chapter twenty-four:
❛ lustful kisses ❜

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CLEMENTINE STOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DOJO, her heart racing as she faced Sensei Lawrence. The wooden floor beneath her feet was cool, and the air was thick with the scent of incense. The dojo was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the floorboards and the rustle of their uniforms.

"Focus, Clementine," Sensei Lawrence said, his voice calm and steady. His eyes were sharp, observing every detail of her stance. "Remember your breathing."

Clementine nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She dropped into a fighting stance, her feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. She raised her fists, her eyes locked on Sensei Lawrence.

"Good," he said. "Now, let's start with basic blocks."

Sensei Lawrence moved fluidly, demonstrating the motion. Clementine mirrored him, her movements a bit stiff but determined. They practiced the blocks in unison, the sound of their synchronized movements filling the dojo.

"Now, let's add some strikes," Sensei Lawrence instructed. He stepped forward, throwing a slow punch for Clementine to block. She deflected it with her forearm, then countered with a punch of her own.

"Good, Clementine. Keep your form tight," Sensei Lawrence encouraged, his movements quickening. Clementine matched his pace, her confidence growing with each successful block and strike.

They moved through a series of combinations, the intensity of the sparring increasing. Clementine's breaths came faster, but she maintained her focus, her eyes never leaving Sensei Lawrence. He was a whirlwind of motion, testing her reflexes and precision.

"Remember, it's not just about strength," Sensei Lawrence said, pausing to correct her stance. "It's about balance and control."

Clementine nodded, adjusting her position. They resumed sparring, and she felt a newfound fluidity in her movements. Each block, each strike, was more precise, more powerful.

Suddenly, Sensei Lawrence swept her legs, and she found herself on the floor, looking up at him. He offered his hand, and she took it, pulling herself up.

"Well done, Clementine," he said with a smile. "You're improving. Keep practicing, and you'll get even better."

Clementine smiled back, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Thank you, Sensei. I will."

As they bowed to each other, Clementine felt a surge of pride and determination. She was learning, growing stronger with each session. And with Sensei Lawrence's guidance, she knew she could achieve anything.

Clementine stood in the dojo, stretching her legs and absently scrolling through TikTok. The rhythmic motions of her stretching were interrupted by a video that caught her eye. It was a clip of Kenny, the kid she had once saved from Anthony and his friends. The video, which Alison had sent her, showed Kenny opening his locker only to be drenched in milk. Clementine's face hardened as she watched, her stomach twisting with unease. The incident confirmed her suspicion that Kenny might have been pushed toward Cobra Kai out of frustration. Her anger flared, and she decided she needed to speak with Robby to ensure Kenny was being monitored closely.

Clementine's grip tightened on her phone, her frustration palpable. She knew she would confront Anthony about this the next time she saw him. Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Miguel's voice. "What's got you so pissed off at your phone?"

Clementine snapped her phone off and slipped it into her pocket. "Just a video of a kid getting bullied," she replied curtly, exhaling sharply to calm herself. She then shifted the topic. "Sorry, I got distracted. How did the dinner go?"

Miguel sighed, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "It went well until I spilled a glass of wine. It was totally accidental."

Clementine raised her eyebrows, her expression softening. "That's not bad at all. If it was an accident, then you're fine." She shrugged nonchalantly.

Hawk, who was nearby, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, dude. You spilled a glass of wine. So what?"

Miguel's shoulders slumped, his worry evident. "I don't know... You should've heard Mr. LaRusso talking about Sam's future. I can't even afford a car, let alone college. What if he thinks I'm not good enough for her?"

Clementine frowned sympathetically and placed a comforting hand on Miguel's shoulder. "Don't think like that, Mig. You've got this."

Hawk chimed in, his voice filled with encouragement. "Dude, you're El Serpentine. You're an All Valley Champion. Just show Mr. LaRusso what you're made of. I know you're gonna crush whatever he throws at us today."

