When Johnny comes to him to ask for help with Kreese, Daniel's assumptions are challenged. Daniel's POV, third person limited.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Karate Kid or Cobra Kai. I'm not making money from this. I'm just a fan.
o - o - o - o - o
Chapter Two:
History Repeats Itself
History repeats itself, try and you'll succeed!
-You're the Best, Joe Esposito
It's storming and Daniel's sitting cross-legged in the living room, relaxing with a cup of matcha. He likes the sound of the warm California rain hitting the red clay tiles of his Encino hacienda. He takes in the comfort of the tall stucco walls surrounding him, the security that his home is his, that he will provide for his kids and his wife no matter what. Not that Amanda needs providing for. That's comforting, too.
It's cluttered though, in a way it wasn't five years ago. Less peaceful. They've been too busy to properly care for their home. Daniel used to clean in his free time. He liked it, washing the windows rhythmically, sweeping the wide, open wood floors in the manner Mr. Miyagi taught him. Ironic, considering how he'd complained about it as a teen. But he hasn't had a chance to clean in a long time. Or maybe he hasn't made it a priority. They hire a housekeeper twice a week, an elderly Hispanic woman who doesn't speak a lick of English. They hire out for lawn work and small household repairs. They order takeout more often than they should. It's not something he's proud of.
He's actually alone for once. Amanda's picking up Anthony from a friend's house, and Sam and Robby are in the home dojo practicing. (He's not going to think too hard about what they're practicing.)
It's rare he gets a quiet moment to himself these days. When he's not running the dealership or running his household, trying to bond with a son who's not interested, trying to understand a daughter who, despite being interested again, is going through all the teenage hormones and hysterics that make fatherhood impossible, when he's not trying to sneak a moment alone with Amanda, he's at the dojo, trying to save kids from an influence that should have been put to rest in 1985.
With Kreese back running Cobra Kai, all his worst suspicions about Johnny have proven true.
He's thought about Mr. Miyagi often lately. Maybe more often than is healthy to reflect on the past. But he's always gone back to his old mentor whenever anything in his life gets confusing. He thought he'd found stability, a sense of balance. He'd thought he'd become a good man, the type of man Mr. Miyagi would be proud of. And then Johnny Lawrence had to show up at LaRusso Auto, a ghost from his past. Or skeleton, more like. And with the slightest, immature temptation in that graffiti, Daniel had given into his old, stubborn, hotheaded ways. The same reckless self-destruction that drove a friendless, skinny kid to dump ice-cold water on his bullies unprovoked came out in a man who used his social influence to get the rent raised on a entire strip mall as a petty comeback for his childhood bully.
Now that Daniel's had time to cool off, he sees it was exactly the sort of stunt he'd expect those blond, rich, Cobra Kai kids' banker daddies to pull on weekends for fun back in the '80s.
Sometimes it scared him; like maybe he'd become indistinguishable from his privileged SoCal trust fund peers at the country club, like maybe there was none of the scrappy Newark Italian boy left in him. All these years, he's been so obsessed with building comfort and security for his family that he hadn't considered what could be lost. He never wanted his kids to have to up and move across the country in their formative years, or live in a broken-down apartment, or wear secondhand clothes, or grow up without a dad, or worry about getting jumped by rich kids whose wealth shelters them from consequences. And now he wonders if a little struggle and discipline would've been good for them. If Anthony would be less attached to his screen, if Sam would have been a kinder friend to Aisha. Neither of them really respect him.
He doesn't have all the answers, but if there's one thing he does know, it's karate. It's the peace and contemplation found in the kata, the love between a student and his sensei, the self-worth that can be built in blocks and kicks and the knoweldge that because you can defend yourself, you might never have to. Karate is the family you create, the family that goes deeper than blood ties.
He isn't going to give into his old self again. Miyagi-do is proof enough. Robby is proof enough. Daniel's given his students a haven, just like Mr. Miyagi gave him when he needed it most.
Daniel blinks as headlights pierce the fog and illuminate the rain. Tires screech to a halt on his driveway – the sharp stop of anger or desperation, or both.
