Lost in Hollywood

World Peace

Eli might have had his silent doubts about how this evening would go, but never in a million years had he expected the shouting to start right away.

It should not have surprised him, really, knowing the senseis, but still it felt like a punch in the face.

The moment Mr. LaRusso and Johnny saw each other, it was on. As if they didn't even realize where they were, or that there were other people present— the arguments and the insults were flying in the air like bullets. Those two were instantly back where they had left things when they had fought each other at the Miyagi Do dojo— which also happened to be the same day that Hawk had gotten his hair shaved, and Kyler had attacked Sky at the tattoo shop—

—and Eli shoved that thought out of his mind as soon as it entered. It still hurt too much, it still felt like a knife in the gut, that awful day, and all that had followed.

Whatever. It didn't matter, his stupid hair, his stupid pride, not anymore. Tonight wasn't about that. Tonight was supposed to be about hope and future and rebuilding something good together, after this fuck up of a year. But watching Johnny and Mr. LaRusso throwing insults at eachother, their fists clenched, their faces twisted with anger, made Eli feel like the floor was crumbling under his feet.

Can't believe that pussy is invited—

I seriously cannot believe I was ambushed like this—

What did you think was going to happen, Ginger? That guy will never see us as his equals—

Getting us in the same room is not going to change anything, Johnny is never going to listen to reason—

Reason? You wouldn't know reason if it hit you in the face—?

Proving my point, Johnny. It's better that I just leave—

Right. Running away was always your answer to everything—

It was like watching a train wreck. The men were shouting at each other. Mr. LaRusso was squeezing the life out of the flowers he had brought, snapping their stems, and Johnny's beer can was being crushed in his fingers, spilling Coors onto the floor.

Sky stood frozen close to the door, her eyes wide like saucers, her face pale. Eli noticed the slight tremble of her lower lip, the tears that started to gather in those saucer eyes, and something in his chest snapped at that sight.

"Enough!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "Shut the fuck up, both of you!"

His cry echoed in the room, freezing everyone where they stood. For a couple of heartbeats, the silence was obsolete, heavy on his chest, and suddenly Eli was way too aware of himself, of the way everyone had turned their eyes to him.

"I— I just meant—" he cleared his throat. Whatever he had meant to say had fled his mind, leaving behind only the horrible feeling of being in the centre of attention, of everyone staring at him, his stupid scar, his shaved head. His cheeks heated, his throat closed.

"Exactly what Eli said. Shut up, and listen," came a very displeased voice, and a relief like a tidal wave rushed through Eli's chest.

Nicholas.

He had stepped out of the kitchen, still wearing his apron, the wooden spoon in his hand, the branch of basil stuck behind his ear, but his hopeful, happy demeanor was gone. He might have as well been gripping a sword, not a wooden spoon that was dripping sauce onto the carpet. His eyes were burning as he glared daggers at Johnny and Mr. LaRusso.

"How dare you act like this?" Nicholas fumed. "Two grown men, acting like idiots! My daughter invited you to our home because - for reasons I cannot fathom - she loves and respects both of you. And you disrespect her like this? How dare you? After she won a tournament for you, Mr. Lawrence, your star pupil? The one who never turned her back on you? And Daniel, for Heaven's sake! Sky saved your daughter's life - twice - getting seriously injured by doing so? Have you no decency? Can you not do this one thing for Sky? Shame on you both. You call yourselves senseis? You wish to be teachers, mentors? And you can't even control your own emotions. How dare you stand here disrespecting my home and my daughter, yelling and whining like toddlers having a tantrum?" His words were dripping with anger. His grip on the wooden spoon was so hard that Eli feared it would snap. "I will not have this in my house. Either you both leave now, or you shut up, have dinner with us, and try to behave like you are worthy of my daughter's respect."