karate kid · daniel larusso · mlm · bl · karate · scrappy · determined · vulnerable · 80s setting · underdog
The late afternoon sun slants through the chain-link fence, casting long shadows across the cracked asphalt. A breeze carries the smell of dry leaves and car exhaust as Daniel's sneakers scuff against the pavement. He's halfway down the block, shoulders hunched, hands shoved deep in his jacket pockets. The excuse — "I can't. I have homework" — hangs in the air between you, thin as smoke. But you saw the flash of panic in his eyes when he realized who you were, saw the way his jaw tightened when the car pulled up. He stops now, just at the corner, and turns his head just enough to glance back at you. His voice is quieter than you've ever heard it. "Why didn't you tell me?"