#in front of his boy and the rest of the cobras by Miyagi. and Daniel…he changed Johnny. he practically took him away from Kreese. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

robbyswayzekeenes · 3 years

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badass━ demetri (cobra kai) imagine

demetri x badass fem! reader

requested by @klt123456

i hope you like it! just a lil demetri with his badass gf and some making out in the dojo :))

It wasn’t uncommon for there to be competition between high school students. Typically, any teenagers would be warring over who was the most popular, or the most attractive, but something you never tended to find high school students fighting over was who was the toughest. Then again, West Valley High wasn’t like any other high school. Since karate had infested the Valley like it was 1980, people had been changing. It was no longer about who dated who, and who fucked who-- no, the priority was now who could whip the other in a full-blown karate fight. And whilst there was a lot of competition for the top spot; whether it was Tory, or Hawk, or Miguel, and sure, they were all in the running. But everyone knew that the toughest kid at West Valley High was Y/N L/N.

The h/c didn’t look like much. (Your height) and seemingly harmless, she was anything but intimidating. If anyone were to suggest to an outsider that she was the toughest kid in the Valley, they would be ridiculed, especially when compared to Eli’s mohawk or Tory’s resting bitchface. But the thing that made Y/N really badass compared to any of the cobra’s or anyone at Miyagi-Do is that, whilst had been training in karate for a year or so, the girl had been fighting competitively since she was eight.

Red Tigers Karate was the only dojo left in the Valley until Johnny Lawrence brought back Cobra Kai. It had started back in the 80s and was the only one left after they all closed down. It wasn’t particularly busy, not like the rush of people Cobra Kai had received after Miguel’s fight in the cafe, but Y/N had been fighting there since she was a kid. Karate was always the best way for the girl to relieve anger, and now everyone was doing it. Despite the different styles, it was no competition that she was by far the best. She wasn’t defensive and passive like the style taught at Miyagi-Do, and she wasn’t all aggressive and merciless like Sensei Lawrence taught at Cobra Kai. The girl’s karate style was the perfect combination of offence and defence, which made her practically unbeatable. Y/N was badass as shit. And everyone knew it.

Demetri was the opposite of badass. Lanky and skinny, with gimpy, out of proportion limps, karate was definitely not his strong suit. He’d taken many beatings, even before karate came back to the Valley, and for a while, these beatings were even coming from his best friend, Eli. Sure, he’d had his victories in karate, for instance, when he had kicked Hawk into the trophy case during the school fight, but all in all, he had not had many successes when it came to karate. However, Demetri’s biggest success was somehow winning the heart of the biggest badass at school; Y/N L/N herself.

The pair had somehow become friends in school, despite the dark haired boy being very much terrified of her. And from there, their friendship had blossomed into a beautiful relationship, and the pair were both incredibly happy, despite the fact that Demetri had no idea how he’d ended up with someone so far out of his league. Since the karate war had started, Y/N had begun training more and more at Miyagi-Do, helping Daniel train the students, and now, after Kreese’s latest attack, helping Johnny Lawrence and the former Cobra Kai’s learn to fight in a style that wasn’t all offence. Today, whilst Daniel and Johnny were outside separately training Miguel and Sam in order to prepare them for the tournament, Y/N was playing a little game.

“Okay,” The h/c grinned, hopping onto the mat and getting in her stance. “Let’s play a sparring game. Winner stays on. I’ll start.” Demetri could see the mischievous twinkle in his girlfriend’s eye, but of course the new members of Miyagi-Do were not aware of the girl’s capabilities. “I’ll take you on,” Mitch had said with a cocky smirk, and the boy was flat on his back in less than ten seconds. Y/N pushed one strand of h/c hair from her face, winking at Demetri who was trying overly hard not to look impressed. “Who’s next?” The girl grinned, exhaling sharply as at least five new sets of eyes marvelled at her. This was the first time the combined dojos had seen each other fight, and they wouldn’t be the first to underestimate the seemingly innocent girl.

“Alright, Y/N, I’ll take you on,” Hawk said, stepping forwards, his scar twitching as his face twisted in determination. The red haired boy climbed onto the mat, and though he would never admit it to his girlfriend, Demetri was worried for her. He knew full well what he was capable of, and he had the scar on his arm to prove it. However, the brown eyed boy was wrong to doubt, as in thirty seconds, Y/N had Eli in a pin. “I win,” The girl breathed, one of her h/c strands falling from her bun. Eli got up with a huff and walked to the edge of the mat again, taking his spot next to Demetri.

