atelophobia 🖤 lawrusso

- 10 -

Johnny didn't stick around much longer. Once Daniel had calmed down, the blonde had excused himself and walked Jess back out to her car.

"He'll be alright, Johnny. He's a good guy, really, and you know that more than anyone. He'll be okay." She pulled him into a hug, and he returned it gratefully. A good hug was certainly in order. Perhaps he would ask for a hug from his mother, too, if she was still awake.

"I know," he whispered.

"You know, I really wish I could be here for the tournament." She pulled away and looked up at him with her arms folded across her chest. Johnny exhaled slowly, trying to steady his heart rate.

"Yeah, I know. It'll be okay. I'll be okay," he added, noticing the flicker of doubt in her eyes.

"Are you sure? You're going to be more or less alone." She reached up and wiped his single tear track away from his cheek. He sighed, leaning into her touch and shrugging.

"I'm sure. You've got to get going. Thank you for everything." Johnny managed a smile, and she smiled too. "You really have become one of my best friends."

"I'll have to come back and visit, then." She laughed, and Johnny just nodded, opening her car door so she could get in. "I'll see you around, Johnny."

"See ya, Shortstack." He closed the door and she pulled out of the driveway, her taillights disappearing around the corner. Johnny ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily.

"Right.." He headed over to his motorcycle, running his hand along the side as he walked around it. The bike was getting a little old. He had owned it for almost two years. All of the paint jobs he had gotten done on it were still there. A cobra hissed at him from one side, and the fist that was always on their competition karategi was on the other side. He made his own fist and bumped it against the one on his bike, crouching down so he could look at it closely. Something he hadn't done before, not even when he first got it done. It looked cool from far away, so why look closer when nobody else was going to? Now he could see the places where pebbles had sprayed up from the road and started chipping at the paint.

Now that the shock was over, Johnny was just angry. Even more angry than he had been before. He rested his forehead against the bike, and the cool metal was nice against his skin. He could vaguely hear Daniel's voice coming out of the house, but he didn't look up. He had to get going sooner rather than later.

"Hey, Mr. Miyagi, if Johnny comes wandering back inside would'ja tell him he doesn't have to wait? He can just head home. I know he's probably exhausted." There was a grunt from inside the house that seemed to satisfy Daniel, and a car door shut, a sound that had grown increasingly familiar as the night went on. Johnny couldn't help but wonder where Daniel was going. He stood up and walked over to the yellow car, hesitating around a foot away.

"Where are you going?" He asked finally, and Daniel looked up from where he was fumbling with the keys. He visibly relaxed a little when he realized who it was.

"I'm goin' to end it with Mr. Silver. I didn't like what happened back there any more than you probably did. I just want to go tell him that it's over." Johnny started walking around the car and got in the passenger seat. "Hey, man, what are you doin'? I can go alone."

"Not a chance, LaRusso. Don't forget, he may have been giving you lessons, but this Mr. Silver guy is still part of Cobra Kai. He won't just let you walk away, I can promise you that." Daniel shook his head at that, but a fond smile began to form on his face as he started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

"It's such a stupidly sappy thing to say, but I don't deserve you. Not after the stunt I pulled tonight." Daniel was avoiding Johnny's gaze, but he wasn't looking directly at the road either. He kept shifting his grip on the wheel nervously. "I know it's somethin' you're afraid of, and I guess what I'm tryin' to say is that it was wrong of me to use it as a way out. And.. I'm sorry."