Chapter Text
The school cafeteria was buzzing with the usual lunchtime chaos as students hurried to grab seats, laughter and conversation blending into a steady hum. Miguel Diaz, Hawk, and Demetri claimed their usual table by the windows, the sunlight casting a warm glow over their trays of cafeteria food. Miguel’s tray held a burger and fries, while Hawk and Demetri stared down at their meals with varying degrees of skepticism.
"Seriously, how do they make food that looks this bad?" Demetri complained, poking at his grayish meatloaf with his fork. "It’s like they’re trying to make us lose our appetites."
Hawk grinned, shoving a handful of fries into his mouth. "Survival of the fittest, man. If you can’t handle cafeteria food, how are you gonna handle the real world?"
Demetri rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, his thoughts already elsewhere. "Forget the food, you know what’s really gonna suck? That father-son camping trip next weekend. They told me to get a signature from my dad to make sure he saw the flier. I need to find a way to head him off, man."
Miguel perked up at the mention of the trip, but kept his reaction in check. He didn’t want to seem too eager, especially not when Hawk and Demetri seemed less than thrilled about it.
"Don’t remind me. Last time we went to one of those things, my dad spent half the trip trying to convince everyone he could start a fire without matches. He ended up burning his eyebrows off and I couldn’t show my face in school for a week." Hawk groaned, slumping in his seat. “Maybe I’ll just get my mom to sign it - tell them dad is away on a business trip or something.”
"That’s nothing.” Demetri snickered. “My dad’s idea of 'bonding' is lecturing me on the history of every tree we pass. It’s like I’m stuck on some never-ending nature documentary."
Miguel chuckled along with them, but there was a hint of awkwardness in his laugh. This was the privilege of those who came from normal, nuclear families. They could bitch and moan about how embarrassing their fathers were without any appreciation for what it was like to grow up without one. They might cringe at those memories, but Miguel was jealous they had them in the first place. He’d have given anything to have a father who’d mortify him like that.
“Yeah, I can see how that would be embarrassing.” He paused, then added, almost to himself, “But, you know, it’s even worse when you have to take your mom to stuff like that.”
Hawk raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “Wait, your mom used to go with you? That’s rough, man.”
“Not camping - but to all the other BS father-son things? Yeah. You have no idea what it’s like watching every single dad around hitting on your mom.” Miguel shrugged, trying to play it off. “But not this year. She’s pregnant, so… no awkward mom moments this time.”
Hawk and Demetri shared a glance, both of them suddenly understanding why Miguel seemed a little more interested in the camping trip than they were.
"Well, at least you’ve got a good excuse now," Demetri said with a smirk. "But if you’re thinking about going, maybe you could take someone else? Like, say… Sensei Lawrence?"
“He’s not my dad.” Miguel pointed out.
“So what?” Hawk scoffed. “Half the guys to sign up are gonna be stepdads or mom’s boyfriends looking for a way to bond with kids.”
“And the other half would be divorced dads trying to make up for all the time they missed.” Demetri added. “Let’s face it, man, normal people don’t need school-mandated father-son trips - they take their own vacations.”
Demetri had a point. Normal dads and sons already spent so much time together that they cringed at the idea of spending even more. This trip was for someone like him - someone desperate for that father-son bond they’d missed their whole life.
Miguel turned his attention back to his tray, his mind racing as Hawk and Demetri’s words echoed in his head. The idea of going on the camping trip with Johnny—his sensei, his mentor, the man who had become like a father to him—was tempting. But there was a catch, a big one: Robby. As much as Miguel wanted to ask Johnny to go with him, he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was Robby’s place. After all, Johnny was Robby’s actual father. Miguel wasn’t sure how Robby would feel about sharing that time, especially with the complicated history between them.
Hawk, always more perceptive than people gave him credit for, noticed the shift in Miguel’s demeanor. He nudged Demetri, who was busy trying to balance his fork on the edge of his tray. “I think Miguel actually wants to go on this trip,” Hawk said, a teasing tone creeping into his voice.
Demetri looked up, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Miguel. “Seriously? I thought you were just trying to dodge the awkward mom moments. You really want to go?”