Not now. Daniel huffs in annoyance, places his teacup on the coffee table where it rattles, and heads to the door. He cracks it open to the sight of Johnny's fist raised, ready to knock, and blanches for a second at old memories when Johnny's fist was raised for an entirely different reason. Johnny's supporting his student with his other arm – Miguel, the one who was an asshole to Daniel's little girl. But now is not the time to pull the protective father act, because the boy looks beaten within an inch of his life, his bloody shirt tied around him as a makeshift bandage, and the terror on Johnny's face sends chills down Daniel's spine. He opens the door wide and steps aside to let them in.
"We need to talk," Johnny says.
No shit.
"Here," Daniel says, taking command of the situation, not even questioning why Johnny has come to him, of all people. "Let's get him on the sofa." He supports the injured kid at the opposite shoulder and the two rivals assist him in surprisingly easy tandem to the other side of the room. They're helping Miguel lie down when footsteps pound in from behind.
"That's my dad's car!" Robby's shouting between huffs of breath. "What's going on?"
And Daniel knows exactly when they enter the room because Robby says, "Dad?" in a quiet, worried voice, and Sam cries, "Oh my God, Miguel!"
Daniel and Johnny turn instinctually to their kids.
Sam's hand is covering her mouth. She steps toward them but Robby puts his hand on her wrist and she hesitates. "Is Miguel okay?" she asks, voice pitched high with worry.
"He'll live," Johnny answers.
"What happened?" Robby asks.
Johnny hesitates, ashamed. "Kreese got carried away."
Daniel takes a deep breath. His daughter doesn't need to see this. She doesn't need to hear it. This is exactly the sort of thing he's spent the last sixteen years protecting her from. "Sam, go up to your room."
"No way, dad! Look at him, we need to call an ambulance, I can't just leave him here –"
"Listen to your dad," Miguel cuts in.
So maybe the kid's not all bad, Daniel thinks sarcastically.
"But Miguel's hurt –"
"Sam. go. a. way," Miguel growls. He's not looking at the other kids. He's looking at the ceiling. Daniel can tell he's trying to sound tough, but his voice sounds as scratchy and pained as his body looks. It's pretty obvious he was recently crying. Daniel thinks about how he would feel at that age, if Ali saw him beaten down after she'd broken up with him. It's been a long time since he was a teenager, but not so long he can't remember how it feels.
"Sweetheart, you should really go," Daniel says gently. Sam's teary-eyed, but she nods. "Robby, you too."
"No," Johnny cuts in, glaring at him. For a second, Daniel had forgotten Robby was Johnny's son. That Daniel wasn't the only one who called the shots when it came to Robby.
"Robby," Johnny's voice drops, and it's almost pleading, "I need you to look after Miguel while I talk to your sensei."
And even if Daniel couldn't have guessed with everything else, the stern, respectful way Johnny says sensei is all the evidence he needs to know they're in deep shit.
"No –" Miguel whines. "I'm fine –"
"Miguel, shut up." Daniel would never talk to one of his students so dismissively, but it gets the job done because Miguel just grumbles, "whatever," and Johnny barks, "whatever, what?" and Miguel says, "whatever, sensei," without the attitude, and maybe even a little affection.
Robby's eyes shift to Daniel for approval. He won't obey his dad unless Daniel gives it the okay. Daniel nods. Daniel knows the exchange doesn't go unnoticed by Johnny.
"Let's discuss this in the home dojo," Daniel says, and he finds his hand on Johnny's shoulder, guiding him as the man forcefully pulls his eyes off his son and his student.
o - o - o - o - o
"You got any booze back here?" Johnny asks.
Daniel gives him an incredulous look. "No."
Johnny's arms are crossed and his chin is tilted up. Typical macho posturing. He's not even willing to start the conversation. Daniel rolls his eyes. "Just tell me why you're here."
"Why the fuck do you think I'm here?" Johnny snaps. "Think I'm dropping by for a goddamn tea party? Did you see that kid?"
