This oneshot was inspired by a commenter in my last piece. I loved the idea of Daniel defending Johnny from Kreese after the tournament! Thank you @kubalova_a for your suggestion! Happy Valentine's Day! 💖💘
The sidewalk was so wet from the rain Daniel could see his own reflection. He smiled eagerly, needing no assistance with his trophy. Each step he took in the parking lot inflicted a twinge in his leg but, stubborn as it seemed, the pain was nothing to dwell on. He made it. He showed those Cobras.
Daniel put the weight of his hand on Miyagi's olive-toned truck, unhinging the door and setting his beloved prize on the passenger seat.
"Second place is no place, you're off the team."
Daniel shuddered, his lips dropping to a flat frown. He traced back the voice to where it came from—right ahead. The distant shouting of a distinct, bright red jacket and... Kreese? In all their fighting, Daniel had never seen that man so stimulated outside of a competition.
"That sucks, I did my best!" Johnny upheld, his chin flying forward at Kreese in defense.
"What did you say?" Kreese challenged.
"I did my best!" There was more aggression in Johnny's voice; a rising anger that was persistent.
"You lost, you're a loser!"
"No, you're the loser!" Johnny's voice boiled with resentment.
Daniel flashed a scowl at Kreese, watching as he tore Johnny's trophy cup into pieces, tossing it far off onto the pavement. Johnny could hear the shattering. Kreese was beating him down, and it felt like ancient times since anyone had gone that far to break him.
"Now who's the loser?!" Kreese raged.
Daniel then remembered what Mr. Miyagi had explained to him weeks before the tournament during their first break one day. Something random, but something that made sense at the moment.
"Daniel-san, you ever own snake?"
"Have I ever owned a snake? You mean like, as a pet?"
"Hai."
"No, that would be a nightmare." Daniel shook his head, his natural smile slowly dying and his voice building with slight hesitance. "Oh..." he chuckled nervously. "Mr. Miyagi, you don't have a pet snake, do you?"
"No, never have snake. Not meant for being pet." Miyagi said. "You want, as birthday gift next year?"
Daniel gave a shocked laugh. "Woah, no way! No. I can't handle that. That snake will get a good bite the first chance it gets."
Miyagi chuckled with amusement. "Too violent, too scared of human."
Daniel took his laugh as a good sign and began to smile it off. "Why do you ask, Mr. Miyagi?"
"Daniel-san, you good, kind student." the Japanese man continued, "Know what snake do to good, kind man?"
"No. What does it do?"
"Wounded snake worse. But important lesson must learn."
"A wounded snake?" Daniel tilted his head.
"Snake cold. Man see it and take it home to give warmth. Snake saved by heat, but sees wife, children."
Daniel blinked. "Shit. What happens?"
"Instinct make it attack, make wife and children cry. Man hear, kill snake, save wife and children."
"Wow..." Daniel said under his breath. "He kills it?"
