An Eagle Dad and a Little Cobra... Moving in

 This one was co-written with Eliniita, she's such a great author!

Robby's 13 in this story ;)

Work Text:

"Mr. LaRusso, I left some garbage I don't want anymore for you to donate."

Daniel couldn't hold back and went straight to hug the boy. While he was beyond glad they'd been able to get him off Kreese, he still couldn't believe the kid's custody had been given to Johnny... His entire family wanted Robby there, he was devastated to know Johnny had brought him there just to pick up the few belongings he'd left in his room.

"I'll get it," the blond man frowned and went inside, followed by the other one after a moment. He didn't want anything of his son in another place that wasn't his apartment, and with a good reason. By then, he was beyond apprehensive regarding the kid and his whereabouts. He'd hardly even slept since the school incident… Trying to shake the entire incident from his head, Johnny entered the only open door with determination. He'd tried to seem firm enough for the kid to not argue with him since that afternoon that they'd left the courtroom together; however, he was beyond speechless when he spotted the stuffed dog he'd given Robby on top of the pile. He immediately snatched it, feeling like his heart and throat sank all the way to his gut. “...This isn’t garbage!”

Daniel was a bit surprised when the other man purposefully pressed the thing's paw, as if trying to prove his eyes wrong, and Johnny's voice, the one he actually remembered from high school, started playing 'Hey Robby, how are you, little champ? You're my everything, baby boy. Daddy loves you with all his heart'...
The blonde man could not believe his ears, that HAD to be some sort of nightmare... He'd gotten that thing when Robby was like two and his friends had gone with him to buy it. That was just one of the several messages he'd recorded and Robby would NEVER throw it away.

“...Wow, he got rid of that?"

"No, he didn't," Johnny grabbed it tighter and stormed outside, starting the car where the teenager was already waiting.

Despite the firm intention of looking at everything but his father, Robby couldn't help spotting the stupid toy.

“What are you doing with that?” were the first words he spat to the man in the entire day.

"...This is not garbage."

"I don't need another old liar dog."

“Robby... look, I know I haven’t always been there for you…”

"Understatement of the year. You were too busy with your replacement son crying over the mess I made."

Johnny swallowed the lump on his throat, because he KNEW Robby had tried to stop the fight, and Miguel had attacked him.

“...I know you didn’t mean for him to get hurt. I know you didn’t start that mess... and every day of my life, I’m going to regret how I handled that...”

"Good. At least you'll think about me somehow. Fuck off and throw that away."

“I’m not throwing this away. I gave you this on our first outing together without your mom.”

"So what? That was before you got something better instead. Now you get to choose."

“... What are you talking about?”

"You chose to see Miguel in the only chance you got to see me, and don't call me 'son'."

Johnny took a deep breath and, despite his better judgement, spat out the words he had not wanted to pronounce until then. Somehow the mere thought turned the situation into something even more serious.

“...I thought he was dying, Robby. The doctors said he probably wouldn't make it, and I believed so... I would take a bullet for you without giving it a second thought. You know that.”

The kid actually let out a bitter laugh before getting out of the car.

"Right, Johnny," Robby practically snarled before slamming the car door closed. He threw his only backpack over his shoulder and couldn't help rolling his eyes at the woman standing in front of his dad's apartment. He recognized her from the tournament, but couldn't care less about who she was.

"Hey, hi! I'm Carmen! Robby, right?" She, on the other hand, looked a bit excited.

"Don't leave me speaking alone, Robert! We need to talk!"

"Fuck off," he walked right past the woman and entered the stupid small apartment, going straight into the living area couch, slamming the apartment door behind him.

“...How do you feel?” Carmen's face had changed to a disappointed expression, but she still tried to be supportive. Johnny, however, actually sighed.

"...I don't think this is a good time." Miguel and him had argued that same morning before the court session. The boy had yelled that Robby was a lost cause anyways and Johnny had told him he should head home.

“You don’t want to talk?”

"Didn't Miguel tell you about this morning?"

“...Did something happen with Miggy?”

"...Yeah, he practically lost it and said he didn't get why I wanted Robby if he was a 'lost cause'. My son's thirteen, and not for a chance the only one disoriented teenager in town." And definitely not a lost cause.

“I don’t know why Miguel said that. Obviously right now you have to focus on your son.” She encouraged instantly.