Miguel hesitated, then shrugged, trying to play it cool. “I mean, it could be fun… if I didn’t have to worry about making it weird for Robby.”
“Robby?” Hawk leaned forward, his blue eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Why would it be weird for him?”
“Because it’s a father-son thing,” Miguel explained, pushing his fries around absentmindedly. “And Robby’s Sensei’s actual son. If anyone should go with him, it’s Robby.”
“Yeah, but does Robby even want to go?” Demetri asked, his voice skeptical. “You know him—he’s not exactly the ‘let’s all gather around the campfire and sing songs’ type.”
Hawk snorted. “Yeah, I can’t really see him roasting marshmallows and bonding over smores. He’d probably spend the whole time sulking or trying to escape into the woods.”
Miguel chuckled, but his mind was still turning over the possibilities. Maybe Robby wouldn’t want to go. Maybe he hadn’t even thought about asking his dad. But what if he had? What if Robby was just waiting to get home and show Johnny the flier, and Miguel stepping in would ruin that chance?
“Yeah, well, Sensei is not exactly the camping type either. He probably won’t want to go.” Miguel said, pushing around the peas on his plate.
He looked up to see two pairs of raised eyebrows directed at him and realized how ridiculous he sounded. He felt the need to clarify immediately. “I mean, can you imagine sensei doing lame, suburban dad things like talking about stock investments and politics and how many times he gets up to pee at night? He’d either kill himself - or the rest of them - before the trip was over.”
Hawk shrugged, conceding the point.
Miguel was probably thinking too much about nothing. Even if both he and Robby wanted to go, there was no guarantee sensei would. He’d have to be away from his pregnant fiance for a couple of days, miss the weekend classes at the dojo and buy a bunch of stuff he might not be able to afford. There were tons of reasons why he wouldn’t want to go in the first place.
Demetri snapped his fingers, breaking Miguel’s train of thought. “Hey, I’ve got an idea,” he said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “You should ‘cat’s-in-the-cradle’ him.”
Miguel blinked, confused. “What?”
Judging by Hawk’s widened eyes and a warning shake of his head, he shouldn’t have asked.
“You know, the song ‘Cat’s in the Cradle,’” Demetri explained. “You play it, make him listen to the lyrics about a dad who doesn’t spend enough time with his son. It’s like emotional blackmail. Always works with my dad when I want something.”
Miguel’s eyes widened. The idea was ridiculous, but it had a certain logic to it. Johnny wasn’t the most emotionally expressive guy, but music seemed to get through to him in a way that words sometimes didn’t. And if there was even a chance that playing that song could make Johnny think twice about saying no, maybe it was worth a shot.
“Yeah, but what if he gets mad?” Miguel asked, still uncertain. “I don’t want to make things worse.”
“Sensei Lawrence? Mad?” Hawk scoffed. “Come on, man, he’s a softie under all that tough-guy stuff. He won’t get mad. He might even appreciate that you care enough to want to spend time with him.”
Demetri nodded in agreement. “And if Robby wants to go, he can just ask Johnny himself. It’s not like you’re stealing his spot or anything.”
Miguel thought about it for a moment, weighing his options. It wasn’t a perfect plan, but it was better than doing nothing and missing out on what could be his last chance to do something like this with Johnny before everything changed with the baby on the way.
“Alright,” Miguel finally said, a determined look settling on his face. “I’ll give it a shot.”
Hawk grinned, giving him an encouraging slap on the back. “That’s the spirit. And hey, if all else fails, you can always just guilt him into it.”
“Yeah,” Demetri added with a smirk. “Just remind him that you’re going off to college soon, and it might be your last chance to do something like this together. Works every time.”
Miguel smiled, a mix of nerves and excitement bubbling up inside him. He wasn’t sure how it would all play out, but at least now he had a plan. And if there was one thing he’d learned from Johnny, it was that sometimes, you just had to take a chance and fight for what you wanted.
As the conversation tapered off, the sound of footsteps approaching their table made Miguel look up. Robby Keene, with his usual air of quiet confidence, strode over to join them with his lunch tray in hand. His hazel-green eyes swept over the group, and he offered a nod of acknowledgment, though his expression remained unreadable, as it often did.
