John had endured a whole day at that godawful garden party. And for what? A whole ten minutes of speaking to Terry alone? He meant to come here, have a short to the point conversation, Terry would see sense and then return to teach at the dojo with him. Things would be exactly how they should have been thirty five years ago.

But as it was, John was still on the fence over whether this little visit was worth it. Perhaps he would have another chance to talk to Terry later today, he just needed to get him away from that overbearing woman who had attached herself to him.

The hour grew late, and to his horror he'd even allowed himself to be talked into staying the night. Not by Terry, of course. Oh no. That at least might have looked like progress.

He rose early as always, left the bed and its ridiculous number of pillows in the guest room he had been stationed in. In the old days, Terry had often come to sit on the edge of his bed and they'd talk way into the early hours. Terry would even fall asleep there and John told himself this was something he only put up with. Now he told himself that he didn't resent Terry for having someone else to bother.

John had a strong urge to disappear before anyone else woke up, but he fought it. He hadn't come here to wrangle with the uncomfortable and unwanted feelings of the past. He had to remember his reason for being here. Terry had looked bemused when he learned that John was staying the night, but if he really didn't want him here he could have thrown him out. There was still a chance this visit was not a complete loss.

He went outside and lit a cigar, wandered the grounds for a while. Perhaps the smell of smoke would waft in through the window and draw Terry out like a siren song.

Turns out you disappearing was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Those words had been on John's mind since Terry said them to him. His first response had been no, it's bullshit. He was lying to himself and John. He couldn't be satisfied with this life. Terry was a grown man now, and there was no-one to tell him what to do, he could do whatever he liked. And John knew what Terry wanted. John looked up at the mansion. Sure, a house would be nice, any house, but living here, like this? John would be bored to tears, and he knew Terry must be too.

There was something very different about Terry. He had those fake smiles for everyone else including his so-called girlfriend, but not for John. He looked at John with this uneasiness that just wasn't right. John understood that time had passed, but people didn't really change, not this much. There was something wrong with Terry, and it was down to John to fix it.

He couldn't allow himself to dwell on the possibility that Terry might really have been glad to see the back of him. That thought made John too uncomfortable. It flew in the face of everything he knew to be true. Although Terry had chosen the family business over the dojo, and practically ignored him for ten years. And John had just let that happen. Maybe he should have tried harder to convince Terry to change his mind. He just thought Terry would see sense and eventually come back. He fully expected Terry to come after him after he left the Valley in '86.

There were footsteps behind him, and John didn't need to turn around to know that the were Terry's.

"I'm surprised you stayed."

John turned around and shot Terry a glance, then looked down at his cigar. "A very persuasive woman you've got there."

Terry gave him a tight little excuse for a smile that John had seen on the faces of many hen-pecked husbands. It looked wrong on Terry's face. Made John want to shake him. This was not the Terry Silver that he remembered.

Terry crossed his long arms across his chest. He was wearing a blue shirt and beige pants, an outfit that put John in mind of the prisoners from Escape from Alcatraz. He still looked damn good in it. With his build and his height, Terry looked good in anything. That was just a fact.

Terry cocked his head to one side, as if waiting for John to speak. That was another thing he'd noticed about Terry, he was not his usual talkative self, and that he couldn't blame on the cocaine, from the moment he had latched onto John in Vietnam, he'd talked his ear off. Now suddenly he didn't have anything to say to him? That hurt.

"Nice little cage you've built for yourself here," John remarked.

"What?" Terry said, gripping his fingers into his arms.

"You can't tell me you're happy here."

"I am," Terry said, but his expression remained fixed. He tapped his fingers compulsively and watched John as he lifted his cigar to his lips and took a drag.

"So, have you reconsidered my offer?"

Terry shook his head. "It's very generous of you, I'm sure, but karate was always more your thing than mine, wasn't it?"

"Bullshit," John spat.

"Sure, I liked it once upon a time, but I have moved on," Terry said, then turned and started to walk away. He stopped and looked back at John.

Terry was acting like he wanted to be convinced. Like he was setting John some near-impossible test to change his mind. Christ, it was easier when Terry promised to do anything for him and meant it. Well. If it was going to be mind games, then so be it.

John crossed his arms. "I can't shake the feeling that you don't want me here."

"Now what gave you that idea?" Terry shot back immediately.