"Right? This is a golden opportunity, I'm obviously taking it, and that doesn't mean I don't care about you guys, but if I have the chance to be with Robby without having to beg Shannon or LaRusso, I'm taking it."

“I understand, Johnny. We're here to support you.”

"I... I'm sorry about what happened, but everyone was fighting. I understand it's hard for Miguel, but..." But the boy wasn't completely innocent either.

“...Excuse me?” At that, she frowned.

"Everyone was fighting, it wasn't Robby's fault and I can't give up on him because of that. He IS a good kid and doesn't deserve any of this shit," he grabbed the folder he'd used in court with the juvie shrink's reports to put it in Carmen's hands. Damn Shannon and her stupid child beater boyfriends… "He deserves better, and I'm not denying him that because of a mistake," an accident, to be honest.

“Of course, Johnny! No one is asking you to turn him out.”

"Then I don't freaking understand what's Miguel's problem with him. A girl? Please, that young lady changes her boyfriend rather than her clothes." He took a quick look inside just to check if Robby was not there.

“...I think Miggy might just be afraid of losing you…”

"That's not happening, but insulting Robby won't make the situation easier…"

“I’ll speak with Miguel.”

He sighed as she over read the shrink's report. "Aisha Robinson 's father recommended me a therapist, we are going tomorrow and I'll see what she says."

“That’s wonderful, Johnny... this... clearly Robby needs love and support…”

"...You know what I said at the food kitchen."

“... I still don’t know why you did it…”

"...Because I was hungover and most likely still a bit high. I actually needed to speak with him right now," he was still holding Robby's stuffed toy.

“Of course, go ahead... I’m here if you need me.”

"...I'll see you tomorrow before you leave for work," he usually tried to be out on time to wish her a good day.

“Sounds good.” She hugged and kissed him, but Johnny almost pushed her away and entered the house when he heard his room's door slamming shut.

Johnny groaned and stormed over. He had all the intentions to leave the room to his kid, obviously, but he didn't want him locked up quite yet.

"Robby, open the door!" They still had stuff to sort out.

“Leave me alone, Dad!”

"Open the door!" He actually managed to kick it open, pretty sure of himself until he heard...

"Ow! You hit me!"

"Damn it... Robby, are you alright? Let me see," Johnny didn't wait for permission before entering the room and grabbing the boy's head... There was a small but bloody cut on his forehead.

“You always hurt me!” The kid tried to push him away. "First the damn locker on the dojo and now your fucking door!" It was becoming a pattern.

"It was an accident, come on," he grabbed his son's arm and started dragging him to the kitchen.

“Don’t touch me! I can take care of myself!”

"No, you cannot." He actually pressed a frozen trail of meat over the cut.

“Ew, seriously?”

"I'm so sorry... Didn't mean to hurt you," he was still holding the trail and trying to clean the blood with a paper towel.

“What did you think would happen, genius?”

"Didn't know you were behind the door. Does it hurt? Let's go to ER." He wasn't bleeding that much anymore, but… "Sit here," he started dialing Carmen.

“...” Robby rolled his eyes but sat. “What are you doing?”

"Hey... Could you come over really fast? My kid is injured…"

“...Yes, I’ll be right there.”

"Does it hurt?" He sat beside Robby, at least enjoying the opportunity. "Carmen's coming to check you…" That or ER.

“What? Who?”

"My neighbor. Don't move." The door was knocked a moment later. "Come in!"

Carmen went in and immediately went to the kid . “Hey honey, how do you feel?”

"My dad just hit me with a door, what do you think?"

"It was an accident... Is he alright?"

She was checking the kid as best he could. “I can’t tell if his eyes are dilated or not… Robby, are you feeling light headed, dizzy or nauseous? He might have a concussion, Johnny.”

"Let's go to the hospital. Are you going with us?" However, he didn't wait for a response, he was already making Robby stand up to force him into the car.

"Stop it, I'm fine," the boy actually pulled his arm free.

“I need to make sure, son.”

"Fuck off, don't call me 'son'!"

“... Robert, enough.”

"Don't fucking call me 'Robert' either, you have no right. And you don't touch me!" Carmen.

“... Robby, would you prefer I not go ?”

"I'm not even going myself…"

“Robert, you are.” Johnny grabbed his arm.

