Heartstrings | Johnny Lawrence x (y/n) | 1984 |

| 28 | Laughter

After school, the Cobras gathered at Mr. Miyagi's house, all a bit nervous but excited. He handed each of us our new uniforms—white gis with elegant designs embroidered on the back, a small symbol that honored his own style of karate. Our names were sewn onto each one, adding a personal touch. We thanked him, genuinely grateful for this fresh start. It felt strange to wear something so different from the Cobra Kai colors, but the new look symbolized this shift, and even though we weren't in Cobra Kai anymore, we were still Cobras at heart.

Daniel, however, didn't seem thrilled about sharing this moment. He kept glancing our way, especially at Johnny, with his usual glare. Johnny just shook it off, muttering, "Let him look all he wants."

Mr. Miyagi led us into the garden for warm-ups, setting up a few mats for partner stretching. When he announced that Daniel and I would be working together, I noticed Johnny's jaw tighten, though he didn't say anything. I caught his eye and gave him a small reassuring smile before turning back to Daniel.

Daniel gave me a friendly nod and reached out his hand. "Ready to stretch?"

I nodded, taking his hand and sitting down on the mat. Daniel guided me through some simple stretches first, making sure to be mindful, but I could feel Johnny's eyes on us, his stare burning into the back of my head.

"Alright," Daniel said, positioning himself to help me stretch my leg. "Let me know if this is too much," he said with a focused expression, carefully pushing on my leg as I leaned into the stretch.

As I held the position, I glanced over to see Johnny watching us, his arms folded tightly across his chest. Bobby noticed too and nudged him, whispering something I couldn't hear, but Johnny just shook his head, his eyes never leaving me.

Trying to ease the tension, Daniel chuckled and said, "You know, back in Cobra Kai, stretching like this was basically against the rules."

I laughed, grateful for the icebreaker. "Yeah, I remember. Kreese thought 'relaxation' was a weakness."

Daniel grinned, "Imagine if he caught us doing this. He'd probably make us run laps or spar on the spot."

My laughter slipped out, and a few of the Cobras looked over, grinning. Even Tommy joined in, saying, "Yeah, and if he caught us smiling, it'd be twice the laps!"

Johnny, however, didn't seem amused. His expression grew stormier, especially as Daniel helped me extend further. I could almost feel the frustration rolling off him.

"Is everything okay, Johnny?" Bobby whispered, noticing Johnny's mood.

Johnny grunted, "It's fine. Just... I'll handle it."

Finally, as we finished the stretch, Daniel straightened up, giving me a thumbs-up. "Nice work," he said, genuinely supportive. You could tell he was trying to warm up to you.

"Thanks," I replied, smiling.

But before I could get up, Johnny was suddenly beside us, his voice tight. "Mind if I take over, LaRusso? I think she's had enough help."

Daniel, sensing the tension, "All yours, Johnny" Clearly not wanting any drama and walking away to be the bigger person.

As Daniel walked off, Johnny crouched down beside me, eyes meeting mine, the jealousy clear. "You looked real cozy over here," he said quietly, his voice low but unmistakably possessive.

"Johnny," I said softly, reaching for his hand. "It's just stretching. You don't have to worry about it."

He exhaled, clearly frustrated. "I know... it's just... I don't like anyone else getting that close to you. Especially not him." His hand held mine tightly.

"Johnny, you're the only one I want that close to me," I said, giving him a reassuring smile.

He looked down, a bit embarrassed but still protective. "Alright. Just... don't laugh at his jokes too much, okay?"

I laughed softly, squeezing his hand. "Promise."

AFTER PRACTICE

After practice, as everyone was grabbing their bags, I turned to find Daniel approaching me, looking slightly hesitant but determined. He ran a hand through his hair, glancing back at Johnny, who was talking to Bobby and trying not to glare in our direction.

"Hey," Daniel said, giving me a nod. "Can we talk for a minute?"

I glanced over at Johnny, who was already watching, his expression darkening as soon as he noticed Daniel was trying to talk to me alone. Ignoring Johnny's simmering stare, I nodded to Daniel. "Sure, what's up?"

Daniel shifted his weight, clearly choosing his words carefully. "Listen, I know... things between us haven't exactly been smooth," he started, gesturing vaguely, "but I don't want this... whatever's been going on... to keep dragging on. I'm done with the drama. And I think you're better than that too."

I gave him a small smile, appreciating his willingness to put things behind us. "I get it, Daniel. I don't want all this drama either. It just makes everything messier, and honestly? It's exhausting."

He nodded, a relieved smile crossing his face. "Right? And maybe we can start over. I mean, not like best friends or anything, but... at least not rivals."

I smiled and extended my hand. "Truce?"

He took my hand in a firm shake. "Truce."

But just as our hands separated, I caught Johnny's intense gaze from across the room. His jaw was set, his arms crossed tightly, looking like he was holding himself back from storming over. Daniel noticed too, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes as he gave Johnny a quick glance.

"Well, I guess I'd better go before someone misinterprets this," Daniel said, half-smirking. He gave me a nod and added in a low voice, "Good luck with him. Looks like you're gonna need it."

"Thanks, Daniel," I said, half-smiling, watching as he walked off.

Johnny strode over the second Daniel was gone, his face barely masking his irritation. "What was that about?" he asked, his tone laced with unmistakable jealousy.

I sighed, knowing this was coming. "He just wanted to clear the air. We shook on it. It's not a big deal, Johnny."

Johnny's brows knitted together as he shook his head. "Not a big deal? You're shaking hands with LaRusso like you're friends now?"

"Johnny," I said gently, stepping closer and lowering my voice. "It was just a truce. I'm not looking to be his best friend. He just doesn't want any more drama, and honestly, I don't either."

Johnny let out a frustrated sigh, glancing over to where Daniel had been. "I just don't like the way he always acts around you. Like he's got some angle."

I touched his arm, trying to ease his mind. "It's nothing like that. And you're the one I'm here with, remember?"

He softened just a little, but I could see the irritation lingering in his eyes. He looked down at me, a mix of worry and possessiveness in his gaze. "Just... promise me, if he starts trying anything, you'll tell me."

"Of course," I assured him, holding his gaze until he relaxed a little.

Johnny let out a heavy sigh, slipping an arm around my shoulders as we headed out. "Fine," he muttered, "but he better keep his distance."

As we walked away, I could tell Johnny wasn't entirely convinced, but I hoped that in time, he'd let this jealousy go.