defenseonly

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' can’t imagine livin’ some place like this. '   daniel hopes his gawking isn’t too obvious as they climb the stairs.   it’s just so  …  different from all the places he’s lived.   big and shiny,  with white walls and furniture,  expensive art hung in ornate frames.   it's not what he imagined @offenseonly’s house looking like.   though maybe it should’ve been.   ali’s isn’t dissimilar.   just smaller,  a little homier.   (  johnny’s stepdad is a lot richer than the mills family.  )   ' i’d get all turned around.   like in a maze. '

[defenseonly]

WILLIAM ZABKA & RALPH MACCHIO in The Karate Kid (1984), dir. John G. Avildsen

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daniel would beg to differ.   they’ve got a lot of problems.   here and elsewhere.   ever since johnny kicked his ass on the beach.   (  when he can’t sleep,  daniel thinks about that night.   the other  …  encounters with johnny.   no mercy out of a pinched mouth before a kick to daniel’s ribs,  another to his face.   a scuffle in the cafeteria over smeared blueberry pie.   his hands around daniel’s waist as he pulled him off the fence,  leaving finger - shaped bruises behind.   it’s so different now that johnny isn’t allowed to touch him.  )   he doesn’t voice this,  pressing his lips into a line.   kreese’s riled up enough as is.   so much daniel wonders why he hasn’t swung on him.   is he waiting on mr. miyagi,  hoping teacher will come to student’s rescue,  and he’ll get to fight him?   it’s not an impossibility.   but it’d be pretty embarrassing to get kicked out of a grocery store for coming to blows in the meat and dairy section.   especially for a ex - military captain with a reputation to uphold.   daniel and mr. miyagi are unknown to most people in the valley.   for the time being,  at least.   that could change after the all valley.   ' don’t worry.   i’ll be ready. '

‘good. then we don’t have a problem here.’ at the old man’s behest, he’s forbidden his cobras to strike. no one touches the primadonna until the tournament — but if the kid thinks that means peace in no-man’s land… you’re dreaming, says the shrug of his shoulders, the upward quirk of his brow. years of fury resentment are written there between the lines. should he be antagonising a kid like this, like a snarling pit bull on a chain, jaws snapping shut but not biting? probably not. oh well. this kid has got his champion rattled. he’s in for a rude awakening. ( FOCUS!, kreese barks at his best student, forget about the girl! easier to pretend he thinks that’s the problem than address whatever this is. this is a conversation he doesn’t want to have. once the tournament’s over, larusso will slink away with his tail between his legs and it will be forgotten. ) ( cobra kai never dies. ) half of him hopes the old man will show his face, round the corner and throw down a challenge. he’s itching for a fight, has been since he left jungle warfare behind for beaches and air con and hollywood parties; it’s an interminable itch, red and raw, that no amount of trophies seems to scratch. even so: ‘i hope you’re ready for the tournament, princess. johnny will be.’

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one day i’m gonna do a write up on miyagi - do and you’re all gonna be sick of me.

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daniel takes a step back,  rag slung over his shoulder.   now that things have started to settle down,  they’ve been working on getting the freshly minted eagle fang dojo ready to open up for classes in a few weeks.   the kids come with some days,  helping bring equipment and trophies in.   but lexy has plans with the boys,  and devon talked anthony and kenny into checking out some exhibit with her,  so it’s just the two of them today.   (  he tries not to think too much about the empty bedrooms at their house,  their occupants off on new adventures without their dads in tow.   he’s so proud of them  …  but part of daniel wishes sam and robby were still ten minutes at best away,  rather than over ten hours.  )   

he feels arms wrap around him from behind as he admires the shining trophies,  a kiss pressed to the crown of his head.   ' pretty good,  right? '   daniel turns to look at @offenseonly’s face,  giving him a wide grin.   ' think this place is really comin’ together. '

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"Good Bones" by Maggie Smith + The Karate Kid (1984) + Cobra Kai (2018—)

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SOUNDTRACK : a muse playlist study. ↳ list 5 songs that you associate with your muse. ( bonus : include lyrics if you'd like! )

one. you're the best, joe esposito. fight till the end 'cause your life will depend / on the strength that you have inside you / ah, gotta be proud, standin’ out in the crowd / when the odds in the game defy you / try your best to win them all / and one day time will tell / when you're the one that's standin' there / you'll reach the final bell / you're the best around / nothing's gonna ever keep you down!

two. would've, could've, should've, taylor swift. god rest my soul / i miss who i used to be / the tomb won't close / stained glass windows in my mind / i regret you all the time / i can't let this go / i fight with you in my sleep / the wound won't close / i keep on waiting for a sign / i regret you all the time / if clarity's in death, then why won't this die? / years of tearing down our banners, you and i / living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts / give me back my girlhood, it was mine first.

three. i'm still standing, elton john. once, i never coulda hoped to win / you're startin' down the road, leavin' me again / the threats you made were meant to cut me down / and if our love was just a circus, you'd be a clown by now / you know, i'm still standin' better than i ever did / lookin' like a true survivor, feelin' like a little kid / and i'm still standin' after all this time / pickin' up the pieces of my life without you on my mind / i'm still standin' (yeah, yeah, yeah) / i'm still standin' (yeah, yeah, yeah).

