlett placed her arm back where it was before and Hawk wrapped his arm gently around her waist, supporting her body.

     They eventually caught up to everyone else. "Guys, stop!" Miguel yelled as they ran into the room. "Tory, the fight's over." Hawk spoke up. Tory slowly turned her head and looked at them, her fists still up. "It's not over." Tory shook her head. "This will never be over, LaRusso you hear me?" She turned her head back over to Sam who still had the wooden weapon in her hands. "You know where to find me."

     Tory put her fists down and walked her over towards the group, her eyes on Miguel, Hawk, and Scarlett. "Traitors!" She stopped in front of them. "I can't believe you." Her gaze fixated on Scarlett. "And you better watch your back!" She stepped closer, staring into Hawk's eyes. "Touch him. See what happens to you after that." Scarlett's arm dropped from Hawk's shoulder as she stepped in front of him.

     "You don't scare me." Tory chuckled dryly. "You should be scared of me. Your entire team should be scared of me, and they will be soon." Scarlett warned. She always knew what she was capable of if she allowed herself to build up the strength to do it. She always had that strength but she never let it out and maybe now was the perfect time for that. Tory took one final look at her before walking off. They were both a little hurt since they were parting away from each other again. Losing each other again. But Tory was stubborn and there was no way Scarlett was ever leaving Johnny or Miguel. Tory was her enemy now, she couldn't change that.

     "He won't have to watch his back. He's got friends watching it for him." Demetri stepped in front of her as she walked towards the door. Tory and Hawk looked at each other again before she pushed past Demetri.

"Are you guys okay?" Sam asked as she dropped the Bō and walked towards Miguel. "Yeah." Miguel nodded. "What happened to her neck?" Sam's eyes shifted to the red bruise on Scarlett's neck. "Rory choked me." She explained. "What!?" Sam exclaimed. "Let me drive you guys home. Did you walk?" Sam asked and Miguel nodded in response. Scarlett began to walk out of the room before she felt Hawk's hand on her back. "It's okay, I don't need help." Scarlett looked back at him. "I don't believe you."

     "Her car isn't that far from here." Scarlett looked down at her surprisingly intact rings, though some had specks of blood on them. "I'll call you." Hawk informed which made the corners of Scarlett's lips lightly curve up. "Of course you will." She looked up at him before she followed Sam outside.

SAM HAD LEFT to take Miguel home and Scarlett was now laying on her couch while her sister took care of her. She held the ice pack on her eye, Friends playing on the living room TV, and Zara wrapped her hand that had been cut. "There. How's the eye feel?" Zara asked as she finished. "Very numb." Scarlett mumbled. "That girl is lucky I don't track her down and kill her myself." Zara groaned as she put the wrap on the table. "I wouldn't be mad if you did that." Scarlett smiled at her. "What possessed her to do that?" Zara questioned. "She's psycho. I'm pretty sure all of this started because of jealousy. Plus she never actually wins a fight she just thinks of the quickest way to murder you when she's losing it's pathetic."

The doorbell rang and Zara stood up and jogged over to open it. She recognized Hawk immediately. She was a little surprised to see him here after Scarlett told her about their fight. "Hi, Zara." Hawk greeted. "Hey..." She trailed off, surprised to see him. "Uh, Scarlett..." Zara looked over to the couch. Scarlett sat up and removed the ice pack from her eye looking at Hawk who was peeking his head in. She got off of the couch and walked behind Zara. "I'll leave you guys alone. I have to study anyway." Zara moved out of the way before she went upstairs to her room.

Scarlett walked out onto the patio, closing the door behind her. "Hey." Scarlett put her hands in the pockets of the hoodie she changed into. "Hey." Hawk gave her a small smile. They stood in silence for a little. "What happened to calling?" Scarlett spoke up. "I wanted to see you." Hawk replied causing Scarlett to nod. "How are you feeling? You scared the shit out of me." He questioned. "I'm fine. Until the pain killers wear off."

His eyes wandered to the white bandage on her hand. He didn't notice it before. "What happened to your hand?" He pointed. "I kind of smashed a glass over Kyler's head and cut myself a little." Scarlett explained which made him laugh. "Um...I just really wanted to apologize." Hawk let out a breath. "Go ahead." Scarlett's back leaned up against the door. "Well, first of all, I'm the biggest asshole ever."

     "I'm so sorry. I really fucked up what we had. I never listened to you when you were just looking out for me. You did nothing but care and I kind of took advantage of that. I felt like you were just always going to be there no matter what but what I did doesn't excuse that." He began. "You didn't fuck it up alone." Scarlett chipped in. "You don't have to apologize for anything."

"Well, I'm going to. I should've said that I hated you. I didn't mean it. I was upset and angry. I'm sorry." She atoned. "You don't have to apologize for that. I get why you left."

     "And I get why you did the things you did. I obviously don't support those decisions but you have a lot of hurt inside you. And mixing that pain with Kreese was the worst thing. I wanted nothing more but for you to come to your senses. I know that I hurt you too and I'm really sorry for that."

     "I deserved every bad thing that happened to me. I should've listened to everyone warning me but I trusted this guy that I knew for a few months over my best friends and Sensei Lawrence. I'm a shitty person I just hurt everyone that actually cared about me all because I wanted power. I just didn't want to be who I was before karate because I was so miserable. And I get if you don't want to forgive me but, this isn't a trick I want to do the right thing. I want to be better and I want you in my life again."

"I want you in my life again too. I miss you and not the you that breaks people's arms and starts fights at parties." Scarlett chuckled. "I'm trying to get rid of him. I promise." Hawk said holding out his pinky. Scarlett looked down at it reminiscing on what happened the last time they did this. "I won't cross my fingers this time I swear." Hawk held up his other hand. Scarlett gave in and wrapped her left pinky around his. Seconds later she moved her hand and engulfed him in a hug.