"What are you guys talking about?" Robby asked, his tone casual, but there was a subtle edge to it, as if he could sense that he’d walked in on something important.
Miguel felt a pang of guilt twist in his gut. He wasn’t sure why, but the thought of plotting behind Robby’s back to ask Johnny to the camping trip felt… wrong. Like he was betraying some unspoken rule between them. But at the same time, he couldn’t risk telling him the truth - just in case Robby had no intention of going and Miguel ended up putting the idea in his head. So instead, Miguel did what he had become accustomed to doing around Robby—he lied.
"Nothing much," Miguel said, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Just complaining about the food and, you know, random stuff."
Hawk and Demetri stayed silent, their previous joking demeanor gone as they picked up on the shift in the mood. Robby’s eyes lingered on Miguel for a moment, as if he was trying to gauge whether or not to believe him. But as was typical for him, he let it slide, not one to press for details unless he had a reason to.
"Right," Robby said, accepting the explanation without further comment. He pulled up a chair and sat down, his presence altering the dynamic at the table in an unspoken way. The easy camaraderie that had been there just moments ago now felt a little stiffer, like everyone was waiting for someone else to speak first.
Miguel, feeling the tension, quickly decided to change the subject. He didn’t want Robby to pick up on anything that might give away what they’d really been talking about. "Hey, uh, are you coming over for dinner tonight?" he asked, his voice lighter than before.
“Anything to avoid dad’s cooking.” Robby shrugged.
The others chuckled a little too loud at that, drawing a curious glance from the boy, but Miguel maintained a neutral smile on his face. Sensei’s lack of culinary skills was no secret, but if Robby didn’t appreciate the effort, maybe he didn’t deserve more time with the man.
"By the way, I’m staying after school for a bit to do some extra studying. Got a test coming up in history." Robby added, shoveling a piece of dry meatloaf into his mouth. He sounded almost apologetic, though Miguel knew he had no reason to be. He’d already missed a lot of school during his expulsion and time in juvie. So if he wanted to graduate anywhere close to the rest of them, he had a lot of catching up to do.
"Cool," Miguel replied, trying to keep his tone neutral, though he couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. He knew how important Robby’s schoolwork was to him, especially now that he was trying to get his life on track, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that Robby’s distance was about more than just academics.
"I’ll just head home without you, then," Miguel added, hoping to keep things from getting weird between them. "Catch you later?"
"Yeah, but I’m gonna head over to Tory’s after. She needs help with a few things." Robby said, his tone softened slightly, like he appreciated the understanding. "So, I’ll see you at dinner?"
Miguel pushed the remaining inedible dregs to the corner of his tray and got up, leaving the others to finish their lunch. He glanced behind him as he walked away, almost certain, but still hoping that his friends won’t give the game away.
He really didn’t want to step on Robby’s toes and the past rivalry between them was better off dead and buried. But it wasn’t like Robby had some exclusive claim on Sensei’s time just because he was his son. Not to mention, he’d had years of father-son time he could’ve had with him if only he’d given the man a chance. It wasn’t Miguel’s fault that he’d missed out on all of that.
Besides, Robby had a lot of studies to catch up on. He couldn’t waste time on frivolous camping trips. Not to mention, Miguel was the one heading off to college next year, not Robby. He was the one who had to make the most of the time he had left with Sensei.
Slowly, but surely, he was starting to feel good about his decision.
After the final bell rang, Miguel walked out of the school building and scanned the parking lot for Johnny’s beat-up van. It didn’t take long to spot it, parked haphazardly across two spots as usual. Johnny leaned against the hood, arms crossed, wearing his trademark flannel despite the warm weather. Miguel couldn’t help but smile at the sight; Johnny was as predictable as ever, a comforting constant in his life.
Johnny straightened up as Miguel approached, tossing a half-eaten granola bar into the back seat. “Hey, kid. How was school?”
Miguel shrugged, not wanting to dive into the tangled mess of thoughts still swirling in his head. “Same old. You know how it is.”
