#taughtranquility

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YOUR CALL HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO AN AUTOMATIC VOICE MESSAGE SYSTEM.

ETHAN WILSON, ROBBY KEENE, MIGUEL DIAZ, SAM LARUSSO, ELI MOSKOWITZ & TORY NICHOLS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

AT THE TONE, PLEASE RECORD YOU MESSAGE. WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED RECORDING, YOU MAY HANG UP, OR PRESS ONE FOR MORE OPTIONS.

he's trying to keep it light, he and miguel are good now, he shouldn't ruin it by bringing up old problems. they don't have any beef anymore, he agrees with miguel, but the conversation he had with tory is leaving him feeling like he finally has a chance to make something good out of his life. everyone else was going off to college and this was the last chance they had to land on top. they can't afford to screw it up. second place two years in a row at some local tournament isn't going to cut it and unless he wants to go back to running the illegal shit he used to with cruz and trey he needs this captain position.

no one can blame him this time for being taken back when Miguel comes marching up to him talking about stanford. he had a future even if it ended up not being at an ivy league, this was it for robby. he takes a small step forward. he doesn't want this to turn into another brawl but he doesn't appreciate having college constantly rubbed in his face by people who thought they were better than him.

"When everyone believes you, what's that like?"

@taughtranquility ♡

ㅤㅤ“And what would you know about what's good?”  comes the blunt kneejerk response, the teen’s brow sharply furrowing as he observes the students milling outside the dōjō on the opposing side of the street, a spark of yellow present in their garments indicating that they belonged elsewhere entirely. This shouldn't be a turf war as such, and yet that’s the impression some of these kids give with their posturing directly beneath the  ‘Red Leg’  banner, the blond’s jaw slowly clenching with an irate mien  (  ce ne sont que des enfants, putain  ).  A careful eye takes them in, noting how there were just a few on the taller side while the rest laughably looked like they'd be a shoe-in for a school nativity play, slight builds pre growth spurt with big eyes akin to rabbits in a spotlight facing an audience.

What ringtone my muse has set for yours: back in black - acdc

What my muse thinks of the way yours texts: it's fine, he thinks it's a little boring is all

How quickly my muse responds to your texts: pretty average for him. he's not running to answer but he's not going to wait to reply if his phone is in his hand

How often our muses text: pretty often in group chats but i don't think they text too often solo

How often our muses call: never. robby forgot what he set his ringtone as

Does my muse purposefully miss calls from yours: sometimes, he will text him asking why he called though

Last text sent from my muse to yours: I'm changing all of my dad's ringtones to I'm just ken from barbie. i need you to stall him.

Ethan shakes his head. His hands curl up into fists at his sides. "That’s just it, Miggy. I’m done caring. He’s a traitor of Miyagi-Do, like Nate said. If we hadn’t been friends prior to all of this, I don’t think I’d feel as half as angry as I do. He betrayed the trust I had in him, and ruined the friendship we had." He sighs softly, and his expression becomes more miserable as he continues speaking. "I should’ve never moved to the Valley in the first place. I wouldn’t be feeling like this. This was a mistake."

"Hey, no." Miguel interjects quickly. "Don’t think that. You’re only human. Burying your emotions like that isn’t healthy. And if it’s any consolation, I’m glad you moved here. I’m glad we met. You’re my best friend."

His words are filled with sincerity, and Ethan finally looks over at him. Miguel meets Ethan's eyes. "…That’s the thing about betrayal, Ethan. It never comes from the enemy." He murmurs, reaching over to take his hand in his own. Ethan's caught off guard to see that his expression is filled with sympathy. It’s like he knows something. Something he won’t - HE CAN’T, HE REFUSES TO! - admit aloud.

The next exhalation of breath feels like it's forced from his lungs. Ethan's completely stunned into silence. His best friend’s words play on an agonizing loop in his head.

BETRAYAL NEVER COMES FROM THE ENEMY.