No denial. That was telling. "What, no hug for your old war buddy?" John said, holding his arms out.

Terry stepped towards him, but John could only detect hostility in his demeanor. "If you wanted a hug, you only needed to ask."

John surprised himself, he really did want a hug from Terry. He was never much of a hugger, but there was just something about the way Terry threw his arms around him and pulled him in tight that made everything a little bit better, no matter what horrible situation they were in. Terry wasn't saying no. If he had, that wouldn't have hurt as much as this, offering out of obligation.

"Nah. Don't strain yourself. Hell, you can't even give me a proper smile," John said bitterly, and scoffed. "Happy here my ass!"

The corners of Terry's mouth turned upwards. "Did it occur to you that I might not be ecstatic at you dropping in on me without notice?"

John tried to ignore the pain in his chest. Terry was just pretending, right? It was all part of the game he was playing. "You never used to mind," he said, thinking about how Terry used to drop everything and literally run to him. God, he should never have taken that for granted.

"Things change, John."

"Evidently. You've changed your entire life," John says, fidgeting with his cigar. "But then you always were a bit flaky. Cheyenne better watch her back. With so many people around, it's only a matter of time before someone else turns your head."

"Flaky?" Terry said. "What do you mean I'm flaky? I'm the most devoted person you could ever hope to meet!"

John suppressed a smile. He was getting Terry riled up. Good. "Devoted? You? You promise me anything I need, then the moment we get home and sign the lease on the dojo, you don't wanna know."

"That's not how it went down and you know it."

John shook his head. He had spent a lot of time feeling bitter about Terry pulling out of the partnership. He went over and over it in his head, and seriously thought about giving Terry a piece of his mind. Instead he told himself to be patient. And where had that got him? Was it his fault? Should they have had this conversation in the eighties? Was it too late now?

"Is that so? Then how did it go down?"

"I made the best decision for both of us. Getting a business off the ground is tough. It needs a lot of funding. And it's not like you had any cash."

"Oh. So it's my fault, is it?"

"I didn't say that!" Terry said as he threw out an arm, his face going red. John wondered for a moment if he was going to hit him. If that was what it took to change his mind, John was more than willing to endure it. But Terry took a deep breath and let it out. "Look, I am sure you didn't come here to argue-"

"You know why I came."

"Yes, and my answer is no."

"What exactly is your problem?" John said, and it came out sounding more antagonistic than he meant it to, so he felt he had no choice but to double down. "Are you too old? Too out of practise?"

Terry frowned at him, then waved his hand as if he wasn't going to dignify that with a response. "Tell me, John, why is it so important to you that you have me teach with you? If I have changed so much? If I'm as flaky as you claim I am?"

"Because you're the only other person who can teach Cobra Kai."

"Huh. So if you had other options, you wouldn't be here?" Terry asked. He was smirking, but he slumped his shoulders like it bothered him.

John curled his free hand into a fist. He hated the way Terry phrased that, like he knew John had burnt his bridges with everyone else. "Who says you wouldn't have been my first choice anyway?"

Terry straightened up and his eyes brightened. "Don't you always say the sweetest things, Johnny?" he said, punching John on the arm, then squeezing his shoulder.

John took a sharp breath in, and quickly brought his cigar to his mouth to cover his reaction. God, it was pathetic that such a simple touch from Terry affected him. He really had taken Terry for granted. And he hated himself for how much he wanted that hug. Well he'd just have to earn it. Get Terry to return to the dojo, crush LaRusso and Lawrence, then it might be acceptable to share a celebratory hug.

"So whaddaya say?"

Terry gave John the closest thing to a genuine smile that he had since their reunion. "Johnny," he said. And he seemed to be defaulting back to his old nickname. That meant something.

"What? Afraid your girlfriend might disapprove?"

"We don't use reductive terms like girlfriend."

"Oh, you don't? Her decision, I expect? Do everything she says, do you?" You deserve better than that, John thought, but didn't add.

Terry let out a suppressed laugh. "It's not like that."

"Oh, it's not, is it? Come back to the dojo and you won't have to put up with that crap. It'll be an equal partnership and you'll have full decision making powers."

Terry gave John an odd look, and ran his hand back through his hair. John wondered if he had made a mistake in comparing Terry and his girl to the two of them. He didn't want Terry to think he was trying to pry him away from her out of some depraved jealousy. Because that would be ridiculous.