As training went on, Y/N took every student on, working her way around everyone except Demetri and every time being victorious. “Holy fuck, she is badass,” Bert breathed after being thrown to the floor less than five seconds. He was the penultimate student, and still no one had managed to beat Y/N. Demetri let out a steady breath as he knew the time had come for him to get his ass handed to him by his girlfriend, and certainly not for the first time. Hawk smirked playfully before whispering to his best friend; “If it took her thirty seconds to get me down, I reckon she’ll have you in three.” “Actually, last time it was two,” Chris chimed in, earning a playful laugh from the others which caused Demetri to blush. However, it was at this moment that Sensei LaRusso chose to step into the dojo alongside Sensei Lawrence.

“Training’s finished for today, guys,” Daniel spoke, and Demetri was hesitant to let out a sigh of relief. As much as he loved Y/N, he would rather not have his ass kicked in front of the other teens, even if she had done the same to the rest of them. “You got lucky, Met,” Chris grinned, clapping the dark haired boy on the back as they began to file out the dojo. “Great training today, guys.” The h/c haired girl smiled, though Demetri’s brown eyes caught the mischievous glint in her e/c ones, and his eyebrows raised. “Sensei, if you don’t mind, I wanna train with Demetri a little longer. We didn’t get to finish today.” As soon as those words escaped her lips, the boy knew he was screwed. “Sure thing, Y/N. Thanks for all your help. It’s good to have someone round here who knows karate but also knows what it’s like to be a teenager.” “No problem,” The girl smiled, her eyes meeting Demetri’s with a smirk. “Yeah, and it’s good to have someone round here who’s an actual badass, too,” Sensei Lawrence chimed in, earning a disapproving look from Daniel. “I”m badass as fuck, I’ll have you know,” The man argued, and Y/N chuckled, closing the dojo doors and forcing the men to take their childish bickering somewhere else.

Demetri exhaled deeply as his girlfriend turned to face him. “Didn’t think you were getting out of a fight, did you?” The girl asked with a smile, causing the boy to roll his eyes. “Gee, anyone would think my girlfriend enjoyed kicking my ass.” “Maybe I do,” Y/N grinned cheekily before pressing a chaste kiss to the tall boy’s lips. “Now come on, in your stance.” Reluctantly, Demetri planted his feet and lifted up his guard, quirking an eyebrow at the girl who adjusted her hair where it sat atop her head before saying; “Ready? Hajime.” The h/c pounced forward, throwing a kick to Demetri’s head which he barely managed to block. She then threw one, two, three consecutive punches, but the boy shielded them all. She’s going easy on me, Demetri decided as not one of her shots landed. Scoffing slightly, the dark haired boy threw a feeble punch, but it was intercepted. “Come on, Demetri. You can fight better than that.” “So can you,” He pointed out, causing Y/N to smirk. The girl threw another kick, but he blocked it with the palm of his hand and retaliated with the same kick. A stupidly predictable move, even when she was taking it easy.

Y/N caught the kick under her arm, leaving the boy fighting for balance as she rotated their stance before forcing Demetri backwards, never letting go of his leg. His back hit the wall of the dojo with a crash, and the boy winced slightly. “Oops,” The h/c said, but she didn’t seem at all apologetic. “That was technically not a karate move,” The pedantic boy pointed out as Y/N finally let his leg drop to the floor and stepped inside his guard. “Neither is this,” She whispered, taking the collar of his shirt and pulling him down into a bruising kiss. Demetri was quick to reciprocate, much happier to be kissing his girlfriend than fighting her. Y/N’s hands snaked up to the boy’s dark hair as they continued to kiss, Demetri’s back pressed against the dojo wall. His hands slotted themselves inside the gaps of the girl’s vest top, setting them on her bare waist and making her shiver. “This,” Demetri mumbled in between kisses, “Is much better than fighting.” “We both know I could still beat you at this,” Y/N responded, pulling herself even closer to the boy so that their chests were flushed together. The two continued to kiss until they heard the opening slide of the dojo door, and hurriedly jumped apart.

“What are you- really, guys?” Sensei Lawrence asked as he stood in the doorway, his eyebrows raised. “Sensei,” Y/N breathed, though it’s not like either of them could deny it with their bruised lips and Demetri’s messy hair. “I don’t wanna know,” He interrupted, before glancing at Demetri; “Good going, kid.” The boy blushed a deep red as Johnny went on. “I won’t tell Daniel if you won’t.” Both teens nodded aggressively, knowing full well how Mr LaRusso felt about kids making out in his dojo. “But if you’re gonna fuck, at least clean the mat afterwards.”