Clementine nodded in agreement, her expression reassuring. "Compared to what Sensei Lawrence usually throws at us during training, today should be a walk in the park."

"What's gonna be relaxing?" Sensei LaRusso's voice cut through their conversation. Everyone turned to see Daniel walking in, his expression curious.

"Uh, nothing. What have you got for us today?" Miguel asked quickly, trying to redirect the conversation.

"Come here," Sensei LaRusso said, gesturing for them to follow. He led them to the koi pond, stepping onto a large rock. "Now, I know you've all been taught to strike first," he began, pausing dramatically. "But what do you do when your opponent is faster than you?" he asked, looking out at the pond.

Mitch, who had been admiring the pond, interjected with a question. "Are those real koi?"

"They sure are. Today's lesson is simple: catch a fish. But since I know you Eagle Fangs enjoy a bit of competition, we're gonna make it interesting. The first to succeed will have the honor of leading the class all week," Daniel announced with a grin.

Clementine's eyes lit up with excitement. "And you get to pick out what flavor Gatorade I buy next," Daniel added.

Clementine gasped, her enthusiasm evident. "Hell yeah! I hope you all like Glacial Freeze!"

"Okay, where are the rods?" Miguel asked, looking around.

"Back in my garage. Your bare hands are all you'll use and all you'll need," Daniel replied with a knowing smile.

Clementine shrugged, unfazed. She had gone fishing with her grandparents before and had even caught fish with her bare hands. This should be straightforward. As Daniel called, "On your mark... Set... Go!" Clementine took off her denim jacket and rolled up her sleeves, revealing her old self-harm scars. She no longer felt the need to hide them.

She sat down on a large rock by the pond's edge and gingerly placed her hand into the water. She could feel the koi darting away from her touch, their slippery bodies evading her grasp. Suddenly, a loud splash interrupted her concentration. She looked over to see Miguel had slipped and fallen into the pond, water splashing everywhere. Laughter erupted from the group, and Clementine couldn't help but chuckle along with them.

"Looks like you're a little wet behind the ears," Daniel teased, a playful smirk on his face.

Clementine quickly extended her hand to Miguel, helping him out of the water. He grabbed her hand, and she pulled him to his feet. Miguel walked off with a resigned sigh, dripping wet. Clementine watched him go, shaking her head with a grin.

After practice, Clementine drove over to the Cobra Kai dojo, her mind focused on the issue she wanted to discuss with Robby. She pulled into the parking lot and saw Robby exiting the dojo, carrying a backpack. Without hesitation, Clementine jumped out of her car and called out to him.

"Robby!" she said, her voice firm but friendly.

Robby turned to face her, his expression shifting to a wary glare. "What do you want, Clementine?" he snapped, clearly not in the mood for a conversation. He tried to walk past her, but she stepped directly in front of him.

"I want to talk to you about this Kenny kid," she said, trying to sound as non-confrontational as possible.

"Kenny?" Robby asked, his curiosity piqued. He tilted his head, puzzled. "How do you know Kenny?"

Clementine took a deep breath. "I was taking a walk the other night and saw him getting bullied. I saved him from it," she explained, hoping this would make Robby understand her concern.

Robby's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You're the girl he said saved him," he muttered, a hint of admiration slipping through his irritation. He seemed to consider the situation for a moment, then tried to maneuver around her, clutching the backpack tightly.

Clementine stepped in his way again. "Is that Kenny's backpack?" she asked, glancing at the bag he was holding.

"Yes, it is. Please get out of my way, Clementine. I need to get this to him," Robby said, his tone dripping with frustration.

A mischievous grin spread across Clementine's face. "I'll give you a ride to his house!" she said brightly, reaching out and taking the backpack from him before he could protest.

Robby huffed in exasperation but reluctantly followed her to her car. Clementine placed the backpack on the passenger seat, then slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. Robby got in, shooting her a suspicious glare.

"I can't believe I'm letting you give me a ride," Robby grumbled, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

Clementine shot him a playful, snarky smile. "You can't resist me, babe," she joked, her tone light.