Johnny grunted in response and pushed off from the car. “Get in. Let’s get out of here before the traffic gets worse.”
They got into the car and Miguel cleared the mess of beer cans from the passenger seat to make some space for himself.
“Where’s Robby?” Johnny asked, his tone gruff as they closed the doors. “He’s not skipping again, is he?”
“No, he’s just staying late to study for a history test,” Miguel replied, trying to keep the conversation light. “He said he’ll come home later.”
Johnny huffed, clearly not thrilled about the idea. “Great, now I’ve gotta make a second trip back here. Like I don’t have anything better to do.”
“He said he was gonna head to Tory’s after school, so…”
Miguel didn’t miss the disappointed turn of Johnny’s lips. The man might grumble, but he looked forward to spending time with the both of them. And yet, Robby kept finding excuses to avoid them.
As they pulled out of the parking lot, Johnny fiddled with the radio, searching for a station that didn’t play what he called “that pop garbage.” After a few moments, he settled on one blasting classic rock, the opening riff of a Van Halen song filling the car. Miguel half-listened, his mind still on the conversation he’d had with Hawk and Demetri earlier.
Miguel glanced at Johnny, wondering if now was the right time to make his move. The idea of guilting Johnny into going on the camping trip had sounded good in theory, but now that he was sitting beside him, the reality of actually doing it felt a lot more daunting. Still, he’d made up his mind—he was going to go through with it.
“Hey, Sensei,” Miguel began, trying to sound casual. “Do you mind if I put something on? There’s this song I heard the other day that I wanted to check out.”
Johnny shot him a skeptical look but shrugged. “Sure, whatever. Just don’t put on any of that auto-tuned crap.”
Johnny was an old school kind of guy - there wasn’t a song he’d heard or liked that wasn’t on a tape deck. He’d even had one especially installed in the van, even though it already came equipped with better things. But thankfully, he hadn’t gotten rid of the usb port that Miguel could connect his phone to.
He quickly flipped through the selection on his phone until he found what he was looking for. The soft strumming of an acoustic guitar filled the car, a stark contrast to the usual loud rock that dominated Johnny’s playlist. The first few lines of “Cat’s in the Cradle” began to play, the lyrics hitting like a slow, steady punch.
My child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way…
Miguel watched Johnny out of the corner of his eye, trying to gauge his reaction. At first, Johnny didn’t seem to notice the change, his attention focused on the road. But as the song went on, Miguel saw a subtle shift in his expression—his jaw tightened, and his grip on the steering wheel grew firmer.
The lyrics continued, the story of a father too busy to spend time with his son unfolding in the verses. Miguel couldn’t help but feel a little guilty as he listened, but he reminded himself that this was for a good cause. He wasn’t trying to manipulate Johnny—just give him a nudge in the right direction.
But just as the chorus began to play, Johnny’s hand shot out and turned the volume down to a near whisper. “Enough of that,” he muttered, his tone clipped.
Miguel’s heart sank. He hadn’t expected Johnny to react so quickly, and now he wasn’t sure what to say. “Sorry, Sensei. I just thought…”
“Yeah, well, don’t think too hard,” Johnny cut him off, his voice edged with irritation. “This one’s gonna put me to sleep and I need to stay awake to get you home alive.”
Miguel nodded silently, feeling a mix of disappointment and frustration. The plan hadn’t worked out the way he’d hoped, and now he was left wondering if he’d made a mistake. Maybe Johnny wasn’t the kind of guy who responded to subtle hints. Maybe he needed a more direct approach—or maybe, Miguel thought, he should just let it go and not push his luck.
As the car sped down the road, the only sound was the low rumble of the engine and the distant hum of the speaker. The words of the song still lingered in the air, even if Johnny had tried to silence them. And in that silence, Miguel couldn’t help but wonder what, if anything, Johnny had taken from it.
Back at home, Miguel settled onto the couch, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the camping trip. The idea of spending a weekend with Johnny before college was tempting, but a nagging doubt lingered. Was it fair to Robby? Shouldn’t Robby have that chance with his dad instead? He shook his head, trying to brush off the unease. Robby had the whole day to show interest in the trip, to ask Johnny about it. Miguel wasn’t trying to take anything from him—he just wanted to make the most of the time he had left with Johnny. Still, the uncertainty gnawed at him.
