Lost in Hollywood

Courage. Purpose. Strength.

"I asked you all here tonight, because it's almost time for the All Valley. It still feels crazy to me to think that last year, I won the tournament. I was the champion," Sky said, and Eli heard the slight tremor in her voice at those words. He couldn't remember the last time he had heard her talking about being the champion, and suddenly that hurt. Were her joy and pride of that victory also stained and tarnished because of the things he had done? Because of the words he had thrown at her face that awful night at his front steps, when he had said to her that he had let her win?

He hoped not.

He had told her time after time he hadn't meant that. That she had always been the better fighter. That she had deserved to win.

Eli's throat grew thick; he tried to swallow down that sudden emotion. No matter how things turned out tonight, he would make sure she knew that. He would find the moment to tell her that— that watching her win the All Valley last year had been the best fucking moment of his life.

"That remains something I will remember for the rest of my life, one of the greatest accomplishments I've ever achieved. And you made me that champion, Sensei," Sky kept talking, and turned her eyes to Johnny. "I will always be grateful for that. You believed that I could get up from the mat, when I didn't believe it myself. You made me the fighter I am. You gave me courage. Purpose. Strength. It was you who made me able to stand up to Tory and help Sam." She drew in a fast breath, let it out slowly. She didn't look at Mr. LaRusso, but Eli did, and noticed how he turned his eyes down, as if embarrassed by Sky's words. As he fucking should. After all, Sky had just claimed it was Johnny who had made her save Sam's ass, and if Mr. LaRusso didn't want to hear that truth, shame on him.

"But that courage came with a price," Sky went on, and even if this topic was clearly painful for her, she pushed through like the fuckign champion she was. "I got injured, and I'm never going to make a full recovery. This year has been a year of pain and loss for me, and yet another loss is that I won't be able to defend my title. It breaks my heart. I wish I could stand on the mat and fight, but I can't. I'm never going to be able to do that again. But I am still that same girl, Sensei. The girl you taught how to get up and keep fighting. I still want to win, not for myself, but for the team. I want to be a part of something bigger than myself. I want to be a part of a winning dojo. And I want to bring down Cobra Kai. Please, Johnny— and Daniel. Don't take that dream away from me."

The last couple of sentences came out a bit breathless. She sat down, her cheeks burning, her chest heaving with fast, shallow breaths, and without thinking, Eli slid his hand to meet hers under the table. She took it, almost desperately, her fingers entwining with his.

Eli's chest went tight with a sudden rush of emotion. Knowing how much Sky hated public speaking, how she loathed being the centre of attention— it must have been so hard for her to stand up and give this speech in front of all their friends and the senseis. He wanted to tell her he was proud. He wanted her to know that he saw her, that he understood. That he loved her.

Those words got caught in his throat. He couldn't say it now, could he? For fucks sake— They were still sitting at the dinner table, and this show was nowhere near over. Eli was abruptly reminded of that fact as Miguel stood up, in one swift motion, and turned his dark eyes straight to Johnny and started talking.

"Johnny, you've been like a Dad to me," Miggy rasped, his words dark and serious, his whole posture tense and agitated. "And you've been the best sensei I could have ever asked for. You made me strong. You gave me confidence. You got me out of the wheelchair. I'm walking again, because of you. But— lately, I feel like I need more. I can be a better fighter and a better person if I learn both styles. Mr. LaRusso can teach me things you can't. Things I need to learn, too. If I'm gonna make it, I need to know defence and balance. And— I can't understand why you won't let me have that. Why won't you let me be all I can be?"