Video | 1stStrike

[strikefirster]

CW: Drug and Alcohol use, including with a minor. Insensitive Language



[The feed opens to a shot Johnny's dojo. There's a few bean bag chairs set up. There are various beer cans strewn about, some crushed and some open, along with a few lines of reddish orange powder on the coffee table.

That sight is soon blocked as Johnny Lawrence flops into view. His eyes are completely bloodshot and there's beer staining his shirt.]

Now listen up-

I've kept a little quiet since that Little Shit started their whole No Mercy campaign- Now that's on me. That shit rocked me to my core. When I started Cobra Kai here it was to help you little nerds gain confidence- Show them that you couldn't be pushed around. It was never my intention for people to get hurt or killed because some asshole stole my creed.

But you know what, punk? You want Cobra Kai? You want No Mercy? Then fine! It's yours! You can have it!
[He reaches down and picks up an empty can and throws it at the feed. It shifts a little but stays on focus.]

But that doesn't mean I'm out of the business. I'm coming at this from another point of view. Back when I hosted the tournament there was a badass sensei- She took the tournament by storm and with one student managed to take home a first place trophy. She was a lone wolf, she was fierce- And she was a good dog. Wagged her tail a lot.

Which is why in her honor now present to you-

[He stumbles across the dojo floor and pulls away at a banner revealing a new logo that looks strikingly similar to Amaterasu.]

Eagle Fang Karate. Because there's only one animal who can truly kill a snake.

[He then points to the camera and starts walking toward getting his face right up against the lense.]

And this isn't just a call out to Chara and their bullshit either- This is to any of you assholes who think you're better than us. Whether it's Sasuke Udickha and his Super Awesome Ninja School, Or D and his Tiny D, or John Fuckus and his stupid skeleton pack, Or Sailor Moon for- You know what? Just fuck her in particular!

And especially- Especially fuck Daniel Larusso and his cheap ass Crane kicking Miyagi Do shit-

[From off-camera someone clears their throat, quickly revealed as a dark-haired boy with dilated pupils who steps in to stand, belatedly, between the viewfeed and the table.]

Sensei - [Paul shakes his head, a thin crease of worry crossing his face] - I thought we said we weren’t going to try to make people angry.

[Johnny runs a hand through his hair. Eyes a little wide as he stares at Paul and realizes he’s getting more than a little heated. He takes a breath and nods.]

Right, right- It’s okay. I’m cool. I’m cool. No one’s going to get pissed off about that. Trust me.

[Paul relaxes, a smile replacing his concern. His trust is obvious, if also perhaps a little too easily swayed back to Johnny’s favor.]

Okay.

[Johnny relents a little more seeing the trust in Paul’s eyes. He takes another second to breathe and let built up anger pass. Between his latest argument with LaRusso and a few other things building up. It was easier than normal for him to get agitated. The beer and spice weren’t helping either. He reaches over and gives Paul a pat on the back before he reaches to turn off the feed, except his fingers fumble and he totally misses it.]

Look, see? Call out over. Eagle Fang is officially in business.

The part about Lady Amaterasu was good. [Paul offers, encouragingly.] So was the part about eagles.

[Paul hesitates, something else clearly on the tip of his tongue. He reaches for the wing-shaped silver pins at his open collar, then thumbs one free to hold in his palm.]

Birds of prey.

Listen - you can say no to this, I'd understand, but - I've been thinking about - a House, a dojo, they are what we decide they are. Who we decide they are.

[He addresses the pin in his hand at first, then raises nervous eyes to Johnny.]

I'm proud to be part of Eagle Fang, sensei. And I'd be proud to call you part of House Atreides, if you wanted.

[With that, Paul extends his hand to Johnny, pin shining.]

[Johnny stares dumb founded the pin for a long while. It could be the booze, it could be the spice, it could be the fact that he’s just a man who’s kept himself at arms length from having an actual family for a long time. But he starts to tear up a little at Paul’s words.

He takes the pin, but then with his other arm he pulls Paul into a hug.]

You kidding, kid? There’s no way I’d say no.

Yeah, I’ll join your house.