Unable to shake the feeling, Miguel decided to talk to his mom. Maybe she could help him sort things out. He found her in the kitchen, busy with dinner preparations while his grandmother sat at the table, peeling vegetables.
"Hey, Mom," Miguel greeted, leaning against the counter.
Carmen looked up, her face brightening as she saw him. "Hi, mijo. How was school?"
"It was good," Miguel replied, though his tone was more serious than usual. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something."
Carmen set down the spoon she was using to stir the pot on the stove and turned her full attention to him. "What’s on your mind?"
Miguel hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "You know that father-son camping trip next weekend? I was thinking… maybe I could go."
Carmen’s eyes softened with understanding, and she gave him a gentle smile. "Mijo, you know I would love to go with you, but with the baby… it’s not the best idea for me to be out in the woods."
Miguel blinked, realizing she’d misunderstood. "No, Mom, I wasn’t thinking about you going. I was thinking… maybe Johnny could come with me."
"Oh," Carmen said, with a look of disappointment in her face. But then the reassuring smile was back. "Of course. That makes sense."
Miguel nodded, but the unease crept back in. "I mean, it might be the last chance I have before I head off to college. But… I’m not sure Sensei would wanna go to something like that."
Carmen’s expression softened, and she reached out to gently touch his arm. "Well… we can bring it up during dinner. See what he says.."
Miguel felt a small sense of relief at her words, though the doubt still lingered. Robby would be at the dinner too and if he took the chance to ask Sensei at the same time…
No, it was better this way. Nobody could accuse Miguel of going behind Robby’s back if he did it out in the open. And if Robby asked and sensei chose him… well, Miguel would just have to find a way to live with that.
As she turned back to her cooking, Miguel retreated to his room. The tension in his chest had eased slightly. It wasn’t a perfect situation, but at least now he had his mom’s support. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to make everything work out.
The table was abuzz with the clinking of silverware and the soft hum of conversation as their strange new family settled in for dinner. His mom’s enchiladas were as awesome as ever, and the warm, inviting atmosphere made the meal feel like a comforting ritual. As everyone served themselves and began to eat, Carmen took a moment to glance around, her gaze landing on Johnny and Robby. She cleared her throat, her voice laced with casual disregard. “By the way, Miggy, be sure to give me that form parents need to sign before you leave for school tomorrow.”
Johnny looked up from his plate, curiosity piqued. “What form?”
Nice, mom. Miguel thought, smiling to himself. Real smooth.
“It’s this form for the father-son camping trip the school arranges every year.” Miguel explained, shrugging nonchalantly. “They want to make sure that parents know about it, even if they don’t go.”
“Camping trip? Robby?” Johnny turned to his son.
Robby, who had been methodically scooping food onto his plate, rolled his eyes. “It’s just one of those boring school things. They set up a bunch of activities like nature hikes, trust falls, scavenger hunts, and talent shows. Lot of losers desperately trying to show off how manly and rugged they are.”
Johnny raised an eyebrow, trying to gauge Robby’s tone. “But it’s camping?”
Robby shrugged, his expression one of indifference. “It’s a bunch of middle-aged suburban dads trying to show off for their kids and humiliating them all in the process. Trust me, two hours with those guys and you’ll want to kill yourself.”
Unfortunately, Miguel couldn’t disagree. As much as he hadn’t expected Robby to come down so heavily against it, it was a relief to be certain of his lack of interest. And Johnny almost looked disappointed by his response. A touch angry, even.
“Yeah, you should hear Hawk and Demetri talk about it.” He interjected with an awkward touch of humor. “They’ve got some horror stories about their dads.”
Carmen, sensing the tension, nodded in agreement. “Well, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone has to be excited about the same things.”
Johnny glanced between Robby and Miguel, his expression thoughtful. “Alright. Guess I know where you stand.”
Robby, who had returned to his food with renewed focus, added with a hint of finality, “Yeah, so if anyone’s thinking of dragging me into this, it’s not happening.”