"I've seen men with wives who have more freedom than you," John said.

Terry smirked and nodded, like he wasn't taking him seriously. John noticed him eyeing his hands. "I don't suppose you ever married or anything?" Terry asked.

"No, I never wasted my time with anything like that. Had to keep focused."

"On what? Not the dojo. That's a recent comeback, isn't it?"

"Oh, this and that," John said, remembering how the students had poked holes in his stories, and how Johnny had followed him home. He didn't want a repeat performance with Terry.

"Uh-huh?"

"Are you familiar with brumation?"

"Let's just assume that I'm not."

"Cold blooded animals often enter a period of dormancy in order to conserve their strength and energy in times of peace, so they are ready to fight when they need to."

"Sounds like you're saying you had a thirty-five year long depression nap," Terry remarked, and then he saw John's expression. "Sorry. I shouldn't make light of your mental health issues."

John gave him a withering look. "I can't believe I actually thought I missed you."

Terry laughed. "Took you long enough to realise that. I thought you'd forgotten I existed."

Now it was John's turn to laugh. "How could I ever forget you?"

"Then why didn't you ever call?"

John wasn't sure how to answer that. "I don't know," he said. It was the truth. It was all so complicated. Agonisingly complicated. Terry was derailing him again. He had to get things back on track. "I'm not asking you to throw your whole life away. If you're willing to dedicate yourself to Cobra Kai again, I will endure Cheyenne and your friends, in small doses." Very small doses. He shuddered at the thought. But if it meant he got Terry back… to the dojo.

"You don't understand. For me, it's all or nothing."

John squinted at him.

"It's either this," Terry said, gesturing at the house, "or that." He gestured towards John.

"This journey you're on with your lady friend, can't be particularly enjoyable if you're considering ending it for… me." John felt like he had stepped onto thin ice with that statement, despite the fact that Terry had brought up the idea that it was an either-or choice.

Terry started to laugh, then stopped abruptly and squinted at John, as if surprised he didn't join in. "What is this, self-loathing? From you? That's rare."

John looked away and took a long drag on his cigar. "Can you blame me? When you have to think so hard about coming back to me."

"Careful, Johnny, you almost sound like you actually care."

"Of course I care! I care about you a hell of a lot more than those friends of yours. They can't even see that you're miserable!"

"Miserable? I wouldn't exactly put it like that."

"Would you not? Tell me this, do you wake up each morning filled with purpose and motivation?"

"Well, this morning I did."

"With what, the motivation to chase me off your lawn?"

Terry laughed. "Well, I'd say I was doing a pretty bad job of it if that's what I was trying to do, wouldn't you?"

"Then why don't you stop denying what you really want and come back to where you belong?" John said, extending a hand to him.

"What are you saying, John?"

"You know what I'm saying."

Terry reached out for John's hand, but then pulled away at the last moment. "I'll think about it."

John dropped his arm to his side, and tossed the end of his cigar into the grass, part of him hoping it would cause a fire. Then he walked past Terry, making sure to bump his shoulder on the way. "For the record, I won't be keeping my offer open forever."

"Johnny, wait."

John turned around.

"You really gonna leave without a hug from your war buddy?"

John wanted nothing more than to hurl himself into Terry's outstretched arms, like he always used to. And yet, here he was, seriously thinking about walking away. He'd given Terry multiple chances, and he was still refusing to commit. Maybe he was still playing games. That possibility kept John from walking away.

Terry's expression turned more uncertain the longer John left him hanging.

John sighed and took a step towards him. "Fine. C'mere," he said, putting on his best show of reluctance.

Suddenly his legs were swept out from under him, and the shock and anger stopped him from immediately regaining his balance. Before he could, Terry had seized hold of him in an undignified manner.

"Aww that's so sweet, you really let your guard down around me, huh?" Terry said, leaning over him in a way he probably thought was menacing, but all John could think was this was doing something to him that didn't bear thinking about.

"You son of a bitch," John said, gripping onto Terry's arms and trying to regain his footing, but Terry persisted in holding him at this angle with the sort of evil grin John hadn't seen on his face since the eighties.

Terry leaned closer to him, and his hair brushed against John's cheek. A thrill went through John's body, but he gritted his teeth to stop himself from reacting.

