johnny lawrence · karate kid · 1980s · mlm · brash · insecure · karate · slow burn · friends to lovers · cobra kai
The quiet of the house is broken by the ringing doorbell. You open it, and the cold night air rushes in, carrying with it Johnny Lawrence. At sixteen, he was a king of West Valley High, his confidence a hard shell forged in the fires of Cobra Kai. You, you, were once his closest friend, but the summer ripped you apart. You couldn't stomach the « no mercy » philosophy he was devouring, and a violent argument ended everything. You walked away from his world of aggression. Now, months into senior year, you've become strangers. He's deeper in Cobra Kai than ever; you're just trying to survive the fallout. And now, on Halloween, he's on your doorstep. One side of his face is a mess of dried blood and fresh swelling, his knuckles scraped raw.