"What does it have to do with me?" Daniel snaps right back.
"You know what? Never mind. I thought you'd get it, but it turns out, you care more about seeing me beg than helping a hurt kid. So have fun gloating –" Johnny storms away but before he can reach the door Daniel grabs his arm.
"Look, Johnny, I'm sorry. I lost my cool. Okay? Something about you, man, it brings out the worst in me." Daniel drops his arm.
Johnny clenches his teeth. "I know the feeling."
"Just…" Daniel pauses, trying to catch his breath, trying to find his calm, "just tell me what happened."
Johnny pulls his hand through his hair. It's still those same thick blond waves girls loved and Daniel envied back in the day. Back when he thought he'd never live up to blue-eyed, all-American rich kid, Johnny Lawerence. The perfect popular boy with the big house in Encino. It's crazy how time changes things so drastically and somehow doesn't change anything at all.
"It's Kreese, man." Johnny swallows. Paces the room. His anxiety is catching and Daniel feels the need to pace himself. "I knew something like this would happen. I knew it. But I told myself if I stayed on as a teacher, I could keep the old man in check. I could look out for the kids, maybe balance his lessons. I couldn't just leave them…"
"Johnny, what are you talking about?"
"Did you think I actually wanted Kreese back after what he did to me? Do you think I wanted him touching my students?"
Daniel presses his lips together, uncomfortable.
"Jesus Christ, you did."
"What was I supposed to think?" Daniel says, defensive. "When you show up to Miyagi-do with him at your side to harass me and my students? When he brags about running Cobra Kai again?"
"It wasn't like that."
"Then what was it like?"
Johnny makes an exasperated, violent sweep of his arms into the air, as if to shout, What do you want from me?
Daniel waits. He even manages to keep from giving the man a dirty look.
"Kreese and some other douche, Silver or Gold or some shit like that, apparently own the Cobra Kai name and logo. He threatened to sue me and take the dojo by force if I didn't give him ownership.
"I built the new Cobra Kai from scratch. It wasn't even his to take. We were nothing like the old Cobra Kai. I mean, I didn't keep the bad shit. I kept the good stuff. Like the kick-ass snake. I know you'll never see it 'cause you're so damn self righteous, but my kids were being bullied, and I was teaching them to defend themselves –"
Daniel's proud of his self-restraint when he doesn't snort. Johnny's more delusional than he'd realized. Did he even see how his students acted at the tournament? They were the bullies.
"I even got a lawyer," Johnny says, "and I know he's a good one 'cause he's a Jew–"
Daniel decides not to comment.
"– and he said even if I changed the name I didn't have a leg to stand on." Johnny pauses and gives him a smug look. "No pun intended."
Daniel thinks of Kreese and sweep the leg and he does snort this time around.
Johnny crosses his arms again. "The point is, Kreese left me with no choice. Either I sign over Cobra Kai and continue as an employee, or he takes the dojo. I couldn't just leave the kids to him, now could I?"
"Jesus," Daniel says. It warrants more than that, but it's so overwhelming there's nothing else to say.
As usual, he'd been so blind. And Johnny was right. He had a self-righteous streak, he knew he did, but he could never stop himself in the midst of a crusade. He'd been so pissed at Cobra Kai's unsportsmanlike behavior at the tournament, so disgusted about the way Johnny egged his kids into brutalizing his own son, that Daniel hadn't even paused to consider how strange it was that Johnny would let Kreese back into his life. He'd assumed the worst and looked for nothing but confirmation.
And it was just like Kreese to use some slimy, back-handed way of getting what he wanted. Kreese didn't need punches and kicks to take someone down. He liked to do it psychologically just as well. The man was a psycho. This was Silver manipulating Daniel away from the guidance of Mr. Miyagi all over again. Only this time, Miguel and the other kids were victims. And Johnny, like Mr. Miyagi, could do nothing but stand by and watch.
Hope confusion end soon, Daniel-san. Miyagi heart empty without you.
Daniel feels sick to his stomach. Johnny's a jerk, and Daniel won't ever agree with his teaching methods, but no one deserves that.
