Chapter Text
A giant jittery sensation sweeps up Daniel's body, causing him to jerk slightly in surprise and relief, and he nearly stumbles forward against Johnny, a small muffled sound emanating from him. His browline knits as his eyes squeeze tight and, as he tentatively presses his lips back, his features ease up. Не absently hums once, steadily and earnestly working his lips against Johnny's as he braces a hand on one of his arms.
Johnny murmurs a sound of his own, fingers of one hand spreading and shifting to catch Daniel's hair and the back of his neck as he kisses him. And the guy kisses back, hell yeah. Johnny's stomach swoops as he pulls himself closer- he doesn't feel cold anymore, in fact, he feels like he's starting to burn up, warmth filling him as they kiss and as Daniel holds on to his arm.
"Yeah, Daniel," he breathes against his lips, clutching onto him with a strength and vigor that he really hopes the guy is okay with. Because he'll be damned if he's letting go.
Daniel hears his name this time, his heart jumping at the sound, excitement swelling in his chest. His face is starting to feel hot now, even as cold droplets of water drip down from his hair and trace his cheeks. He's kissing Johnny more enthusiastically now, a small breathy sound escaping him in response as if it's been wrung out of his lungs. His eyes flutter even as his lashes stick together, and he draws up his other hand to latch onto Johnny's shoulder. Christ, is this- is thiS what he wanted?
He feels almost dizzy thinking about it.
Johnny breaks his lips away from Daniel's and comes back in, breath coming out in quick puffs from his nose as he tilts his head this way and that to keep kissing the guy. He feels an ache starting and slowly drags the hand not holding onto Daniel's hair down to hold his side. He wants to grip the guy's hip and move into him, but - not yet, slow down, Johnny, he says to himself.
He's gonna have to figure out what Daniel wants. But he can do that, now.
Daniel can't stop the gasp that escapes him at Johnny's touch and he has to break contact to press his hand over his mouth, practically smacking the back of it to his lips, nearly knocking into Johnny's face in the process. He doesn't move away from his embrace; however, he does utter a hurried 'sorry' as a means to alleviate any worry, wide eyes darting to the people huddled up all together for warmth near the front of the room. He absently tightens his grip into Johnny's shirt, his face feeling hotter by the second. God, he feels like an idiot, losing himself there... They're in the middle of a storm for crying out loud!
Johnny shakes his head at the apology, squeezes Daniel and smiles. "You're alright, LaRusso," he says, feeling his heart squeezing as it seems to also be floating in his chest, somehow.
When Daniel's eyes flick back to Johnny's face, he knits his brow with skeptical amusement. "What...?" he prods, slowly dropping his hand away from his face.
"What?" Johnny huffs. He swallows and takes the hand LaRusso has lowered, gripping it. Don't make me say it again, he thinks. "You're alright, I -" Johnny feels his cheeks heat up. At the very least his ears are. "I dig ya," his voice is rough now for a different reason than before. He hopes like hell that admitting that won't freak LaRusso out. Hardening his tone a little to get back to their familiar territory of talking crap "Why else you think I'd agree t' come here, huh?"
Daniel bites back his initial response, wanting to note that he gathered as much from his kissing him, but he instantly loses all words when Johnny finishes speaking. He moves his mouth, eyes flicking back and forth for a moment. Once again, Johnny reading along as Daniel speaks a seemingly endless thought aloud comes to mind. It did cross his mind that it was funny how he'd agreed so fast, but this is something else. He eventually manages to croak out, "You-... That's... why?"
"Why what? Why do I dig you?" Johnny wants to roll his eyes, but something about the croaky way LaRusso asks makes him realize he shouldn't give the guy crap.
For once.
Hell, why does he like him?
"You never know when to quit," he says. "Always came back at me with somethin', whether it was t' fight or with that smartass mouth of yours." He still feels warm, and that warmth has him thinking. "You talk, hell, you never STOP talking -" it's annoying, but he appreciates it. Ali wouldn't talk, but he knows Daniel will. And he's a good guy, with the biggest heart. Stubborn as hell, too. Johnny could stand here and list things "There's a lotta things, but- I can't help it." There's that too. He shrugs a little. It's like they're drawn to each other, or something. He doesn't hold out for that fate and destiny crap, but there's something between them, something he doesn't know how ta explain.
That's ... not what he was asking.... Daniel feels his face burning up as he drops his eyes a bit, mulling over what Johnny had just admitted. "I was... jus' asking if - that's why... you wanted t' come with... me t- to Okinawa," he mumbles after a minute, eventually finding Johnny's eyes again, appreciation and embarrassment swimming in his.
Oh. Shit. He was just asking that?? Johnny can feel his face burn and he covers it, drawing down his hand and then catching LaRusso's eyes. Fuck. He clears his throat. "Uh- yeah, that's... That's it," his voice is rough and almost cracking as his heart beats like crazy.
"I..." Daniel bites his lip as he scowls, glowering at the floor beside them. "Hell, it might not make any sense if I don't tell you, right...?" he murmurs partly to himself. If he wants to get mad at him, assume it's out of pity, fine. He has to know.
"I... saw... what Kreese did," he starts, instantly feeling Johnny tense up. He braces in turn, gritting his teeth. He presses on. "I'm telling you," he emphasizes, "that I didn't invite you out of pity, Johnny... I haven't seen you in months, but I couldn't... stop... thinking about that night. How-"
I didn't do anything.
He gulps. "Mr. Miyagi saved you and all I could think that night was that I didn't like seeing you in pain either.... I thought," he sighs, shoulders dropping. He still hasn't lifted his head, still channeling the train of thought he's on at the ground. "I don't know," he shakes his head, briefly closing his eyes. "I guess I thought inviting you, that you'd have fun... that I-..." wouldn't see you in pain. "...that you wouldn't-..." have to be afraid like you were, not with me. He spares a glance at Johnny as he says, "I just wanted you here."
Johnny sniffs. Blinks. Feels that warmth turn into a burning ache that clenches around his heart. He doesn't know what to say, or do, except "LaRusso- Daniel" he doesn't whimper, he doesn't, he's Johnny Lawrence, hopefully ex-degenerate by this point, and yet- he's still tough. Still strong, even as he's no longer in Cobra Kai. Instead he's here, in this place, with Daniel of all people.
Daniel, who... Cares.
God-
Johnny closes his eyes and flexes his arms before yanking Daniel into his chest. He wraps the guy in an embrace, feels like he might crush him, but he's not trying to. He just wants to hold him, have him close, this guy, who's so - he doesn't have a word for what Daniel is, other than good. But good doesn't feel like enough.
Daniel emits a startled sound that gets drowned out in Johnny's embrace. He lets out another noise as he adjusts his head against the other so he can breathe, returning the hug as he passes a startled yet concerned glance over Johnny. But he can't catch sight of the guy's face at this angle so he just accepts the hug in full, pressing his nose into Johnny's chest.
Johnny feels himself shaking. He shifts, presses his cheek against Daniel's hair, hands clutching, fingers spread across and gripping on to Daniel's back. He doesn't know what else to do, doesn't know how to quit shaking, so he just stays like this, holding Daniel close as the storm rages.