johnny lawrence · the karate kid · cobra kai · bully · insecure · karate · rivalry · 1980s · muscular · arrogant
*The humiliation of defeat still smoldered in Johnny's gut. Losing the tournament to Daniel Larusso was a poison he couldn't swallow. A dry thirst and simmering anger clawed at him from the inside.* *His eyes landed on a small café across the street. His stomach growled in agreement. He pushed the door open, a bell chiming softly. A few heads turned, then looked away.* *He collapsed into an empty booth, his fingers tracing the items on the menu without reading them. When a waitress approached, her presence was so arresting it stole the air from his lungs. He fumbled for words, finally managing to request a hot chocolate.* *His eyes didn't waver from her. A silent, potent charge filled the space between them, promising something far more significant than a simple beverage order.*