four. california, chappell roan. 'cause i was never told that i wasn't gonna get / the things i want the most / and people always say, "if it hasn't happened yet / then maybe you should go" / come get me out of california / no leaves are brown / i miss the seasons in missouri / my dying town / thought i'd be cool in california / i'd make you proud / to think i almost had it going / but i let you down.

five. can't fight this feeling, REO speedwagon. oh, i can't fight this feeling any longer / and yet, i'm still afraid to let it flow / what started out as friendship has grown stronger / i only wish i had the strength to let it show / i tell myself that i can't hold out forever / i said there is no reason for my fear / 'cause i feel so secure when we're together / you give my life direction, you make everything so clear.

tagged by : no one! i stole it. tagging : @offenseonly, @victoriousfidelity, @bravevolunteer, @sieraph, @greenelight!

[defenseonly]

' well,  i’m sure i saw a few.   but they were probably about kung fu,  not karate. '   and really,  while those movies may have sparked his initial interest in learning to fight,  reading about karate and its history is what made him so gung ho about it before he met mr. miyagi and the cobras.   (  nerd,  says a voice in the back of his head.   one that sounds like his husband.  ) daniel can’t help the chuckle at li’s clear indignation from across the restaurant,  nodding in agreement.   ' you know what,  though?   i’d still rather hear about him than claude-jean van damme. '   he raises an eyebrow at the question.   god he hopes victor isn’t a staunch defender of rocky v or something.   even johnny can admit that one blows.   ' the original. '  

' none? not any? ' a laugh slips past lips, and victor's quick to lift his can of coke to his lips. he takes a moment to think, before a grin plays on his lips. ' i know li's mentioned bruce lee more times than either of us — ' a vague gesture to his daughter, her boyfriend, and han in the far corner, ' — ever wanna hear. ' ( HEY! ) MIND YOUR BUSINESS. ' which is the best rocky? answer carefully. '

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My soulmate is out there somewhere, pushing a pull door...I just know it.

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hi. fuck ice. here is how you can help families affected by unlawful deportation

edit: and FUCK LAPD. here is how you can help bail out protestors who are in the trenches, facing mass arrests and putting their bodies on the line.

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before they left gray’s house,  when they were still working on his hair,  daniel looked in the mirror and frowned.   he looked  …  silly,  like a little kid playing dress - up.   not effortless like heather,  or cool like the eagles do.   this wasn’t going to work at all.   he was going to get laughed out of the carnival.   but gray worked so hard on putting this outfit together for him,  presenting the skintight clothes and steel - toed boots with a toothy grin.   he couldn’t back out.   so he didn’t say anything,  just gave gray a nod of approval when they asked what he thought.

now,  as @offenseonly wraps an arm around him,  daniel isn’t sure why he was so worried.   (  the double takes he’d gotten from their classmates as the girls led him over to johnny,  bobby’s whistle after he spotted daniel first.   maybe he could be a badass.   like his boyfriend.  )   ' you look pretty terrifying in that get-up. '

daniel turns to look at johnny’s face,  the appreciative once over before icy blues meet baby browns.   yeah,  he owes gray a milkshake or something after this. a thank you for helping him out.   ' not in a rush to get your jacket back,  are you?   ‘cause i think it suits me. '   bright red,  bold.   the perfect finishing touch for this ensemble.

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he almost laughs at li’s face,  how petulant he looks.   ah,  daniel remembers those days.   how long until li tries to storm out on him like he did mr. miyagi  …  days,  weeks?   (  assuming,  of course,  li wants to continue training in miyagi - do after the tournament ends.   daniel hopes so.  )   ' i can work with that. '   daniel pats him on the shoulder,  careful not to jostle him,  as he looks over to the kitchenette.   ' how’s a cup of tea sound? '

deep sigh reeks of defeat as he snatches the ice pack out of sensei larusso's hand. he's quick to press it to his forehead, and he can almost hear his mom scolding him for getting his ass kicked again. BY HIS SENSEI AND GREAT UNCLE, OF ALL PEOPLE. come on! a glare half - concealed under the ice pack, and li frowns. ' it's a start. '

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daniel settles into the seat besides @spinsforward,  holding out an ice pack.   ' i grabbed this.   for your head. '   li’s been a good sport about all of this  —  but then,  he got to skip over the chores. for now.   he might not react so well to those.