#demetri #demetri cobra kai #demetri imagine #demetri cobra kai imagine #demetri x reader #cobra kai #eli moskowitz #hawk moskowitz #cobra kai season three #miyagi do #making out in a dojo #johnny lawrence #daniel larusso #daniel larusso x johnny lawrence #man i love demetri #demetri x badass reader

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demetriandelibinaryboyfriends · 3 years

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AIGHT Y’ALL I wasn’t tagged but I’m doing this anyways because f u c k i t

It's the year 2021 and you're obsessed with The Karate Kid. How are you feeling?

Deadasss weird as fuck, my dude. Like...out of all the things I could’ve predicted happening in our lord’s year 2021, it definitely was NOT getting hyperfixated on a hammy gay ship with a punk and a nerd from a goddamn karate soap opera. And yet...here we are??? I will never understand hyperfixations, my guy. But I’ve met a lot of really cool people in this fandom, so I can’t really complain.

Did you grow up with TKK or are you new to the series?

I have never seen a single Karate Kid movie in my entire life. When I was a kid, it looked kinda dumb so I never got into it XD But then I saw my roommate watching Cobra Kai on Youtube Red one day (he has every streaming service known to man) and I was hooked. And...here I am!

We gotta do the basics. Favorite character:

Literally EVERYONE except for Kreese, Yasmine, Kyler, and Tory, sorry stans

Okay but if we gotta pick, Johnny Lawrence is my Problematic Fave. Also I love my boy Daniel, he’s trying his best!!! And Amanda LaRusso, we stan a queen!!!

Among the kids, definitely Miguel, with Demetri as a close second. I also love Sam, Aisha, Moon, and Hawk (pre- and post-Bastardization Arc, anyways XD)!

Favorite ship:

Take a look at my username and take a WILD FUCKING GUESS lmao Yes it’s Eli/Demetri because DUH, every interaction they have is so fucking gay and Eli fucking saved him!!! And came back to him!!! And betrayed the world’s most terrifying dojo with a WAR CRIMINAL SENSEI all for Demetri!!! And how Demetri was willing to forgive him for everything at the drop of a hat because he always had faith there was still good in his best friend??? That’s TRUE LOVE motherfuckers. Please let them kiss in Season 4. I will sell you all of my limbs. Sam/Miguel is a close second because they’re cute as shit and it’s just so lovely to see two people so unapologetically smitten with each other. They are in LOVE, and I will RIOT if they break up again!!! Keep Sam and Miguel together 2k21!!!

Underrated character:

SAMANTHA LARUSSO!!! The amount of hate my girl gets for acting like a normal teenager and fucking up occasionally JUST like the rest of the cast makes me want to start punching things. She cares SO MUCH about her friends!!! And she loves the shit out of Miguel!!! She hasn’t always been the best friend but you know what??? Neither has Hawk, and we still forgave his ass!!! Also LET HER BE FEMININE but also kick utter ass, my god!!! Femininity should not be synonymous with being weak, y’all! ALSO DEMETRI, like yes, he likes to complain and occasionally run his mouth, but guess what else he likes to do??? Never give up on the love of his life his best friend Eli Moskowitz and refuse to lose faith in him no matter how much of a little shit he’s become, and I for one think that’s very badass of him. Also the way he takes care of Eli pre-Cobra Kai in his own snarky bastard way makes me absolutely Weak and needs more appreciation. Like the dude has charisma and COULD have probably made other friends and left Eli behind if he wanted, but did he??? No, he wants the weepy loser with the lip scar in the polo shirts and dorky sweaters and will protect him as much as his wimpy ass is able!!!

Underrated ship (don’t say therapy, lol):

Among the adults, Daniel/Amanda!!! Like maybe I just don’t watch that much tv, but it seems kinda rare to me to see a happily married hetero couple, and it’s just nice to see a married couple who genuinely love each other and where there’s not like...lingering resentment or some shit. I feel like this ship gets overshadowed by Lawrusso a lot (which like--okay, fair!!! Daniel and Johnny do have a ridiculous amount of chemistry, and the gay undertones are undeniable, so I get it), and it makes me kinda sad. I do love Lawrusso, but I don’t like when Amanda has to get her heart broke for it to happen, you feel? Among the kids, honestly YasMoon. Like I really love the idea of Yasmine trying to better herself because of Moon’s influence on her and because Moon like...inspires her to be a better person, I guess? With their pretty strong friendship, it just makes more sense to me for Yasmine to get a redemption arc through Moon than through Demetri. ALSO girls DO often pull the whole “mean girl” shtick to cover up being closeted lesbians, and Moon IS canonically bi, so it could work!!! I just think this one could be a really interesting Friends to Lovers take, and could make a really nice coming-out arc for Yas. And MoonPiper too, honestly!!! Like they only got 5 seconds of screentime so I understand WHY it’s underrated, but I still love what we DID get and loved that there was a canon gay ship (even if only for 1 scene lmao). I’m really excited to potentially see more of them in Season 4!!! Please, I’m begging!!!