"So he beat up your favorite student," Daniel says quietly. "Just to rub it in."
"Worse." Johnny pauses. "He instigated my other students into doing his dirty work."
"Jesus," Daniel repeats. He crosses his arms over his stomach, doing nothing to hide his revulsion. He doesn't want to imagine it, but it's easy. It's easy because he's been there.
"Miguel, man –" Johnny's breath catches and it sounds like he's going to cry. Maybe Daniel should have gotten him that drink. Then again, he's not going to enable an addict now he knows the man's an alcoholic.
"I know you only think of Miguel as the tough guy at the tournament, and I get it, he was ruthless. I should have taught him you fight different on the mat than on street. I know that now, okay? But I was so focused on helping him kick his bullies' asses, because that's what he needed. He's, he's…you should've seen him when he first came to me. A skinny little virgin dweeb. A complete dork, all worried about asthma and political correctness and shit. Your typical wimp."
There's so much wrong with everything Johnny's saying, but despite that, Daniel can get to the heart beneath Johnny's words, that coil of affection he won't fully express. He cares about Miguel. And frankly, it's kind of shocking to discover Johnny's version of Miguel: a bullied underdog with a heart of gold. All this time, Daniel had only ever envisioned the Miguel of the tournament: a jerk with too much power who fought dirty.
"I taught him how to stand up for himself. I taught him not to take anybody's shit. I taught him to be a man. And Kreese had to come along and undermine everything. Reinforcing the harshest shit meant only for extreme situations, tearing Miguel down, turning my students against each other. Man, you should see Hawk. He's unrecognizable. And not that in that cool, alpha way anymore. He's a monster.
"Kreese screwed with Miguel so badly that he'd take any abuse just to prove himself. It makes me sick, man. Sick. You saw what he looks like." Johnny gestures sharply to the door. "That's what it took to knock some sense into him. That's how far it had to go before Miguel accepted my help."
"It went pretty damn far for me, too," Daniel admits.
"What are you talking about?"
This time, it's Johnny who asks.
o - o - o - o - o
They're sitting side by side on the floor of his home dojo. Daniel's crosslegged with his elbows resting on his knees, as if his meditative pose could make the situation any better. He feels the start of a migraine pulsing at his temples. He's drained. He's just opened up to Johnny about the darkest period in his life, told his supposed enemy things he's never told anyone but Amanda. His shoulders are tense and he tries to keep a sharp awareness of his breath and body, anything to distract himself from how vulnerable he feels.
They're quiet for a long time, until Johnny says, "I'm sorry that happened to you, man. That's screwed up."
"I'm sorry it's happening to you."
"Yeah," Johnny says. And he sounds defeated. "Look, I don't even know why I came to you. This isn't your problem –"
"Oh yeah it is," Daniel interrupts. "Why do you think I opened Miyagi-do? I'm not going to let Cobra Kai take over the Valley ever again. I'm glad you came to me."
"There was nothing wrong with Cobra Kai when it was mine," Johnny cuts in, ready for a fight.
Daniel lets that one slide, and they slip back into almost companionable quiet.
"So what are we gonna do?" Johnny asks eventually. "I mean, I'd've beaten up him up already if that would solve the problem – he's old, I can take him – but he's brought the law into things like a pansy. And he's turned the kids against me. The ones who are left, at least."
Across the room, from a framed black-and-white photograph, Mr. Miyagi gazes down on them, proud and wise. Daniel stares at the image, longing for the days when all he had to do was turn to him to find his way. Now, he has to search within himself. There's no one there to tell him right from wrong and it's hard. It's damn hard.
"What if you quit Cobra Kai and worked with me?" It's quiet, uncertain.
Johnny stares at him. A little annoyed, not comprehending. "I mean, I know a lot about cars. And yeah, it'd be better than being unemployed, but I can't just leave the kids to Kreese. The man tried to kill me and he could've gotten Miguel killed tonight. What kind of monster do you think I am?"