Robby's face flushed slightly, a mix of embarrassment and surprise. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, trying to hide his blush as he adjusted his seatbelt. Clementine chuckled softly to herself and drove off, heading towards Kenny's house, her mood lifted by the banter and the opportunity to address her concerns about Kenny.

Robby directed Clementine to Kenny's house, and once they arrived, she parked outside. Robby immediately got out of the car, and Clementine followed him up the front steps. Robby turned to her with a frustrated look.

"What are you doing?" he asked, clearly annoyed.

Clementine nudged him playfully. "Helping you talk to him," she said confidently.

Before Robby could protest further, Clementine rang the doorbell. The door opened almost instantly, revealing Kenny, who looked surprised to see both of them. Robby held up the backpack and said, "Got your backpack."

Kenny's eyes widened slightly. "Clementine?" he asked, recognizing her.

Clementine gave him a friendly wave with a smile. "Hi, Kenny."

Kenny's gaze shifted to Robby. "How'd you know where I lived?" he asked, puzzled.

Robby pointed to a strap on the backpack that had contact information written on it. "It was on this. Thought I'd return it personally."

Kenny's frown deepened, but he took the backpack and muttered, "Thanks." He dropped it on the ground inside the house, looking visibly downcast. Robby shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to stay composed.

"I saw the video, Kenny. I'm really sorry about what happened," Clementine said, her tone sincere.

Kenny shrugged. "It's not like I can do anything to stop it."

Robby, trying to lighten the mood, asked, "So, how's Shawn? Is he still getting out this summer?"

Kenny's head hung low. "They gave him an extra month because he spit in a guard's face," he explained.

Robby chuckled softly. "Okay. Yeah, sounds like him. Hope it was the guard in the computer lab," he joked.

Clementine noticed Kenny's somber expression. "What's wrong, Kenny?" she asked gently.

"It's my fault," Kenny said, his voice barely above a whisper. Clementine and Robby exchanged concerned looks.

"What do you mean?" Robby asked.

Kenny took a deep breath. "Shawn had some bad friends at school. I caught one of them stealing from my parents. Shawn got in between us and beat him pretty bad. He was just defending me. With him gone, I've got no one. That's why I was hoping you—" Kenny's voice trailed off, unable to finish his thought.

Before Kenny could finish, Clementine interjected, "Robby! He can use some help. I can too. We can teach you."

Robby shot Clementine a stern glare, then rolled his eyes. "Look, Kenny, I can't be your tutor. Neither can Clementine. We're both focused on the All Valley."

Clementine smacked Robby's arm and gave him a disapproving look. Kenny's phone buzzed, and he checked it with a troubled expression. When Robby saw his reaction, he asked, "What's up?"

Kenny shook his head. "It's nothing," he muttered, but his discomfort was evident.

Without hesitation, Clementine snatched the phone from Kenny's hands and handed it to Robby. "Look at this. He's getting bullied," she said urgently, showing him the video of Kenny's locker being filled with milk.

Robby's face tightened as he watched the video. He turned the phone off and looked at Clementine, who gave him a pleading look. After a moment of hesitation, Robby sighed in defeat and handed the phone back to Kenny.

"Alright," Robby said begrudgingly. "We can show you a few moves. But that's all we can do right now."

Clementine's face lit up with a grin. "Great! We'll make sure you learn how to defend yourself."

Kenny looked relieved, and a small smile appeared on his face. "Thanks," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.

Clementine and Robby exchanged a look of mutual understanding, both determined to help Kenny despite their own busy schedules.

Clementine leaned against the tree, observing Robby as he worked with Kenny in Kenny's backyard. The sun cast long shadows on the grass, and she watched as Robby demonstrated some basic moves.

"Ais! Ais!" Robby shouted, his voice firm and commanding. Kenny, however, whimpered and instinctively ran away from Robby's aggressive display. Clementine furrowed her brow in confusion and pushed herself up from the grass, her curiosity piqued.