Miguel sits down next to Ethan, looking at the taller boy in concern. Ethan has his earplugs in his ears, but his sunglasses are off for the moment. The case is sitting on the ground next to him. They're both sitting outside of Miguel's apartment, with their backs pressed against the wall next to the Diaz's apartment door. After causing two incidences, Ethan had abruptly abandoned Miyagi-Do practice early in a hurry. Miguel took it upon himself to go after his best friend, to make sure he was okay. It's something Ethan silently appreciates. He'd have done the same for Miguel, or Icarus, or Hawk.

"Hey, Eth."

Ethan doesn't mind the nickname; Miguel is one of the people who can use it whenever he wants. Emma, Talia, Hawk, Charlie & Sam are the others. His parents, too, obviously. Ethan even gave Robby permission to use the nickname, too. Ethan has no interest in being within a ten mile radius of his ex-best friend anymore.

"...Hey." Is what Ethan mumbles instead. His voice is weak.

"Are you okay?"

The brunet scoffs lightly, crossing his arms over his chest. Like a light switch, his look of guilt is replaced with frustration. "Christ." He grumbles in exasperation, dragging a hand down his face. "Everyone keeps asking me that. I’m okay. Really."

"You don’t have to do that, dude." Miguel begins quietly.

"Do what?" Ethan responds, keeping his tone flat, pretending like he doesn't know what Miguel is referring to. He's not stupid. Miguel knows he isn't. Still, though, the other boy sighs softly. This version of Ethan isn't the same one Miguel knows like the back of his hand. Understandably, he's concerned. Sometimes, he wishes his best friend didn't close himself off, like he's doing right now. Distance himself emotionally. It's something Miguel noticed he's been doing a lot, lately. It's some type of defense mechanism.

"Lie to me, so I don’t have to worry about you. You lashed out at Sensei LaRusso, dude. You hurt Icarus during sparring, too. Even though neither of those things are something you’d ever do if you weren’t hurting. I'm just... All of us are worried about you."

"I’ll apologize to both of them later." He laughs weakly, pushing a hand through his hair. The laugh sounds more like a sob. Miguel's heart breaks in his chest. He didn't realize how badly Ethan was hurting until this very second. He had a feeling that it was bad, but he didn't understand. It makes him angry. Angry at Robby, angry at Cobra Kai, & Kreese, & that new Sensei, Terry Silver. "I didn’t mean to hurt Icarus." Ethan whispers, his voice so small and so unlike him. It makes Miguel want to hug him. "I just seem to keep fucking up."

Ethan sighs heavily, looking away from Miguel. His shoulders tremble with a sob he forces back. Miguel flinches. "I hate myself for getting so attached to people so quickly. I fucking hate the karate war. It’s only making everything worse."

"Icarus will be fine." He responds gently, placing a hand on Ethan's shoulder. Ethan still doesn't look at Miguel. "He’s tough. Emma & Charlie already forgave you for accidentally hurting their husband, I just know it. I'm sure he did, too. And you’re hurting. It’s normal for someone to lash out like that when they’re hurting. ...Robby hurt you by joining Cobra Kai, didn't he?"

Ethan's next exhale dies somewhere in his chest, & he still refuses to make eye contact with Miguel, who doesn't look away from him. It looks like Ethan's been sucker-punched in the gut. He reaches up to fiddle absentmindedly with the earplugs in his ears. Miguel knows that that's a nervous habit. "...Yeah. I told him I was in his corner, and… and then he just spits in my face. Like that didn’t mean anything to him. Like… I don’t know. Like I... like I don’t mean anything to him." There are tears in Ethan’s eyes. He doesn’t blink them away. "…I fucking hate him."

Oh. ...Oh.

Miguel doesn't look away from Ethan, simply absorbing his words. As soon as he says he hates Robby, it seems like something clicks in his head - like a missing puzzle piece finally found its home. Ethan doesn't want to read his mind, fearing that the truth will crush him, so he doesn't. He gently bumps Ethan’s shoulder with his arm. The other boy doesn't look over at him, but he does blink rapidly, trying to make the tears go away by sheer force of will. It doesn't work. A few tears slip down Ethan's face. He makes no move to wipe them away.