The table fell into a brief, uneasy silence as everyone processed Robby’s dismissive tone. Miguel continued eating, feeling a mix of relief and disappointment.
Carmen, ever the mediator, shifted the conversation to lighter fare. “So, did you all hear about the new movie coming out next week? I think it could be a fun family outing.”
The chatter picked up again, and the mood gradually lightened. Miguel stole a glance at Johnny, who gave him a reassuring nod. Despite the awkwardness of the conversation, the evening continued on a positive note. Miguel resolved to focus on making the most of the time he had with Johnny, camping trip or not.
After dinner, the dishes were cleared, and the TV cast a soft, flickering glow over the living room. Miguel, Carmen, and Johnny were settled on the couch, the evening's quiet punctuated only by the gentle hum of the television.
Robby had retreated back to his apartment to tackle his homework, and the atmosphere in the living room was relaxed, if slightly charged with the unspoken weight of the earlier conversation. Miguel glanced towards the door and felt a mix of relief and unease, knowing the big question still loomed ahead.
Carmen broke the comfortable silence, her tone thoughtful as she looked at Johnny and Miguel. “You know, Miguel and I were talking earlier about the camping trip. It might seem a bit silly, but sometimes those goofy activities end up being really fun. Sometimes it’s the stupid things that make the best memories.”
Johnny smiled with a knowing look at Miguel, clearly remembering some of the stupid things they’d gotten up to that Carmen still had no clue about.
“Thought you didn’t wanna be embarrassed.” He said to him with a smirk.
“Then don’t be embarrassing.” Miguel shrugged, trying to gauge Johnny’s reaction. “It might not be the most exciting thing, but it could be fun. It’s not like we have to do everything perfectly.”
Johnny shifted on the couch, his expression uncertain as he considered Carmen’s suggestion. “I guess… you’re right. It could be a nice break from the usual routine. But I’m not sure. I mean, with you being pregnant and all, I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“I appreciate you being concerned, Johnny. But I’ll be fine.” Carmen’s eyes softened as she reached out to place a comforting hand on Johnny’s arm. “I’m months away from the due date and it’s not my first rodeo.”
“I just don’t want to leave Robby alone.” Johnny looked at Carmen, his concern evident in his eyes. “He’s been working hard with his studies, and I know he’s still adjusting to everything. If he really doesn’t want to go…”
Carmen gave him an understanding smile. “Don’t worry about Robby. He’s been doing great, and I’ll make sure he’s taken care of. It’s important for you to take this time, too. It’s not just about the trip—it’s about finding moments to connect.”
Miguel, sensing the hesitation in Johnny, spoke up. “Yeah, Sensei, it’ll be good for us to spend some time together. And it could be good for the dojo too. I was thinking of doing something for the talent show—maybe a karate demonstration. Our membership practically doubled the last time we put one of those on. There are gonna be a bunch of teens of all ages there and we could show them how awesome karate is.”
“A karate show?” Johnny raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Not a bad idea, Diaz.”
Miguel grinned, a bit of excitement in his voice. “Yeah, I figured it might be a good way to show off some of what we do at the dojo and maybe drum up some interest. Plus, it’d be a good distraction from all the stress of college prep. And… I mean… I won’t be much help with the dojo once I head off to college, right?”
That last bit did the trick. Once he was reminded that Miguel wasn’t going to be around for long, Johnny had no choice but to let go of whatever was holding him back.
“Y’know, when you put it like that, it doesn’t sound so bad.” Johnny’s expression softened as he considered Miguel’s words. “I guess putting up with all the other lame dads might be worth it if we get a bunch of new students.”
Miguel smiled, knowing that was as close to saying yes as Johnny was going to get. It was his whole life philosophy of “playing it cool” - never let anyone know that you were actually excited about something. But the way he smiled and clasped Carmen’s hand, Miguel knew that Johnny had wanted this trip since he first heard about it. He just wanted them to “convince” him.
The night continued with easy chatter and laughter, the TV providing a comforting backdrop. Miguel felt reassured, looking forward to the camping trip with a renewed sense of optimism, even though the thought of Robby continued to create a slight sense of unease in the corner of his mind.