"No. I don't mean at the autoshop. I mean at Miyagi-do." Johnny's stare widens, and Daniel rushes in, talking too fast as his crazy idea forms more quickly than his words. "I'm spread too thin as it is, trying to run LaRusso Auto and the dojo at the same time. With you at my side, we could teach more kids, more classes. You'd be doing me a favor. And you could talk to your students, bring them over to a place where Kreese has no influence. If it comes down to it, I'll get a restraining order so he can't get anywhere near the dojo."
"I don't know, man…"
But Daniel can hear Johnny's resistance waning already. He likes the idea. Weirdly enough, it's starting to grow on Daniel, too.
"It'd be great. Think about it," Daniel says in his best car salesman voice. "I only have eight students. I can't take on more with my other responsibilities. You'll bring in a lot more students, I own the property and pay the bills, and we can split profit fifty-fifty. Sounds fair, yeah? I'll focus my training on kata, meditation, and conditioning, and you can work with the kids on advanced defense and combat techniques." Daniel shrugs. "I like the slower stuff anyway. More my style."
Johnny gives him a smug look. Daniel knows he's using all his self restraint from blurting out bitch or pansy or some other emasculating insult.
"Let's just get one thing straight, though," Daniel adds.
"I knew there was a catch."
"None of this strike first, strike hard, no mercy crap." Johnny opens his mouth to interrupt and Daniel holds out a hand for silence. "No. At Miyagi-do, we follow the philosophy of Mr. Miyagi. And that means fighting is only ever a last resort. It is only ever used as self-defense. We don't strike first. Our karate is a way of life. It's not some flashy sport that we show off at tournaments to win a plastic trophy."
"Yeah, it's a gimmick you use to sell cars."
Daniel reddens at that and his chest tightens. "It's not a gimmick," he says through clenched teeth.
"Sure looks like a gimmick. And you're gonna have trouble keeping students if you don't take them to tournaments and demonstrations," Johnny pushes. "Boys need an outlet for their aggression. And parents want to see what they're paying for. They want real results."
Daniel huffs. "I'll think about tournaments. So long as you stick to the principle of self-defense. We don't strike first."
"Fine. Whatever." Johnny's not happy about it, but he at least agrees to it. "But don't expect me to use your pussy, pushover methods with my students."
"Our students," Daniel says.
"Our students," Johnny agrees.
"And my methods aren't pussy."
"They're absolutely pussy. Shit man, you need to lay down the law. Do you see how your own children talk back to you? They've got no respect."
Daniel clenches his teeth, biting back a retort. He knows he's largely angry because Johnny has a point, even if he's doing a crude job of making it. Daniel lets Sam and Anthony walk all over him. But he's not going to take parenting advice from a dad who abandoned his son. Or at least he's not going to admit to considering it.
"I was pretty impressed with the respect Miguel showed you back there in the living room," he says begrudgingly. "But that language. You're gonna have to work on it. You can't curse in the dojo. I don't like the sexism, either. That doesn't fly with kids these days. They're smarter than we were."
"I'm not one for censorship."
Daniel rolls his eyes. He hops to his feet, swipes off the front of his trousers. "You're not one for filters, more like."
Johnny jumps up too and smirks. "Maybe."
Daniel holds out his hand. "We got a deal, Sensei Lawrence?"
Johnny takes it and gives it a rough shake. "Deal, Sensei LaRusso."
They stare at each other for a moment, hands still clasped together, and Johnny's face splits into a grin. Daniel's does, too.
"We're gonna take that bastard down," Johnny says. "He's never gonna hurt another kid in the Valley as long as we're alive."
"Damn right."
Johnny gives him a rough, approving pat on the back.
As Johnny walks out the door, Daniel shakes his head, astonished with himself. Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso, working together after all this time, after thirty-five years of grief between them.
Maybe it's the worst idea he's ever had, but somehow it feels right.
o - o - o - o - o
TBC. If you liked reading, please review! Constructive criticism is also welcome. The next chapter is coming Wednesday!
Note: I've made minor edits to the previous chapter. (Tense changes and added italics where formatting removed them.)