Wax On, Wax Off or Sweep the Leg?

Sweep the Leg because it will always be deeply hilarious to me how Demetri took note of the first move Eli ever used on him and spent presumably weeks perfecting it OUT OF SPITE just to get him back with it at the soccer game MONTHS later. Just goes to show how OBSESSED Demetri is with Eli and their little karate rivalry which is just NOT straight, I’m sorry

Which of Daniel’s dumb little outfits is your favorite?

There’s something so funny about this pretentious little fuck walking around in fancy suits once he becomes a #SuccessfulBusinessman, and still occasionally trying to do karate in a full-ass suit (take THAT, Tom Cole’s boba!!!) I’m also a big fan of how he looks in his gi with his little headband. Still killing that look as a 40-50-something!!!

Character from the films you most want to return, who’s not Terry Silver:

Tbh I have still never seen a single Karate Kid movie (they took them off of Netflix, RIP), so...I don’t really care if they bring anyone else back??? I’m invested in the characters we already have in the show, I don’t need some rando from the movies to make a cameo to have a good time XD The only character I really wanted them to bring back was Ali, and they already did, so like...I’m good??? That’s all I really needed, I can die in peace now XD

Scene that lives in your head rent-free:

Basically any fluffy Elimetri scene, but 5 in particular: ~Miguel first meeting Eli and Demetri at the lunch table, and Eli looking at Demetri like he hung every goddamn star in the sky ~Demetri going off at a terrifying, “unhinged” karate sensei on the first day of Cobra Kai because he made fun of Eli’s lip and Demetri is not about that shit ~ELI STEALING DEMETRI’S NACHO AND SMIRKING AT HIM, LIKE EXCUSE ME SIR PLEASE BE A LITTLE LESS HOMOSEXUAL IN FRONT OF YOUR GIRLFRIEND ~Eli yanking Demetri onstage during Valley Fest to hold a board, and Demetri being visibly like...extremely turned on when Eli breaks said board ~ELI SAVING DEMETRI DURING THE CHRISTMAS FIGHT, ELI APOLOGIZING, DEMETRI AND ELI KICKING COBRA ASS TOGETHER AKSBDCUWYVCBU

Will Anthony LaRusso ever be relevant?

I hope not! He’s kind of a funny meme character to pop up now and again but I don’t think he deserves a serious plotline when there are so many more interesting characters to follow.

You live in The Valley and are forced into the karate gang war. Which dojo do you join?

Miyagi-Do because Cobra Kai would eat me alive. Also I’d probably straight up get stuck and die in that cement mixer, if I even made it that far XD Besides, being salty that your friend who you have a crush on likes martial arts better than you and starting martial arts to impress them but also being too lazy to join anything TOO intense is a Big Mood and I am certainly not speaking from personal experience here, no sirree

What’s your training montage song?

"Shut Up and Drive” by Rihanna for a weight-training and bicep-flexing montage, “Whatever It Takes” by Imagine Dragons for a more intense punching-and-kicking-shit montage. I don’t know why this is, I just feel it in my heart.

It’s the crossover event of the century! Which TV show are you combining with Cobra Kai for an hour-long Saturday night special?

*Briefly panics because I don’t actually watch that much TV and most of the stuff I do watch is fantasy/sci fi shit that absolutely would not work for a CK crossover*

