TOOTH FAIRY.

ind.   tory nichols.

[bitchstrike]

I LIKE A CHALLENGE .

# BITCHSTRIKE. an independent character study of tory nichols from netflix's cobra kai. written by ray. low - activity, iconless. spoilers untagged.

i'm just here to write with my friends. affiliated with fightonly .

[bitchstrike]

' when it ends, it’ll hurt. ' @senseiron acts like he's so tough. so smart. BUT SHE'S THE CHAMPION HERE, not his darling little captain, now with a broken smile. ' should'a told zara that. ' and there it is, that childish pride : a sugar - sweet smile, what a toothy grin. her knuckles have long since scarred, but even hard - pressed now, she can't remember what that pain felt like then. only the swell of pride in her chest — TORY TAKES 'EM DOWN ! reads the sign at the front of the crowd — that's all she feels now. should've told axel that, but that's not her victory to rub in. there's one match remaining, and everything is resting on that ... but she's high off back - to - back wins, and she thinks, however delusionally it might be, that they've got that in the bag. ' do we need to call a doctor for you? have 'em on stand - by? haven't you heard, sensei wolf? ' eli's mockery rings in her ears, though, FENG XIAO , XIAO FENG , LITTLE SCHNAUZER ... ' PAIN DOESN'T EXIST IN OUR DOJO. '

[fightonly]

this is on my carrd (which i PROMISE will be up soon), but i just wanna throw it out there that robby identifies as gay (sam exception) in like. 99% of verses + i don’t acknowledge robby and tory’s romantic relationship. that’s his best friend tho!

[bitchstrike]

i've been friendzoned .

[senstrike]

‘it’s the new york times, nichols. been around since before you were born.’ not this, maybe, but as he keeps telling johnny, he’s with the times. and he can see her on his periphery, trying to scope out his work. he angles the screen away from (as if it’s not so zoomed in as to be obvious at first glance what he’s tried). ‘i don’t need an easier level.’ a deep sense of chagrin starts in his stare and works its way down into a frown. back to the screen, concentrating with a renewed intensity, he elbows her away — with a gentleness that comes surprisingly naturally (as if he’d had a daughter) — and mutters, ‘i’m weighing my options.’

[bitchstrike]

IT'S THE NEW YORK TIMES, NICHOLS. she takes advantage of his distraction with his phone to mock him, mouthing it back. ( she's earned a level of childishness, a moment where she's allowed to tease him as a child, rather than a soldier. ) ' the newspaper, yeah, but who reads the newspaper anymore? ' besides him and mr. l ... maybe it's an old man thing. a little scoff escapes her lips, as he bats her away gently. like a cat, that only spurs her on more, but she'll give it a minute before she tries her luck again. ' i'm surprised SNAKE isn't your starting word. COBRA? FIGHT? ' each guess, a verbal poke in the stomach. am i getting to you yet? how 'bout now?

[bitchstrike]

' what i wanna know is who put that on your phone? ' sunglasses pulled down so tory can peer up at @senstrike over the top rim, she cocks her head in confusion. a glance at her phone, where her screen reads : 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩, before looking back at him. she tries to peek at his phone, leaning forward, onto her toes to see where he's at. ' try an e. that should help. taking it off hard mode might make it easier for you, too. ' a smirk, and tory pushes her shades right back up. ' no shame in needing an easier level. '

[bitchstrike]

CHAMPION sounds good on her. looks good on her, too, if kath and robby have anything to say about it. she won't lie, it'll feel great to trade in the black gi, for something new. the days of queen cobra are over ... now it's time for the next chapter.

' there are no sides anymore. ' it's not spoken to her, @defenseonly has his hands full with someone else. wambs? the tall one, still clearly debating whether to wear the "enemy"'s uniform. ( or whatever. ) it makes tory laugh nonetheless. maybe it's the surge of pride from her victory. maybe it's the residual comfort ... robby had been the one to tell her she'd always have a family with the larussos, with miyagi - fang, with him. the others hadn't quite said the same with words, but they'd made their stance just as clear.

a smile plays upon painted lips and icy blues scan former sensei, up, down ... ' looking good, mr. l. ' there's a laugh in her voice, but she doesn't let it break through. it's teasing, not cruelty. ' i like the headband. it's a nice touch. ' is that sensei lawrence's? wait a minute. ' did you guys — you're usually supposed to be a little more subtle when you swap your clothes. '

[bitchstrike]

' i’m not sad. i’m pissed off, ' robby says, but tory knows him all too well : he's not pissed, he's sad. he's a shit liar, too. god only knows how he made it as far as he did with the other two idiots. his hands find hers, and it's easy to melt all over again. the comfort of a best friend is unmatched, and to know that she's the one who stabbed the knife in his heart — she deserves the guilt. she deserves worse, of course, for betraying her friends. everyone who stood up for her, stood with her.

tory moves to pull her hand away, refusing to look @fightonly in the eye, bathed in the blue hue of the aquarium. she's sure that somewhere, mr. l has to have some kind of metaphor for this. ugh. ' and i'm trying to look at the fish. ' it's a weak defense, a childish i'm not talking to you! that robby has done nothing to deserve. she can play the victim — you weren't there for me when i needed you. you weren't on my side, but she knows that's not true : he wasn't on her side because she wouldn't let him be.

' look, robby ... ' and a glance over his shoulder tells her all she needs to know : this conversation has been doomed from the beginning. this ... their friendship — doomed from the start ; at least, now, while they're here, in barcelona. they cannot exist. not untouched.