     They stayed there for a few seconds, enjoying the feeling of being close to each other. As Scarlett pulled away she looked up at him, into the blue eyes she loved to stare into. Butterflies swarmed in his stomach as they made eye contact and like usual he started to get nervous, it reminded him of the time they almost kissed, and even though he didn't want to he looked away. "Why do you do that?" Scarlett questioned. "Do what?" Hawk asked, still not making eye contact. "Look away every time I look at you."

     Hawk turned his head to her, looking into her eyes. Everything felt like it was on standstill. Hawk's eyes switched from her eyes to her lips multiple times, not noticing how many times he was doing it. Scarlett grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him towards her, crashing her lips on his within seconds.

Hawk's eyes went wide at the suddenness of it but he soon closed his eyes and kissed her back. Scarlett pulled away, her fingernails tickling his skin. "I'm sorry, are you okay with—" before she could finish her sentence she felt his hands grab her waist and her hands rested on his arms. He pulled her into him and leaned down, kissing her. It felt like they were both melting.

When he kissed her, she felt nothing but pure euphoria. Scarlett's knees weakened and Hawk could barely think about anything, fawning over how soft she felt as their lips moved in sync.

     Scarlett's fingers grazed against his neck which sent shivers through Hawk's body and made him slightly hum against her lips. Scarlett threw her arms over his shoulders and wrapped them around his neck. The kiss turned from slow to passionate within seconds as hawk deepened the kiss, both of their lips parting. Hawk's grip on her waist tightened as he pulled their bodies closer. They both held in all of these feelings for months and now, they could finally express them in the way they've always wanted to.

    Hawk's hands were now on her hips and Scarlett's back was up against the wall near the window. Scarlett quickly came to the realization that her sister could come outside to check on them or her mom could come home at any minute. She slowly pried her lips away from his. They were both out of breath and looked at each other. "As much as I like this...my mom could come home and it would be awkward if she sees me making out with you on her porch." Scarlett slightly bit down on her swollen bottom lip, her top lip covering her teeth. "Right." Hawk nodded

    "Do you wanna go inside or do you have to go home?" Scarlett's voice was mixed with nerves. "I can stay."

"Okay."

"SO, HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?" Hawk asked, sitting next to her on the bed. "Pretty good. As of lately." She replied. Scarlett felt obligated to tell him everything. The alcoholism, the depression. He was going to have to know sooner or later so, why not now? "Um...I kind of have to tell you something but it's kind of hard to say." She looked over at him. "You can tell me anything." Hawk reassured her.

     Hawk looked at her in confusion as she walked over to her desk. After her last AA meeting, she left the paper that she wrote her speech on her desk so it was visible to her. So she could look back on it. She picked it up, unfolding it, and handed it to Hawk. "What's this?" He looked up at her. "It's...just read it. And don't say anything until you're done." Scarlett ordered. "It's the easiest way to tell you without you know...talking."

His eyes almost immediately widened when he was the word alcoholic. "W-what!?" He looked back at her. "Keep reading." Scarlett pointed at the paper. Hawk just sighed and continued reading. "I'm 16 and I started drinking when I was 14 after I was sexually assaulted at a party." His face fell at the words before he continued to read. He stopped for a few seconds when he got to the part about their fight. He felt guilty now.

     Once he was done he folded the paper back up and looked at her. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked. "It's not something I'm proud of."

     Scarlett saw the sadness in his eyes and took back her place next to him on the bed. "You almost relapsed because of me..." He trailed off, looking at the wall. "It's not because of you." Scarlett placed her hand on his shoulder. "How?" He turned his head to her. "I've just lost a lot of people in my life and losing another was a breaking point for me." She explained. "Is the last part about me?"

     "Even though you didn't know you still helped a lot." She smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

     "I didn't write this but my therapist also diagnosed me with depression. Chronic." She mentioned. "Are you okay?" He asked making eye contact with her. "Yeah. I'm okay." Scarlett nodded. "Well, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here if you need me." Hawk placed his hand on her knee.

Seconds later Scarlett placed her fingers on his chin, forcing him to turn his head before she laid a lingering kiss on his lips.

SCARLETT WALKED into Miyagi-Do with the rest of the Eagle Fang students. She walked beside Hawk and everyone was already lined up, waiting for them. It's been about a week since the fight. Her bruises were starting to fade and now she had a scab forming on her hand. Scarlett smiled and went up next to Sam, giving her a tight hug. She looked back at Mar who was standing behind them and they smiled at each other. Scarlett let go of Sam and turned to Mar, holding her arms out. Mar smiled at her before they gave each other a quick hug.

She stayed in the spot next to Sam and Johnny walked in last. He stood next to Daniel, facing the rest of the class. They bowed and everyone followed their movements. Scarlett smiled again as they bowed to each other. She felt eyes on her and looked over to her right where Hawk and Demetri were standing and the corners of Hawk's lips curved up when they made eye contact. They weren't officially together as of right now, but they were getting there.

"You ready?" Daniel asked, raising his voice to get everyone's attention. "Let's begin!" Johnny yelled out.

a/n: i can't wait for the s4 chapters it's literally the best season rn and my favorite one. it's gonna be filled with a lot of crosswitz, some pretty intense scenes, and it's just a lot. so mentally prepare yourself. also im going to be referring to hawk as eli in act three except for certain dialogue where someone calls him hawk. and ik we love doni but, once again this IS a hawk fic the love triangle was for drama and doni has his own fic for a reason and while we're waiting for season 5 i will be updating that book along with my upcoming miguel fic for y'all