Hmmmm okay but ACTUALLY

You know what would be fucking funny as hell would be an It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia crossover. Allow me to elaborate: ~The Gang goes to LA on vacation during the height of the Karate Dojo Wars. They literally can get barely anything done without all these goddamn karate-fighting teenagers getting in the way. ~They are all very annoyed by this. Even the most obscure of tourist attractions is eventually intercepted by karate fights. ~Mac tries to join Cobra Kai because he sees all this karate fighting on, and wants to unquestionably prove both his badassery and masculinity. Both Johnny and Kreese are like “Wtf are you doing here? Aren’t you like 30?” ~Mac gets a planet-sized crush on Johnny after all of 5 minutes and endlessly gushes to the gang about him. The gang mercilessly roast him about this and about how much of a pathetic loser with his life together in no way whatsoever Johnny sounds like. They proceed to have exactly 0 self awareness about this. ~The Waitress is in town visiting family or something, and Charlie is stalking her, as per usual. However, every time he’s about to go up and talk to her, a pack of battling Miyagi-Dos and Cobra Kais throwing punches and kicks everywhere blocks his path. One times, Mac is among one of these packs and Charlie is like “???? He didn’t get kicked out of that teen karate dojo yet???” ~Seeing how much the Kids These Days seem to like fighting, Charlie drops by a local high school to try and sell Fight Milk to the kids doing karate. Only Kyler and Brucks buy into it, and subsequently get the entire West Valley High wrestling team sick. Charlie is inevitably arrested, as Counselor Blatt thinks he’s selling the kids drugs. ~Dennis makes a plan to have sex with every hot chick he can in Los Angeles. He meets Ali on a dating app post-divorce, and inevitably tries to bang her. It doesn’t work. ~Frank crashes the rental car, and inevitably the gang ends up at one of Daniel’s dealerships. Dee quickly takes a liking to Daniel and is like “Watch, assholes--Imma homewreck this guy’s marriage.” She starts frequenting the dealerships to attempt to flirt with Daniel, until one day she walks in on him having sex with Johnny in a back room and she’s like “Is that the guy from Mac’s goddamn dojo?!?!” ~Dennis, of course, tries to sleep with Amanda. Amanda is not having it, and rebukes him in the most snarky, Amanda-esque way possible. Dennis is just like “Oh not AGAIN--the women in this goddamn diva city have too high of standards!” ~Later on, the gang is at the beach and Dennis spots the blonde lady he went out on an ill-fate date with, and decides to give it another shot--that is, until he sees her go up and kiss another woman and he’s like “IS THAT THE LADY FROM THE CAR DEALERSHIP??? STUPID-KARATE-KICK-COMMERCIAL’S WIFE?!? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.” ~Dee complains to Dennis about her lack of luck getting laid, and Dennis is just like “Oh come ON, is everyone in Los Angeles gay???” Smash cut to Hawk and Demetri having sex, Moon and Piper making out, Bert and Nate holding hands, Chris and Mitch doing oral, and Amanda, Ali, and Carmen having a threesome. ~Frank tries to scam Kreese into buying cheaply-made karate equipment for his dojo. The gang ends up having to leave LA because Kreese is quite literally plotting all of their murders.

For tagging, uuuuhhhhhh @jackonthelongwalk @soe-leo @max-eagle-fang @cc-tinslebee @backawayfromthegay @asphodel-storm do the thing, if y’all haven’t yet!

#cobra kai #cobra kai season 1 #cobra kai season 2 #cobra kai season 3 #ck #tag game #binary boyfriends #daniel larusso #johnny lawrence #it's always sunny in philadelphia #iasip

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sisterpiranha · 3 years

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What to do when you nemesis gets a boyfriend and doesn't have time for your rivalry anymore?

I woke up today and I couldn't get this idea out of my head. So I had to write it. Also. this is inspired in a post I've read on tumblr some time ago, but I can't find it now. If somebody knows what I'm talking about and has it at hand, let me know!

Also, yes, the first few paragraphs are just exposition. And this is completely self-indulgent and completely not serious. Not really sorry.

Nobody beta this but my own conscience.

Summary: Johnny gets a boyfriend and Daniel's whole world is shaken.

Pairing: Johnny Lawrence/Daniel Larusso (endgame), Johnny Lawrence/omc

Rating: No sex, but there’s some explicit language, I guess.

CHAPTER 1

Six months after Kreese was arrested and Johnny Lawrence got Cobra Kai back, things seemed to have gone back to normal. Daniel still wasn't happy about the other dojo, but he could now at least accept that it wasn't the same toxic place it had been in his youth. And the San Fernando valley was certainly big enough for both.

The two men reached an uneasy truce, that went as far as to refer students to the other dojo when they thought their philosophy was better suited for them.

And sure, he was now divorced, living on his own in an apartment. And he had also become little more than a figurehead in his own business. But it was fine, everything was fine. He was doing what he loved. Amanda and he had agreed to keep the relationship amicable. And his new place was closer to Miyagi-Do. He was, in short, generally happy.

When the date of the All-Valley Karate Championship arrived, Daniel brought most of his older students, but he knew that Sam and Robby were the ones who had the greatest chance of winning. And of course, Cobra Kai had to be there, too. They made its now traditional entrance to the delight of the announcer and the crowd. Johnny's flashy style had made the dojo popular, and, here and there among the audience, you could see people wearing Cobra Kai t-shirts and waving Cobra Kai flags. It made Daniel scoff. He would never debase karate like that just for the sake of merchandising.