"Let's run it again," Robby said, his tone softer but still authoritative. "I'm not going to make contact this time."

Clementine stepped in, holding her hand out to halt Robby. She turned to Kenny, who was clearly anxious. "You can't keep running, Kenny. No more running, okay? If you want to defend yourself, you have to stand your ground."

Kenny nodded, his frown deepening as he tried to absorb her words. Robby sighed and instructed, "Bow." Both he and Kenny bowed to each other, signaling the start of their next attempt.

"Fighting stance," Robby directed, and they both assumed their stances. Kenny's stance, however, was shaky and not quite right. Clementine moved in to assist, adjusting Kenny's elbows and positioning.

"Elbows in," she said, guiding him with gentle hands. "Remember, always look your opponent in the eye."

Kenny made eye contact with Robby, his stance improving under Clementine's guidance. She smiled, seeing the positive change.

"Ready? Fight!" Clementine called out, stepping back to give them space.

Robby moved forward with purpose, but Kenny, still intimidated, took a step back in fear. Clementine sighed, recognizing the pattern. Robby's kicks and punches were causing Kenny to retreat further, eventually backing into the fence.

Seeing Kenny's distress, Clementine quickly stepped in between them. "Okay, okay. We need to take another approach," she said, trying to defuse the situation.

Robby rolled his eyes, clearly frustrated, and looked over Clementine's shoulder at Kenny. "You know, I'm not even sure I buy you're Shawn's brother," he said bitterly.

Clementine shot Robby a disapproving look. "Give him a chance," she said softly, turning her attention back to Kenny. "Well, Shawn was always big and strong, okay? All I can do is run."

Clementine frowned, her empathy for Kenny evident. "You can be big and strong too, Kenny. You can stop running."

Robby nodded in agreement. "Use that. Instead of using your speed to run away from your enemies, use it to run at them."

Kenny's face showed that he was taking the advice to heart. He stood a little taller and looked more determined. Clementine took a step back, giving him space to try again.

"Come on, let's try it again," Robby encouraged, walking back into position. "Ready? Bow."

Clementine watched as Robby and Kenny bowed to each other, the air thick with anticipation. She hoped that this time, with a new approach and the right guidance, Kenny would start to find his confidence and strength.

Clementine and Robby walked out of Kenny's house, both feeling the weight of their conversation. Clementine waved goodbye to Kenny as she approached her car, with Robby following close behind. They both climbed into their vehicles, and Robby quickly started the engine, following Clementine's lead as they drove away.

Once they were on the road, Robby glanced at Clementine, his expression softening. "Thank you," he said earnestly, his voice carrying a mixture of gratitude and regret.

Clementine, taken aback by the sudden shift in conversation, looked at him with a hint of confusion. "For what?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.

Robby took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words. "For reminding me that I still like you for who you are. I'm sorry I pushed you away," he said, his voice tinged with sincerity.

Clementine's lips curled into a soft laugh. "Robby, I pushed you away first. I was in a dark place, and you tried to check on me in the hospital," she reminded him gently, her tone carrying a mixture of sadness and understanding.

Robby nodded, acknowledging her words. "Yeah, I guess. But when I saw you at Cobra Kai... I saw your face, and I felt bad."

Clementine shrugged, her gaze steady. "I can't control you for your actions. Yes, it hurt, but I wish you'd talked to me."

Robby sighed deeply, his gaze fixed on her with a look of vulnerability. "I really like you, Clementine. I don't want to keep hating you."

Clementine met his gaze, her heart racing with emotions. "I really like you too, Robby, and I don't want to hate you either."

Robby's expression turned hopeful as he took a deep breath. "Would you be my girlfriend again?"

The directness of his question caught Clementine off guard, and her eyes widened in surprise. Before she could fully process his request, Robby leaned in, closing the distance between them. His lips met hers in a tender, exploratory kiss. The contact was electric, and Clementine's eyes fluttered shut as she responded, her hand moving shakily to his shoulders and then sliding up to the nape of his neck.