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daniel feels his lips twitch up,  picking at the label on his soda.   you’re the karate one.   he’s been called so much worse.   ' neither,  actually.   i didn’t watch a ton of martial arts movies before gettin’ into the sport. '   and he still doesn’t like very many of them.   they’re so  …  overdramatized.   ' but i do like the rocky movies. '

' i clearly watched rocky when i was a kid. ' it was a little before his time, but there's no need to dig that far into @defenseonly. ' whether that was for the better or the worse — ' he swears he can hear mia from another booth chiming in, worse! ' — anyone's guess. what'd you have? enter the dragon? no. YOU'RE THE KARATE ONE. street fighter? '

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he lets out a sigh.   ' no,  i know.   you’re right.   not necessarily. '   and when they hadn’t seen each other since 1985  …  well,  daniel would have to be some kind of moron not to stop and consider mr. han may have changed over the years.   that he could be a far - cry from the man who sat across from mr. miyagi at his table,  cups of tea between them,  listening to him talk about his student :  his best friend,  the boy who put purpose in his life.   (  daniel wonders when,  exactly,  that visit occurred.   where he was.   was it in the spring,  on a warm night spent with ali,  driving with the ford’s top down?   or in the fall,  sat on a cold bench in cobra kai,  trying to wrap his bleeding knuckles?   he hadn’t thought to ask.  )   but he thinks of how mr. han looked at mr. miyagi’s photograph on the wall,  his face when he spoke about li.   the strong sense of déjà vu that came over him as the other man hurried to his cab.   it almost felt like hanging out with mr. miyagi again.   the closest he’s gotten to that since kumiko showed him the letters he wrote to yukie over the years.   it was different,  too,  in a way that makes him  …  curious about what’s waiting for him in new york.   especially with such a tight timeframe.   ' hey now. '   daniel reaches to cup john’s cheek with his free hand,  baby browns meeting icy blues.   he doesn’t speak for a moment,  allowing himself to revel in the feeling of his husband’s skin against his.   this will be the longest they’ve gone without seeing each other in person since their break - up in 2019.   he’s not looking forward to that part.   ' will it make you feel better if i promise to call every day i’m gone? ' 

it's not that he doesn't trust daniel, or daniel's judgment. he doesn't trust this random man trying to whisk his husband away. han had visited while johnny was at the dealership. apparently just let himself into the fuckin' dojo, without waiting to be invited in. like he owned the place. another frown etches itself onto his face, and john shakes his head. ' just 'cause they were old friends doesn't really mean shit, y'know. ' LOOK AT KREESE'S OLD FRIEND ... look what he's done. but silver's wounds are still red and raw, and johnny's not entirely sure that that'll ever go away. it's so different, the two of them. because if one of kreese's old friends — does he even have any more? — showed up looking for help, he'd tell them to fuck off. ' i know he came here for you. sure as hell wasn't me, and the old man's been gone way too long for someone to still be looking for him. ' what might've sounded callous to an outsider was simply matter - of - fact for johnny. he takes one of daniel's hands in his, holding it tight, as if afraid to let him go. ( he is. ) ' i get that, baby, i do — but i don't know. something feels wrong about this whole thing. '

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daniel raises an eyebrow at his husband,  a silent warning to check himself,  though he’s sure the twitch of his lip gives him away.   johnny getting protective never fails to make him feel warm.   even when he’s questioning daniel’s judgement.   (  it happens a lot less often than it used to.   and it’s born of anxiety,  not a lack of trust.   some of daniel’s neurosis rubbing off.   just a bit.  )   ' he knew mr. miyagi.   they were old friends. '   family,  technically,  but he’s not sure how closely related.   hundreds of years have come and gone since shimpo’s decade - long stay in china.   over a dozen generations of miyagis and hans.   none of the former now  …  not by blood.   but mr. miyagi treated him as a son,  julie as a daughter.   samantha and anthony as grandchildren.   he would’ve done the same with robby,  lexy and rafael.   and he’d go to new york in daniel's position.   if only to meet this li fong that mr. han speaks so very highly of.   ' i get we don’t know him,  john, but  … '   daniel looks down for a moment,  at johnny’s hands,  shiny silver on his ring finger.   a reminder of what he has.   who he gets to love.   he wouldn’t have any of this without mr. miyagi.   ' mr. han came here for me.   'cause his student,  to him,  is what i was to mr. miyagi. '

' are you sure we can trust this jack - off? ' sure, it's combatant already, but he's not going to apologize for it. he's defensive, fuck off. sending his husband to the other side of the country feels wrong. wrong, when he's not going with him — that red string of fate feels more like handcuffs, most days. ( and he wouldn't have it any other way. ) part of him wants to punch daniel just for going in the first place, as if they weren't already trying to plan a trip out there. but with everything that's happened over the last few years ... ' how do we know this isn't a trap? ' daniel narrows his eyes in that way that always drives him crazy, and johnny can't help but try double down, hands finding his husband's waist. ' we don't know this guy! i don't like the idea of you being out in some strange place alone. ' woof. ' besides, he's in new york. why didn't he just drive the few hours to go bother your sister? she's all gung ho about sensei - ing, now, anyway. '

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' think i’ve got everything i need. '   he loops the straps of his duffle bag around the handle of his suitcase once,  then twice,  looking over at john.   it feels more than a little strange,  going somewhere without his husband in tow.   (  they aren’t beating the codependent allegations,  as their kids would say.  )   but this is so  …  short notice,  and while daniel can run off to new york with only a couple days' warning,  @offenseonly can’t.   not without pissing off at least one of the mothers of their children.   ' i’m not sure how long i’ll be gone.   all mr. han said is that the tournament starts in about a week. '