Johnny entered after his students, followed by Miguel. The boy, decked in his black gi, moved swiftly on his crutches. He might not be competing, but he was his sensei's right-hand man and, in may ways, the heart of the dojo, so his presence was essential, even if it was just to give support.

Daniel tried to meet Johnny's eyes. He wanted the man to see him rolling his eyes at their flashy behaviour and needless commercialization of karate, but Johnny's eyes were focused on something else. Or rather, on someone else, a tall male someone else. He was standing in the sidelines saying something to Johnny and smiling. Johnny was also smiling and nodding. But the strangest thing of all was that, when the announcer started talking again, the man caressed Johnny's arm before he went to sit with the audience.

Daniel frowned just as Johnny looked in his direction. He couldn't decipher the man's expression, so he just turned his back and went to speak with Sam, deciding to ignore the whole incident.

And once the tournament started, Daniel forgot all about the stranger. He would never admit it out loud, but he loved seeing Johnny so supportive of his students. Win or lose, he'd be there to pat them in the back and give them words of encouragement. He regretted not seeing that sooner, not seeing how hard Johnny tried to do what was best, even if he didn't always go about the right way.

One by one, the students fought, and Daniel couldn't help but feel impressed about their progress. Eventually, Robby took the lead for Miyagi-do and Aisha, for the Cobras. And soon, they were facing each other in the final fight. They were well matched. Robby was a quick fighter with a knack for analysing his rival's style so he could predict their moves. Aisha was not as fast, but she had endurance on her side and an unpredictability that eventually allowed her to come on top.

When the referee raised her arm the whole place erupted in cheers. Robby was graceful in his defeat, he shook her hand and move away to let the celebrating Cobras surround her, and even some members of Miyagi-do joined them.

Daniel smiled at her from a distance, letting her enjoy her moment with her peers. Then he went to talk to Robby. He had fought a good fight and he told him so, but the boy didn't seem too concerned about having lost. He patted him in the back and went to look for Johnny. Robby wasn't the only one who could be grateful in defeat. But what he saw when he found him, stopped him in his tracks.

Johnny and the stranger.

Johnny kissing the stranger.

Johnny kissing the stranger who was a man.

And it wasn't just a friendly peck either, he could swear there was some tongue involved. The stranger's arms were around Johnny's neck, and Johnny's around his waist, their bodies plastered against each other. Daniel was fuming. It was completely obscene and inappropriate to do that in front of children. There must be some rule to forbid this in a public arena. And if there wasn't, maybe he would propose one in the next committee meeting.

He was already mentally drafting the proposal and considering if he could retroactively penalise Johnny when a hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks.

"Dad?"

Sam was standing there, looking at him with concern.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Why wouldn't I be ok?"

"You look... mad, what happened?"

"Nothing, well just..." he signalled Johnny and the stranger still going at it.

"What?" She looked behind his back, confused.

"It's disgusting!"

"Dad! They are just kissing!"

"In front of children!"

"Dad, you're not... You know that's normal, right?"

"I know it is! But not in public!"

Sam sighed. Robby appeared behind him.

"What's going on?"

"My dad has just seen Mr Lawrence with his boyfriend."

"His WHAT!?"

"Yeah, he told me Alex might come."

"Alex?"

"He's a lawyer. He helped my dad a lot with my case, and I guess they clicked."

"I think they are cute, your dad looks happy," Sam commented with a smile.

Daniel snorted but say nothing. The image of Johnny kissing that man was still engraved in his mind and it was making him queazy.

"We have to go. Moon is having a party and we need to change. You don't mind, right?"

"No, sure, go ahead."

"Thanks," Sam said kissing his cheek. "See you later!"

Daniel looked at his daughter and student walking away distractedly, as he mentally considered inviting the rest of the committee members to dinner to see if he could get them on board his "code of conduct" idea.

"Larusso."

And suddenly, Johnny was right in front of him. And at least he had the decency of being alone. But his cheeks were flushed and his lips were pink and wet, and Daniel couldn't stop looking at them.

"John," Daniel managed to say, trying to sound as cold and aloof as he could.

"What crawled up your ass? If you're mad about Aisha winning..."

"No, of course not!"

"Then what's happening?"

"What's happening your indecent spectacle back there," he said trying to control his anger and failing.

"My what? We were just kissing!"

"Just kissing?! That wasn't just kissing!"

"I don't know what to tell you, Larusso. I mean, if you don't recognise kissing when you see it, then I'm starting to understand why your wife divorced you," Johnny laughed.

"What did you say?" Daniel took a step forward, ready to pounce.