[And he hugs Paul all the tighter. He feels some more tears start to slide down his cheeks as he feels himself get flooded with emotion. And that’s when the words slip through his lips.]

I love Ro- Paubby.

[Because Paul wasn’t the only one here that Johnny wanted to say that to.

Not anymore.

Paul’s fingers curl in the back of Johnny’s shirt as his eyes widen, shoulders hitching slightly. He’s quiet for a beat too long, staring straight ahead, before he closes his eyes again and sinks into Johnny’s shoulder. Softly, he answers:]

I love you too, sensei.

Comments

[terriblepurpose]

[ Paul feels incandescent with overflowing love. If he looked down at his chest, he would surely see his heart through his ribs, pale as moonlight. He keeps his addled focus on the Omni instead, because he'd rather cherish the thought than prove or disprove it. ]

I never want to not know that again.

[ Too many negatives colliding in one sentence, but he thinks she'll understand. That she'll understand more than most, and that conjures a cloud of troubled recall to cast a shadow over his gushing. ]

I don't want to forget that.

[hauntedsavior]

[she's quiet, keeping her hand on her beer but not drinking from it yet. yeah, that's the core of it, isn't it. they'd both forgotten it. they'd both lost their ways. and here they are, slowly remembering what it feels like. thinking of what they'd turned their backs on, and the surprise they had both felt when they turned back around to see their loved ones still there.]

Yeah. Yeah, I don't want to forget it again, either. [she takes a moment to think of whether this is the best time to, like, be making any kinds of promises. or reinforcing them. she goes for it anyway. there's no reason not to.]

You wanna try to keep each other honest? When it comes to all of them, I mean. I know we still have to work on ourselves, but... man, I don't know. I'm tight with Kaworu and Midoriya. I don't know if you're tight with K the same way. But maybe if we start getting worried about each other, we can ask the people we love to check in on us or something?

[terriblepurpose]

[ It's a promise Paul would make sober, which mitigates much of the potential sticking points for it. He glanced over his shoulder and wasn't turned to a pillar of salt once; he isn't bold enough (not here, not now) to imagine daring the same thing twice. He can tell Anna feels as he does. ]

And tell each other if we're straying. [ Internal and external boundaries. Dual reinforcement. He likes to be thorough. ] Yes. Let's.

But [ concern creases his brow ] is she angry with me? Kainé. Or - would she listen, even if she is?

[hauntedsavior]

[that's... certainly a question. and it's not one that she's thought to actually ask about yet, which at least explains why she's taken by such surprise. she doesn't have it in her to think of a convincing lie, and wouldn't want to tell one anyway.]

I don't know. I've been spending so much time trying to catch up with the two of us that I haven't asked how she feels about everyone else yet. [a sheepish little smile.] Sorry. Guess I was being selfish. But I'll ask if she's angry. I think... as long as she knows that you're important to me, she'll hear you out.

[terriblepurpose]

That's not being selfish.

[ Paul is insistent on this point, tugged back towards the raptures of love by Anna's explanation. He'll champion that, regardless of circumstances - though there may be a trace of self-defence in it, too, considering how much time he's spent basking in the comfort of reunion. ]

I can find other ways to get her a message, if need be. An intermediary, or a sign. [ A slight, catching pause, then - ] And she's allowed to be angry with me, still. Anyone is-

[ His mouth clicks shut, his cheeks redden. ]

We shouldn't talk about that when I'm like this.

[hauntedsavior]

[anna nods quickly, coming to a similar conclusion as paul at roughly the same time as him. she waves a hand in front of the camera in a classic "fuhgeddaboudit" gesture.]

We'll figure it out. In the meantime, my dude, I think you have some boyfriends to be gay at. No matter how much our favorite angel wants me to narc on you for having too much fun.

[terriblepurpose]

[ Tension broken, and reminded of his boyfriends, Paul springs back to his previous pleasantly blurry mood like a coiled green new vine released from a delicate hold. ]

He's always telling me to loosen up. There's no pleasing him.

[ He waves his own hand in a loose, friendly way, sweeping other things aside. ]

I'll be seeing you, Anna.