Work Text:
Two days after the tournament, Johnny had walked into his room only to freeze at the sight on his desk. There was a note next to it and he recognized his mother’s hand writing. He hadn’t read it though. He’d just grabbed both and threw them into the trash. Even years later he had no idea how his mother found all the pieces.
The next day it had shown up in his room again, another note from his mom. He’d read this one, not that it had really helped. He hadn’t thrown it away, if only because he knew it would show up again. Instead, he’d thrown it into his closet and effectively forgot about it. At least until nearly thirty-five years passed.
In retrospect, Johnny was pretty sure he could have gotten the job done without everyone there. It would have taken him ten minutes max rather than the hour that had passed with still more work to be done. It didn’t help that paint somehow kept being thrown at each other too.
Yet after everything that he’d dealt with alone, all the trouble that had plagued his days and nights in the past weeks and months…well being surrounded by others did feel nice, even if he made sure to permanently scowl at them and yell to make sure they didn’t get anything on the mats.
Despite LaRusso getting them the documents that Bobby had apparently needed, it had still been a complicated process of lawyers and papers and loopholes. For the most part, Johnny had stayed out of it, simply focusing on trying to keep his classes up and helping the kids with all he could. However, when it had come time to finally confront Kreese and Silver, Johnny had gone with Bobby.
He didn’t even want to think of that now. Silver was just a straight up nutcase as far as Johnny was concerned. Kreese had been the truly difficult factor to deal with. But he didn’t have to think about him now. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to think of him ever again.
He could truly focus on his dojo now and finally with some hope at pushing it into the direction he wanted to bring it. That was what today was about, trying to actually bring Cobra Kai into the new century and not just re-teach the past.
Miguel and Aisha had invited LaRusso’s kid and Johnny had sort of invited Robby too. The fact that Sam came had probably helped to encourage Robby to come too. Johnny had still made a fuss about Sam, but he was glad that Miguel had listened to his poorly explained advice and talked to her. They weren’t back together and Johnny couldn’t tell if they would or wouldn’t (god teenagers were unpredictable), but he was proud of Miguel for owning up for what he’d done. Johnny sure as hell wouldn’t have done it at that age and it was good to know that the kids were already better than he was.
Despite how proud he was in that regard though, he was repeatedly dropping his face into his hands as paint got thrown into his hair not for the first time.
“Hawk!”
“Sorry Sensei!”
Johnny peaked from between his fingers and clearly saw that Hawk was not sorry in the least. “We have one more word to go. Painting over a damn stencil is not that hard!”
The kids just laughed though as Johnny groaned into his hands. Bobby nudged him with a grin. “Admit it. You’re having fun.”
“Mmm hmm.”
Johnny just rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time. At least they were almost done. He pushed himself back to his feet and headed to the office to find those boxes he’d ordered a while ago. It had been a pain getting a new gi for everyone but in changing Cobra Kai he hadn’t wanted to go halfway. He dragged them out, the wall finally finished as the kids moved to the section of the studio where pictures were being put up. Johnny could still remember how Kreese’s photo had hung near the opening of their dojo, how most of the pictures had just solely been Kreese or at least him as the focal point.
However, in an attempt to really show what Cobra Kai was now, Johnny had given the kids permission to pick photos and put them up so that their own skills were highlighted, not just Johnny. There were a few of them training at the dojo but also pictures of the kids just hanging outside school and karate and a few of the tournament. Bobby had also found an old photo of their gang in all their uniforms and put it up too, bringing the area nicely together.
“Are those the new uniforms?” asked Bert as he looked back and noticed the boxes.
“Yeah. Come on and get yours.”
The next few moments were spent passing out the gi’s and making sure everyone got the right size. Aisha nudged Sam with a grin, joking, “You’d look badass in this too.”
“You know, I’m almost tempted.”
Everyone looked to her in surprise with raised eyebrows.
“If only to see my dad totally freak,” laughed Sam.
