Chapter Text
Johnny and Daniel had an agreement, ever since Daniel won the All Valley in '84.
Which was, one; for Johnny to leave Daniel alone, never giving him a serious beatdown ever again.
Then two, that they would use each other whenever things get heated. They were rivals, until they became rivals with benefits. And they agreed that night after Daniel's All Valley win, after a heated argument and an angry sex in the showers, that they'd never catch feelings for each other, even scoffing at the thought of having feelings for their karate rival.
Well, it's not really funny anymore, nor is it something to scoff at, when Johnny finds himself unable to let go what Daniel just told him a second ago.
"You listening to me, Johnny?" Daniel gives him a questioning look, unsure whether or not goldilocks was paying attention.
Johnny shakes himself back into reality. "I heard you, LaRusso. Loud and clear. You said you wanted to date that guy... what's his face."
Johnny feels something twist inside his stomach as he repeats it back to the brunette.
"Yeah. I guess you were paying attention." Daniel nods, absentmindedly going back sipping his drink.
Johnny doesn't know how this happened, really. They were just supposed to be fuck buddies. At least, that's how it started a decade ago, but it's almost the end of the 20th century. First, they were just fucking to release pent up tension. It worked great. 'hey, that was great, Johnny,' 'yeah, you're not so bad, LaRusso,' and then they exchanged smiles... and numbers. Then he started thinking, 'what the hell. I don't have any more friends after I lost the fucking tournament. Why don't I call LaRusso, see if he wants to hang out, pop a couple beer bottles and maybe fuck,' and then they started hanging out, getting to actually know each other. And then Johnny realized, 'hey, we actually like the same things, same taste in music, movies, we got so much in common... maybe we could be buddies.'
Now it's not casual anymore. A decade in, and it's not casual anymore.
Johnny looks back at LaRusso sitting across him in the booth with the sunlight hitting him just right in this comically '50s themed diner, right across the street is the now-derelict Cobra Kai building. He studies the guy for a second. God, this is the face of the guy he beat up in high school. And this is the guy he's gotten to know the past decade, who just happens to also be the only guy that's been inside him. so many times. too many to count. (but Johnny will never let the other guy know that. He made up so, so many lies of hooking up with a lot of people. Better appear busy to LaRusso so he doesn't think I'm a loser.)
Recounting it - and the memories of sweaty, dark-eyed LaRusso manhandling him in the dark of night so many times, flashes in his head - making Johnny's face flush almost immediately.
"You okay, Johnny?" Daniel asks again, brows furrowed.
"I'm fine. So tell me about this dickweed you're seeing," Johnny waves him off, leaning forward as if now putting on his listening caps.
Daniel smiles at the crass language his blond companion loves using. He's grown so fond of Johnny the past few years, that it's kind of hard to imagine spending the weekend with anybody else, if ever. "it's uh, Ian, one of the guys mr. Miyagi and I are teaching,"
"the one that you said couldn't tell his left foot from the right?" Johnny quirks up an eyebrow, miffed.
Daniel let out an involuntary snort. "No, well, yeah - stances are tricky,"
"Not to me it's not," Johnny said, half-assed bragging in his delivery.
"I know," Daniel said softly. "He asked me out, and I said okay, why not."
Something about that doesn't sit right with Johnny. He clears his throat. "Uh, sure. but if he starts acting out, sweep the leg."
Daniel purses his lips. "He'll know how to dodge that."
"then call me if things go south on your date. I found new ways to sweep people's legs over the years," Johnny offers, sincere in his threat.
"...Okay." was all that Daniel could say with a soft, relenting sigh. They finish their drinks in companionable silence, as the afternoon sun bathes them in warmth.