Taking Carmen aback, the kid kicked Johnny's groin and ran off. She could just not believe it, because it was something Miguel would have never done to an adult. The man tried to recover as fast as possible and ran after him, but wasn't fast enough.

"Johnny, what was that?!" She practically barked as he made it back alone.

"I'm going to look for him. Are you coming?"

Carmen actually nodded and got in the car to start a five hours drive, that was until Johnny's phone rang.

"Sensei Lawrence?"

"Demetri? What's up, kid?"

"...I need you to come pick us up."

"... What the hell do you mean? Where are you?" He could hear LaRusso's student sighing.

"Robby arrived at my place earlier... I felt really bad about how sad he looked... So I thought 'why not throw him a welcome party?'... But things got a bit out of control. We went downtown as after party and found another party... Turns out Robby knows some dealers and he took I don't know what. He's so high and..."

"Damn it, kid!"

………………..

And yes. Robby was beyond high and wasted by the time they made it there. Johnny had thrown people over his shoulder, rarely carried them on it before that.

"Can you hurry?!" Once in the car, Johnny held his boy closer and tighter against his chest. If the kid were awake, he'd probably be mortified at how Johnny had him sitting on his lap as if he were a smaller child, but right then the man couldn't bring himself to give a shit. "What effects does this damn molly thing has?!"
Robby groaned mentally. Calm was the best effect so far.

"Damn... I don't know, that's kind of new. Can you google it?" That was his dad's stupid girlfriend...

"I don't know how the hell are you supposed to do that!"
Now the kid groaned out loud and even moved the slightest.

"I can teach you, hold on," he tried to move away to grab the man's phone, but his father crushed him against him immediately.

"Fuck, Robby! Are you alright? What the hell were you thinking?!" Robby was about to snap at him when he felt actual DROPS falling on his face... But it couldn't be, his dad was too much of a macho to even think about... Well, crying.

"Ugh... I..." He was barely thinking of an excuse when all the meals from the week came up his throat, out of his mouth and over his and his father's shirts.

………………..

"Johnny, please calm down, they know what they're doing." Carmen had taken them to the hospital she worked at.

“Carmen, I Just don’t know why he’d do this to himself!”

"Didn't you say he's done drugs before?"

“Yes, but not like this... I don’t think…”

"More like you don't know." Blunt.

“... no, but... he’s a sensible kid… This shouldn’t be a problem! He shouldn’t be doing drugs!”

"Well, now that he has a dad, that's something that can be worked on."

"Carmen," the doctor in charge of ER approached them with the most serious look ever, "Your boyfriend definitely needs to do something, because this kid consumed enough drugs as to host a frat party." She glared openly at Johnny.

“Did he get his stomach pumped?” The nurse inquired.

"Yes. This kid's not new in drugs. I should inform child protection services."

"What?! Don't! He ran away, obviously I didn't give him all that shit!" Johnny cut in immediately. Despite sounding mad and defensive, he couldn't help feeling extremely anxious. He suddenly felt like throwing up.

“... you need to keep a better eye on him.”

"I swear I will! I'll keep him on such a short leash he'll wish he never had stepped out of the apartment!"

“... are you receiving therapy or any services?”

"We're starting tomorrow... He just arrived home today... What does he need? I'll pay for it."

"...Sir, we'll call the social worker so you both can trace a plan." The man was obviously clueless. He'd been with the child one day and there they were.

………………..

When Robby opened his eyes, after an instant of struggling that felt like hours, he was welcomed by some kind of pressure around his body and a white roof. None extravagant color or molde, just way more white than normal. It also smelled different from cigarettes, like his mom's place, than beer, like his dad's, than sweat, like Kreese's dojo...

"Well, well, well, look who decided to wake up," Johnny spoke, moving a bit from the tight hold he'd had Robby trapped into the whole night in the hospital bed. "What the fuck were you thinking, Robert?! You spent the night in the hospital, fuck!" Johnny had spent the night speaking with the social worker and with their new therapist, he had to admit the lady had been extremely nice by going to the hospital when she'd been called for an 'extremely urgent' issue.
Both him and Carmen had had almost no sleep after a really long talk with her.

“... Oh.” The kid rubbed his eyes. He DID feel like shit.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Johnny actually lowered his voice and crushed him against his chest.

"Drugs? Those fucking things fry your brain, I google searched it!"