Johnny grinned at that. “I will one hundred percent give you a free one as long as you promise to video tape your dad’s reaction.”
“Oh hell yeah!”
Robby groaned. “Really? You’ll give poor Mr. LaRusso a heart attack.”
“I think you’ll find yourself out numbered on this,” Bobby laughed. “Because I too, desperately need to see this happen.”
“Yes!” Sam triumphantly agreed.
“You sure you’re not Cobra Kai material?” smirked Johnny. “You did take my advice to heart after all,” he added, referring to the few times he’d given her some pointers on karate.
“Again, tempting, but I think I’d break my dad’s heart,” Sam laughed, clearly not that worried about the thought as Robby just put his face in his hands, looking very much like his dad as he did so.
The others laughed in agreement. With the uniforms completely passed around and the pictures up, the kids started to clean up the paints and tools, and Johnny went to grab the last piece of the new Cobra Kai.
Going into the back room again, it was easy to find the box. Johnny had honestly forgotten about it until he’d begun cleaning his apartment. It was pure luck that he must have grabbed the box when he’d moved out of Sid’s house and not left it behind. If he had, it was doubtful he would have ever seen it again.
Now he gently pulled it out along with the note from his mom.
I’m proud of you Johnny. I always have been. I hope you know that. You did wonderfully no matter the placement. I hope you can see that one day.
Johnny’s lips twitched into a sad smile. He closed his eyes for a moment. If he concentrated hard enough, he could almost feel her there, hugging him from behind, grip tight and the kiss pressed against his shoulders. It had taken a long time for him to acknowledge those words. He hoped she could see that her work hadn’t been for nothing.
Placing the note on his desk, he picked up the trophy and walked back into the main room. Going over to where his old trophies along with the kids’ were on display, he gently moved them around so that the new one would fit.
“Holy shit,” muttered Miguel. “What happened to it?”
Bobby looked over, his eyes widening with shock. Everyone stepped closer, looking at the broken trophy as a more somber mood fell over the room. Johnny took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts as best he could before glancing at everyone. He looked to the repainted wall, the new motto that had taken ages to come up with, the wall of pictures with smiling faces in mid laughter, so juxtaposed to the stony-faced discipline that had been at the front of the original Cobra Kai.
He looked back to the trophy, could recall the noise of it cracking as Kreese threw it away. One of his thumbs went over a crack. He could feel bits of glue still sticking out, the job not perfect but far more appreciated knowing that his mother had done it in her spare time rather than just paying someone else to do it. He took another deep breathe, his thumb continuing a slow, circular motion over one of the cracks as he finally looked at the kids again.
“Alright, so we’ve spent all day fixing up the studio, to which I still think I could have done it by myself in a tenth of the time—” The kids softly laughed at that. “—but the change doesn’t mean that much if I don’t address it. You aren’t the best. None of you are.”
He paused, less for dramatic effect and really just to try and gather his thoughts again as his students looked to each other in confusion.
“But…but you’re not the worst either. There’s always going to be someone who’s more shit than you at their high kicks. There’s going to be someone who’s always better at you in doing a simple punch. You’re not…you’re not always going to get first place. Or even second for that matter. But it doesn’t mean you should give up.
“There aren’t many moments when you’re definitely the worst, but giving up is one of them. You throw the towel in, then you’re the pussy. But you keep trying, keep working and improving, do new things when the old doesn’t work out and keep pushing forward…well it…if you do that then it doesn’t matter if you get first place or not.
“But it doesn’t mean you should try at any cost either. Just like there aren’t a lot of moments in life where you’re definitely the worst, there are honestly probably even fewer times when you’re definitely the best. But one way to know you’ll at least always be better is by knowing that winning through any means isn’t winning.”
He paused again, wanting to get the words right but also taking time to look at the kids’ faces, particularly Miguel’s and Robby’s.