"Relax! It was just a joke!" Johnny said putting his hands up. "Really, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me. Since when are you gay, anyway?

"I'm not gay."

"Well, the guy sucking your face a moment ago may have something to say about that."

"No, I'm bi. Bisexual. I still like chicks, but I like some cock too if you know what I mean."

"Ugh, you're disgusting."

"I'd have never taken you for a homophobe."

"I'm not a homophobe!"

"You could have fooled me."

"I just don't like seeing children exposed to... that. You better not be doing that in your dojo too!"

"No, don't worry, I don't kiss him in the dojo," Johnny said smiling, "I just suck his dick."

Daniel groaned, which made Johnny laugh.

"I'm serious, Lawrence. I can get you banned from the tournament for indecency."

"Yeah? And what do you think the committee is going to do about you being homophobic?"

"For the last time, I'm not homophobic!"

"Sure, whatever you say, Larusso. I gotta go, my boyfriend is waiting for me outside. We are going to have dinner and then we are going to fuck our brains out, possibly right there in the restaurant."

"You're such a dick."

"At least I'm getting some. I hear all you're getting lately is your right hand. So I better go. I don't want to keep you from your date."

"Go fuck yourself!"

"I already have someone to do it for me!" and with that, Johnny walked away laughing.

Daniel looked around. Everyone else was gone. He wanted to kick something in the face, something blond and cocky. And maybe his boyfriend too. He kicked a balloon hard, but it just floated slowly for a few meters and then came down again. He needed to go to Miyagi-Do and do some katas.

#lawrusso #cobra kai #johnny lawrence #daniel larusso #needed the distraction #back to my bullshit #but I didn't abandoned my other bullshit #I have enough bullshit for both

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charliejrogers · 4 years

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The Karate Kid (1984)

Being a fan of pop culture in the 2010s has meant a lot of things, but one of them has definitely being subject to boat loads of 80s nostalgia of which I have none. There was a Ghostbusters revival, a Star Wars revival, those commercials that recreated significant portions of Ferris Bueller and E.T., the very existence of Stranger Things with its infinite call-backs to E.T., Aliens, Indiana Jones, etc. But as a big-time fan of How I Met Your Mother, I was subject to endless references to 1984’s The Karate Kid. Between HIMYM and that episode of Community where they recreate the entire movie as a play, I feel like I had already seen this movie before, and frankly I wasn’t too excited. I’ve been told “wax on, wax off” so many times in my life it had practically lost all meaning. After so much build up for what seemed like a silly teen movie from 36(!) years ago, I expected to be disappointed.

I love when my expectations are wrong. This movie fucks. If I were a kid/teen in the 80s, I would absolutely be a Karate Kid fanboy. Yes, in plot it’s not too different than the first Rocky movie. A challenge is put forth to our underdog protagonist (here Daniel played by Ralph Macchio) and the movie focuses on his training alongside an old, cranky man (here Mr. Miyagi played by Pat Morita) as he gets ready for the big fight with which the movie closes.

Like Rocky, Karate Kid too focuses on issues of class. Daniel and his single mother live in a slightly dilapidated apartment complex and drive a car that often requires a (quite literal) running start. Meanwhile, seemingly the rest of the high school Daniel attends lives in mansions and attends social gatherings at the local country club. But where I felt Rocky was rather one-noted in terms of its themes, this movie isn’t simply a rich vs. poor story. Nor, like Rocky, is the final fight simply a way for the protagonist to gain glory. This is a coming-of-age tale, one in which training is less about building muscle and more about find balance (in more ways than one). And it’s a film whose script is in countless subtle ways filled to the brim with heart.

Every character is a fully rounded individual whose backstory is filled with sadness, sometimes made obvious to the audience, sometimes merely hinted at. Much has been said (sometimes comically, sometimes not) about how the film’s primary antagonist (the snobby, entitled, rich kid Johnny Lawrence played by William Zabka) is unfairly portrayed as a villain. While I find these arguments largely facetious, I admit he is far more than your average movie stereotype of a bully. He’s subtly nuanced with real motivations beyond the plot’s need to have an antagonist, especially since Daniel is far from an innocent victim and does much to provoke the conflict between himself and Johnny.