"I thought this was what you wanted, Johnny?" he said in a soft, sing-song voice.

Terry probably meant using a karate move, but the way he said it made it sound like he meant something more sensual. If John was a less rational man, he would seize the moment and pull Terry into the fevered kiss he had tried for so long to deny that he wanted so badly. But it was a risky move, tactically speaking. Especially as this was not his primary mission and making such a move would have unknown consequences.

Terry blinked and adjusted his grip on John. God, he was even more good looking close up, and his eyes were the perfect shade of blue. Terry's gaze flicked down to John's mouth. Was that a sign? John couldn't be sure. He'd never trained for this.

A woman's voice broke the tension. "I knew there was something you were neglecting to tell me," Cheyenne said.

Terry let go of John suddenly, and John fell heavily to the ground.

"I can explain," Terry said, which was exactly the sort of thing someone would say who was caught carrying on with someone else behind the back of his girlfriend, or whatever else he didn't call her.

"I don't think you need to. Terrance, I'm packing my things. I think we need some time apart," Cheyenne said, and turned to go back into the house.

"Guess she… really isn't into karate," John said, as he pushed himself up off the ground and got back to his feet.

Terry let out a hollow laugh. He was staring at Cheyenne as she slammed the door behind her. He turned to John. "Happy now?" he said, and his tone was sharp, but then he smirked.

"Well, I'd say you've made your decision, huh Terrance?"

Terry nodded. "I'd say so." He side-stepped towards John and snaked an arm around his waist, pulling him in tight.

John took a sharp in breath. Terry squeezed his arm around him and rested his head against John's.

John felt like he had a pretty good read on Terry now. All of this nonsense about having a new life and denying himself everything John knew he enjoyed, it was all bullshit. His question had been about the dojo. But it was Terry who had made it a choice between John and that woman. Which question exactly was he answering? The ambiguity was starting to frustrate him.

"Oh stop pussy-footing around," John said, grabbing Terry's shoulder and pulling him around to face him. Then he pressed his lips to Terry's forcefully. At first Terry didn't move at all, but then he started kissing John back and pulled him closer. John didn't remember the last time he'd felt this good. God, he'd missed being this close to Terry, and he'd missed having the hope that maybe just maybe one day they could be more than friends. And all Terry's bullshit about not being interested, that only made this victory sweeter.

When they parted, Terry just looked at him. Terry was unbelievably perfect. John was so lucky to have met him, and so lucky to have been able to track him down again. He felt like he should have some clever quip ready to break the tension, but all he could think about was the kiss and how he wanted another one.

"Didn't know you held a torch for me too," Terry said quietly. "I always hoped. But I didn't know."

John swallowed. Sincere shows of emotion weren't exactly his strong suit. But he had to say something. "Just don't try to force that vegan tofu nonsense down my throat, okay? And don't you even start with any of that enjoying the journey crap."

Terry laughed. "So you'd rather skip straight to marriage, huh? You're already wearing the ring I bought you on the right finger."

John shrugged. "It's the only one it fits," he said. Truthfully, he hadn't even noticed. But he liked the ring, it reminded him of Terry.

"You're avoiding the question, Johnny."

John smirked. "Help me win the All Valley, and then we can talk."

Terry grinned, and John was bowled over by just how goddamn handsome he was when he smiled. "Talk about giving me purpose and motivation!" he said, and pulled John into a tight hug.

John gripped Terry back tightly, and then relaxed in his arms. It felt like the first time he'd relaxed in decades. Maybe it was.

"What do we tell the students about us?" Terry asked.

"I'll tell them you're my partner. Leave it at. They're not stupid. And they won't give a damn. They're not like the kids of our generation, you know."

"I haven't been living under a rock, Johnny, I'm aware times have changed," Terry said, lifting his head to look at him. He grinned. "Partner? I like it!"

John couldn't resist pulling him in for another kiss. This time Terry kissed him back immediately with enthusiasm. It might not have looked promising when Terry hung up on him, and when he greeted him frostily yesterday, but as always, persistence in the face of setbacks paid off. Alone, this war had seemed impossible to win, but now with Terry at his side, in more ways than one, oh, this was going to be fun. And as he broke the kiss only for Terry to pull him in for another one, John felt like he had already won.