The kiss deepened, and the world around them seemed to disappear. Every ounce of hesitation melted away as Robby's lips, surprisingly soft, pressed against hers. The sensation was intoxicating, leaving Robby feeling as if he had finally found what he had been missing.

After a few moments, Robby reluctantly pulled away, giving Clementine some space to breathe. However, before he could fully retreat, Clementine, driven by a surge of emotion, pulled him back. Their lips met again with renewed passion, their bodies pressed close together. The intensity of the kiss left Clementine feeling as though her entire being was on fire.

Suddenly, Clementine pulled away, a troubling thought crossing her mind. "Wait... you're in Cobra Kai. I'm in Eagle Fang. We can't be seen together."

Robby paused, considering her words. After a moment, a smirk appeared on his face. "We can date secretly. No one needs to know. Maybe just Kenny, but no one else."

Clementine's eyes widened at the prospect. "I can't even tell Alison?"

Robby shook his head, a playful glint in his eyes. Clementine sighed, her expression softening. "Okay, fine. Because I really miss you," she admitted, her voice filled with both resignation and affection.

Robby's smile broadened, and he leaned in to kiss her once more. This time, the kiss was filled with a deeper sense of connection and longing. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as their lips melded together. The warmth and intimacy of the moment made everything else seem irrelevant. The kiss was both an affirmation of their feelings and a defiant stand against the obstacles that lay between them.

At Miyagi-Do the next day, the students found themselves gathered around the koi pond again, the serene setting a stark contrast to their frustration. Clementine stood by the edge, bored out of her mind, and absentmindedly dipped her hand into the pond, swirling it around in an attempt to catch a fish.

"Damn it! How do they make it look so easy on Hillbilly Handfishin'?" Mitch exclaimed, his frustration evident. He tried again to grab a fish, but it darted away, causing him to groan in irritation.

"Agh! Shit! This is impossible!" Hawk added, his impatience mirroring Mitch's.

Clementine nodded in agreement, her attempts proving equally fruitless. "Yeah, this is way harder than it looks," she admitted, visibly annoyed.

"Patience. You'll figure it out," Daniel said, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the group's growing frustration as he watched from the sidelines.

Miguel, observing the situation, suddenly got an idea. His eyes lit up with a glimmer of inspiration. "I have an idea," he announced, drawing the attention of the others.

"What are you talking about?" Clementine asked, raising an eyebrow as she saw Miguel step into the pond.

"Come on. Get in," Miguel said, gesturing for everyone to follow suit. Clementine exchanged a puzzled look with her friends but ultimately slipped off her shoes and stepped into the cool water.

"Follow my lead. Walk in a circle," Miguel instructed, his voice steady and confident as he began to move in a circular pattern.

The group hesitated for a moment but soon followed Miguel's lead, wading around in the pond. Clementine noticed the fish reacting to their movement, swimming away from the center and towards the edges, particularly under the board that divided the pond.

"It's working! They're going under the board," Hawk observed, his excitement growing as he saw the fish's new behavior.

Encouraged by Miguel's strategy, Clementine focused on the area beneath the board. With careful coordination and patience, she managed to reach into the water and finally grab a fish. As she lifted it from the pond, the fish wiggled in her grasp.

"Oh my god!" Clementine exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief and excitement. The fish flailed slightly, causing a ripple in the pond.

"We have a winner!" Daniel announced with enthusiasm, clapping his hands in approval.

Clementine looked over at Miguel with a triumphant grin, clearly thrilled by their success. "Thanks for the idea, Miguel!" she called out, her mood lifted by the accomplishment.

Miguel returned her grin, pleased with their collective effort. The group, now energized and relieved, continued to enjoy their time at the pond, their frustrations momentarily forgotten as they celebrated their newfound technique for catching koi.

ASH SPEAKS!

sorry for along awaited update!! i've been updating matching scars for season six! which I think you guys should go check it out!!!!