“I’ve told you before that life isn’t fair and it isn’t. If you don’t strike first, it can walk all over you until there looks like there isn’t any way out. But when you do anything to win…anything, then the whole reason you needed to beat life back in the first place means a lot less.
“Life is hard…it’s full of shit and the rules aren’t always fair. But you shouldn’t always choose when to throw those rules out and make up your own. Winning like that…in karate at least, it destroys the reason why a lot of us joined up in the first place.”
Johnny looked to the wall, the new motto. “Strike first,” Johnny said. “Strike hard. Strike with honor. That’s the Cobra Kai that we are now because being merciless means nothing if you don’t adhere to honor. That’s what I want you all to know. And for the record Robby, Sam, we’re still going to kick Miyagi-Do’s ass in the next tournament—”
The kids finally cracked a smile, laughing at that.
“But we’re not doing it Kreese’s way. We’re not the old Cobra Kai. We’ll do it with honor and we do it together.”
Johnny finally stopped, basically done but now worried how he was supposed to continue after that. However, Hawk helped him out by shouting, “Cobra Kai, never dies!”
The kids cheered, pumping their fists into the air and Johnny joined them in the shout.
As the kids quieted down again, the mirth and easy going nature from before now back, Johnny added, “Cobra Kai also keeps a clean dojo so get back to work.”
A couple of “Yes, Sensei” mixed with laughter came from them as they turned back to cleaning up the mess and went to finally remove the stencil of the new Cobra Kai motto. Bobby moved closer though, slinging an arm around Johnny and leaning against him as he looked at the trophy.
“Your mom did that. Didn’t she?” he finally asked.
Johnny nodded. “I didn’t want it at first. It wasn’t long after the tournament when it showed up in my room…was just too angry and threw it out.”
“But she brought it back,” Bobby sighed. “Of course she did.”
“Yep.”
“How did she even find it?”
“Scouring the parking lot? Talking to janitors? I have no damn idea,” Johnny honestly replied.
They were silent for a moment, both staring at it and stuck in memories for a bit before Bobby added, “I’m proud of you.”
“Really? You’re getting sappy on me now?”
“What do you mean now? I think we can all agree I was the heart of the group.” Bobby paused for a second. “And the brains. And largely the brawn because let’s be real. And the common sense-actually did you contribute anything at all?”
“My good looks?”
“No, I think I had that covered too.”
Johnny laughed playfully elbowing him in the ribs.
“I am trying to be serious though. I’m real fucking happy for you Johnny.”
Johnny’s lips tried to twitch into a bigger smile.
“Come on. Stop being a macho man and admit it too.”
“Alright…I am pretty damn happy.”
“And?”
“And…thank you for coming back.”
“Ah, you’re welcome.”
Johnny rolled his eyes but he still couldn’t keep the smile off his face.
As they continued to talk, Bobby’s arm still around him, Hawk took notice and quickly nudged Miguel and Bert who were at his side.
“Hey. Hey. Hey guys,” he quickly said, leading to everyone looking over to where he was gesturing. “Do you think they’re like…sleeping together?”
“Oh gross!”
“Hawk, that’s my dad you asshole!” Robby cried out, hitting him in the side.
“They’re like fifty,” Aisha said with a shake of her head.
“Wait, is that your only problem?”
“Well I mean—”
“Please stop trying to talk about it.”
“La la la la, not listening!”
“It’s an honest question—”
“What the hell are you yapping on about?” Johnny suddenly snapped.
“Nothing Sensei!” the kids cried in unison, even Robby who quickly corrected himself and yelled, “I mean dad!”
Johnny just blinked in confusion as the kids quickly turned away and went back to work with a newfound intent. Bobby leaned over with an amused grin very much plastered on his face as he murmured, “Ah just leave them be.”
“They were acting suspicious…”
“Don’t all teenagers?”
“Fair enough.”
At the same time that was happening, Hawk leaned over to Miguel and started to whisper, “And you know I always—”
“Shut up Hawk!”
And Hawk did. If only for a few more minutes.