' i love you, ' she mumbles, squeezing his hand - he still has not let go - before finally, finally pulling away. her free hand, on his cheek, a gentle caress. sweet, loving. there is no place for that in this dojo, not right now. ' i can't — i'm not going to apologize, ' she says, voice soft no matter how firm she attempts to sound. i wasn't going to ask you to, robby begins to say, but tory steps on his words just as easily. ' after. after all this, okay? then we can talk. i promise. okay? but right now ... ' a glance again, blues meet blues, and there's a fire in the pit of her stomach. ' we can't, okay? you need to focus. '

[etetcetera]

laura || the father (2020)

[casanovawrites]

random sentence prompts  ━ from various tv shows, part 11

you’ve been such a pain in my ass.

you’re the most fascinating person i’ve ever known.

can you stop needing to be the hero here?

people don’t just disappear. 

we are saying goodbye. just not to each other. we’re saying goodbye to everything else, our old lives.

everything that kept us safe is gone.

i would rather prepare for the worst before the worst happens.

i am basically 100% headache right now.

you’re the only one who ever let me feel normal.

maybe i suck too. i just don’t know how yet.

i’m not choosing anyone. i’m choosing work over play.

doesn’t it feel like everyone wants us to be someone we’re not?

a sleepover? am i invited?

it has to be you. you’re all we’ve got.

you know me. we know each other.

it’s called keeping up with the times, asshole.

but fuck all of you, and i mean that.

people don’t usually follow my lead, if you know what i mean.

there’s nothing wrong with us.

i want your point of view on things.

you’re killing me. you get that, right? that’s what you’re asking me. to die for you.

i’ll follow your rules. that’s all you get.

i’d love to trade witty one-liners with you.

you’re the worst. you know that, right?

today is the first time in my life that feels like the right time.

there is a point to everything. there are answers.

god doesn’t just play games with people for fun.

the sun just keeps coming up every day, and you can’t cry forever. 

you have to have hope, don’t you? because who knows. maybe tomorrow.

you don’t get to decide what matters.

a lot of what’s happening is us being scared, and alone, and bored. so we do scary things to each other, we hurt each other. 

it’s like she wants to turn the whole world upside down.

who’s been there for you more than me?

bullshit. we’re not the same person.

you didn’t pick me. because you didn’t think i belonged.

if i had to pick anyone in the world when things got bad, i’d pick you.

this isn’t about us. this has nothing to do with us.

there is no us. because of everything.

i love you. i know i don’t always show it, but i do. i love you.

the universe does not care about your love life.

i’m not sad. i’m pissed off.

you say too many things you don’t mean.

i’ve thought a lot about dying. i’ve gotten used to that. but i don’t like to be afraid.

sometimes when i’m angry, i want to hurt people.

i’m worried that i’m not real.

all you can do is have an advantage, and this is mine. it’s all i have.

what i did is not the worst crime in the world.

given everything, can’t i get a tiny break?

why? what’s so special about me?

are we going to fight each other over food? that’s fucking crazy.

you can live wherever you want, just not with me.

we should get some food, before it’s all gone.

what if things don’t go back to the way they were?

don’t give me a fucking speech. you have no idea.

i guess i can learn to get along with a few more people.

what’s so hard about being honest with yourself?

it’s been ten days. i’m not the same person i was.

if there are things that need to be done, i want to do them.

there are no sides anymore.

you’re the best decision i’ve ever made.

we’re the same. you have to stick with your own.

i’m scared, and i have to take care of myself.

i live in your shadow, and now you suddenly want to disappear?

you know that you’re the love of my life? and whatever comes after this.

if this is it, this is where i want to be. i mean not here, but with you. you’re where i want to be.

i was a different person before we fell in love.

thank you. for loving me. 

right now, we could use all the love we can get. 

you get scared, and you get mean.

is this how you want to spend the time you have left? always looking over your shoulder?

you’re giving me a headache instead of having my back.

it’s just, sometimes i know what i want, i just don’t know how to say it.

the only feelings that anyone cares about are yours. 

people keep dying around me.

i feel really lucky to have you. you’re my rock.

the end is none of your business.

i like you exactly the way you are.

i’m so sick of feeling different from everyone else.

after “fuck you,” i don’t have much.

i think about you too much.

i don’t think about you.

i’m not scared. i’m just realistic.

it feels like i’ve been starting forever.

no one cares about the best player on the worst team.

i’m tired of losing. i just don’t know what to do.

that’s hopelessly romantic. and this isn’t hopeless.

i haven’t been happy all year. why start now?

i’m sorry i can’t turn off my feelings whenever you want.

seems like everything i do hurts your feelings.

i care about you. i just don’t know how to prove it.

i like who i am in your eyes. i like how you see me.

i’m not sure i like myself in a relationship.

i’m way easier to replace.

when it ends, it’ll hurt.

the right thing is just to be here with you.

death is not beautiful, it’s final.

i keep failing everyone, and i don’t know what to do.

i don’t feel sad. i feel numb.

i ask people if they’re all right too much.

you never needed me. you needed someone.

i made myself sick to make you feel better.

this whole time i thought it was dying, but it’s living what scares you

you’re afraid to commit, and i need constant validation. 

you don’t belong here. not after what you did.

there is no mystery here. nothing to avenge.

i made a wish, and it came true, and i couldn’t take it back.

he was a bad person and a worse father. the world is better off without him.

you never know when to stop, do you?

you do whatever it takes to survive. or you die.

you think i didn’t try everything to get back to my family?