But take Daniel’s mom (played by Randee Heller). We never hear “boo” about Daniel’s father. We don’t know if the two divorced, if his father passed away, etc. What we know is that this is a woman for whom her child is her world. She will do anything to advance her station to give him a better life, but she is not embarrassed of who she is. Yet her heart breaks (and ours with her) when she sees her son’s black eye or sees him throw his broken bicycle in the dumpster. She cares so much that her son fits in and that he has friends, that she blames herself for anything that goes wrong, seemingly giving little thought to her own sacrifices, that she too moved across the country for the promise of a job in tech only to end up working as a hostess/waitress in a local restaurant. All these details are plain and out in the open, but never fully dwelled upon, which is appropriate. This movie isn’t her story. Yet these small details are crucial. They build a realistic world in which Daniel operates and heightens the drama of his situation. He’s not just fighting to get back at bullies. He’s fighting because he’s too young to fully appreciate what his Mom has done for him. He just sees that his Mom has always made him an outcast socially (it’s not the first time they’ve made a move like this), that she dropped into a new school environment, and he now turns to violence because presumably because no male figure has been there to teach him any other way.

All this makes his relationship with Mr. Miyagi so beautiful. On his sixteenth birthday, it is Mr. Miyagi that Daniel chooses to celebrate with over his own mother. Only in the 1980s could films pair teenage boys with old men with no questions asked (see: Doc Brown & Marty in Back to the Future). But the two fill a void in each other’s lives. Multiple times Daniel asks Mr. Miyagi how he learned all the various things he knows about life and karate, and every time Miyagi answers that it was from his father. Daniel replies that Miyagi’s father must have been something special, and we can just hear the pangs of regret beneath Daniel’s words that he wished he had such a man in his life. And on the converse, in that unforgettably emotional scene where a drunken Miyagi openly grieves his wife and newborn child who died in a Japanese internment camp forty years prior from likely preventable complications of childbirth, in front of Daniel, we learn how Miyagi was denied the opportunity to pass on that incredible Miyagi family wisdom to the next generation. Surrogate father gains surrogate son; what could be more beautiful?

There are other small thematic touches I enjoy. I like how the two karate trainers are symbolic of how American vets from differing eras transitioned to civilian life. The Cobra Kai dojo where the film’s antagonist Johnny trains is headed by John Kreese, a highly militant Vietnam vet who treats his dojo like training camp. Orders are barked out and push-ups expected for the slightest infraction. It is not enough to defeat the enemy: they must be destroyed, shown no mercy. This Vietnam vet never fully transitioned to civilian life. He fought in a war that America never won, and therefore never really ended. In an effort to gain control and respect he creates new enemies and uses brute strength to subjugate them.

Miyagi on the other hand has no interest in violence. He tells Daniel how he was always scared to fight, which at the time in the film seems to mean that he is scared when he has to fight out in the streets, but after we find out about his military service it instantly speaks of his time fighting the Germans in WWII. He fought and risked his life, scared that he would never again see his wife, all for a country who didn’t care about him, who let his wife and child die. He won his war, was likely celebrated as a hero, but what price glory? Victory gave him nothing, which likely informs his final advice to Daniel before he tries to return to fight Johnny despite Daniel’s broken leg. Miyagi asks Daniel what’s the point of fighting since he made his point and gained the Cobra Kai’s respect. The fact that Daniel insists on fighting goes against Miyagi’s deeply rooted life philosophy to not use karate in an aggressive manner. Yet he compromises because he loves the boy and to do otherwise would break his heart. The ritual laying on of hands is obviously little more than placebo, but it means the world to a boy who places his utmost love and faith in the man.

Probably the weakest aspect of the film is the love story but that’s not to say that Macchio and Elizabeth Shue aren’t cute and don’t share good chemistry throughout the film. They are and they do. Really it’s more just that this movie is a product of its time and largely views Shue’s Ali as an object to be “won” by either Daniel or Johnny. That said, she is a fairly strong character who is more than capable of standing up for herself, but overall doesn’t have a whole lot of personality other than having a good heart.

But a weak love story does little to drag this movie down. I’ve spoken little of the film’s cinematography but there are many beautiful and expertly crafted shots. I loved the way that the shadows of the Cobra Kai loom large behind Daniel as he hurries to ride his bike home without being pummeled at the beginning of the film. And all of the shots from the beach contain stunning shots of water and sun. But the reall winner is incredibly smartly crafted script that refuses to overplay its action. In fact, there is really little action throughout the film, which makes the ending karate tournament montage set to “You’re the Best Around” a genuinely exciting sequence. Overall, its emphasis on character-building scenes over muscle-building training sequences help this to rise above the crappy movie this could have been. I was not expecting to be brought to tears by The Karate Kid, but with one of the all-time great characters in Mr. Miyagi, it’s hard not to be won over. Don’t fear the hype, this movie really is one of the best around.

***3/4

(3 and 3/4 stars out of 4)

#the karate kid #ralph macchio #mr. miyagi #pat morita #william zabka

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