"...You don't use that as a verb, old man... Just go away…"

“No way, I’m staying with you.” Forever.

"Fuck off, Johnny." Robby sat up and had the gal of trying to push him away.

Against the odds, Johnny didn't give it so much thought and actually grabbed the kid wrapping his arms around his chest and forcing Robby's against his sides. He had to use an impressive amount of strength, but stayed like that until Robby stopped thrashing around so much. Then, when the tiredness started taking over the boy, he dared resting his head on his kid's short hair.

"I am so sorry... I will never be able to apologize enough... I was only granted one visit and I should have been there." Johnny knew they both were aware of what he was talking about... How he regretted it. "There are no excuses, I disappeared, was a mess and not thinking clearly... Spent most of the time high, drunk or hungover instead of being a decent parent... Can't even remember half of a day and the time I remember I felt like shit..." Johnny grabbed the boy a bit harder and closer at the minimum signal he wanted to move away. If it were up to him, he'd never let go..."Most of all, I should have NEVER said Miguel's fall was your fault, it was me being a fucking hungover old man... Those kids got out of control and started that fight, but instead of manning up I acted like a fucking pussy and lashed out when you called me out for being a shitty dad..." Johnny cursed on the inside as his voice broke a bit more every second. "It was not your fault, kiddo, you had tried to stop it... I'm sorry I hurt you like that..."
Robby HAD to freeze and stop struggling when he felt his dad shake a bit when letting out a sob like sound before kissing his hair.

"Robby, you're such a GOOD kid, and so worthy and important... Please give me a chance to make it up for what I said... For not having showed up... For not having brought you with me sooner..." Now Robby was turned around and had a bit of trouble breathing as he was crushed against and into his father's chest. "I might have Miguel, yes, but that doesn't mean I don't love you..." Robby was glad his dad was not looking at his shocked expression as he heard the man trying to suppress another sob. "Kid, you're my baby... The first good important thing in my life and I will never forgive myself for having hurt you... But please, and I don't care, I'm begging you, let me help you and be there for you." He'd been so scared the night before when he couldn't find the boy…
The kid was in complete shock, not knowing if he should believe the man, but finally spoke up.

“...I can’t breathe.”

"True, I want you alive..." Johnny let go a bit, but held him close against him. "Bobby and Jimmy said they would come in later to see you for a bit, by the way…"

“Really, when?” He got the tiniest bit excited. He'd known them since forever, and was still a bit affected by Tommy's death.

The sudden opening of the door gave Johnny the opportunity to get his mind in order… he had never believed in therapy and that shit, but it's not like he knew what else to do… He used the time Bobby and Jimmy spent with his son to gather some courage to deal with everything that was coming.

"...Robby, did you…" He finally spoke later that day after his friends had actually convinced Robby to get in the car with him. "Well, you did recognize Carmen, right?"

“... what do you mean? The neighbor?”

"Yes. We are dating, it's been some months now."

“...okay?” He didn’t want to know.

"We have considered moving together... But obviously that is not the priority right now. I am not bringing people you don't know into the house."

“ I’m not staying long so don’t worry about me.”

"I'd say a minimum of ten years is long. Look, Carmen is... She's Miguel's mom?"

“…” The kid frowned. “Are you serious?!”

"...That's why I'm telling you."

“So you can play dad to stupid Miguel?!”

"No, because I'm dating her. What are you talking about? I'm YOUR dad."

“But you always put Miguel, and pretty much everything and everyone else, over me.”

"...Robby, no... Missing the visit was a mistake, but it was that time. I love you…"

"Right, whatever, Johnny… Hey man, you missed your turn," didn't he know how to drive or what?

"We're not going to my place, we're going to the therapist's office."

"You have a therapist?"

"Yes. Well, kind of. It's also yours, more like ours… Aisha's dad recommended her, and the social worker said they knew each other and she's pretty good… Look, I'm attending some classes for parents that are just getting his kids or are getting them back, and you and the other children will be there. Right after we have an hour with the therapist."

"I am perfectly fine"

"Risking yourself the entire time is not being perfectly fine. First drugs, then you stay with a psycho veteran karate fanatic, and then drugs again… Any of those things could have hurt you terribly, I almost had a freaking heart attack when I saw you there!"

"I don’t see why... You were the only one that hurt me that night."