Content Warning for the discussion of Johnny's (sexual? Kiss?) assault of Ali at the country club

Once Larusso was safely deposited (read: slammed down as if Johnny were a wrestler) onto the cot in the nurse's office, where he'd stay with an ice pack for the foreseeable future, the campers and counselors were left wondering blankly for what to do.

That is, until Jessica suggested they head to the craft pavilion. Bobby helped her gather some supplies, and they started a presentation on the necessity of creating miniature First Aid kits. It seemed kind of ironic now, given Larusso was already immobilized, but Johnny complied.

Samantha did not.

Johnny looked over her work only to see that she had not touched the Band-Aids, alcohol wipes, or anything. She had a piece of construction paper out, along with some markers, and she was making what looked like a card.

"It's a get-well-soon card, for Mr. Daniel." Sam said when she noticed Johnny looking. "I'll make the First Aid kit, too, promise. I just wanted to make sure to do something nice for him..."

"That's...sweet of you," Johnny replied sincerely, sitting down beside her. He wondered, off-beat, if anyone made Larusso a card after the tournament, when he was limping around in that brace. Ali probably did, she made Johnny one after he sprained his ankle (again) in junior year.

As if on autopilot, Johnny grabbed a piece of paper and some markers, folding the paper over. He uncapped a marker, then capped it again, tapping it impatiently on the table. He didn't want to make a card for Larusso, that'd be corny or stupid...but he also didn't want to not do anything. He already carried Larusso, but even so...Johnny couldn't get the feeling out of his head, the split second where Larusso clung to Johnny's shirt as he lowered him onto the cot, the faint whine that escaped his lips.

Johnny put the marker down, started on his First Aid kit. Finished his First Aid kit, picked up the marker again.

Why was he so worried, so stuck on this stupid idea? Sam was already making a card, Larusso knew they wanted him to recover easy...but did he? Johnny might have joked around and been kind of shitty with him...did Larusso know that Johnny wanted him to get well soon?

The campers finished their kits, and by that time, they were sent to the dining pavilion for dinner. Johnny brought along his pitiful blank paper and markers, sitting at the head of his table as he tapped his marker to the paper rhythmically.

"What are you working on?" Robby asked between bites of hot dog. Down the table, Miguel popped a bag of chips, making them both jump.

"Nothing important," Johnny shook his head, focusing on his food, though he didn't feel that hungry. He wondered who was going to bring Larusso food. He wasn't about to bring him food and a card like some damn nurse.

"Sam showed me the card she's giving to Mr. Daniel," Robby said. "Were you gonna make one too?"

Robby's question was innocent, but it made Johnny want to crumple up his stupid blank paper and throw it away. "No, no. This is for a babe." Johnny insisted. Robby didn't look convinced. "Just...focus on your food, jeez."

Robby grinned, and he had a troublemaker's smile like Johnny, one that often radiated trouble from him back in school. "Whatever you say, Mr. Johnny."

After dinner, the campers were taken to the camp fire for songs and s'mores, then each group was taken to bed. Bobby showed Larusso's campers to their cabin, then Johnny, Bobby, and Tommy went back to the boy's counselor's cabin.

The space felt a little more roomy and quiet without Larusso, and as Tommy pulled out a beer he snuck in (without any ice, so it was nice and warm), Johnny stewed in the silence. He thought he'd feel great if Larusso got out of his hair, but not like this.

"I'm gonna be...out for a bit," Johnny said bluntly, making Tommy and Bobby both glance at him with interest.

"Going to visit Daniel?" Bobby asked, closing his book. "I'll go with you, I've been meaning to drop by since I'm not watching the kids anymore."

Honestly, what was it about Bobby Brown that made him sound so put together? He sounded like a father of three with a mortgage at eighteen.

"No, I'm not," Johnny said, and he almost meant it. "I'm just...gonna be out. Not visiting Larusso." Johnny started out the door, his paper and markers still in hand. "What are you, my mom?" He muttered, half delirious to himself as he went out into the darkness settling in over camp.

He wasn't visiting Larusso, he wasn't. He wondered who would tonight, be it Bobby or Jessica at least, maybe Ali.

Ali.

Something tugged in his gut, and Johnny felt compelled to go see her, to talk to her. He felt like he really hadn't talked to her in such a long time, not in any way that had meaning.

And maybe I shouldn't, Johnny thought, his feet automatically leading his own way; he knew the way to the girl's counselor's cabin like Tommy knew how to get a girl to pour her drink on him, like it was natural instinct. He didn't even want to talk to her in a way that mattered. Because he just wanted her to help him on this stupid card, and the card didn't matter.

Besides, Johnny continued in his head, Ali's cool. She's got more bad blood with Larusso than me if she had to choose.

She seemed cool with the both of them, though, so maybe he could ask this of her.

Before Johnny thought to knock on the cabin door, he noticed a small tent pitched just outside of it, lit up on the inside. Johnny studied it for movement (because it would not be the first time he caught a hookup session happening inside a tent) before approaching, noticing how still it was. He moved the zipper up and down, his own form of knocking. "Hey, Ali? You in here?"

Johnny heard a sudden rustle, then the tent was unzipped. Based on Ali's expression, something like annoyance, something like uncertainty, Johnny wasn't fully sure he was invited in.

Even so, the tent was lit up by a candle that made the whole thing smell like warm pancakes and maple syrup, and with Ali's bedspread and book, it looked cozy. Johnny tentatively crawled inside.

"What do you want, Lawrence?" Ali asked bluntly.

Johnny was used to her being angry with him (what else was new?), but this took him back a step. What had he done today to piss her off? (Oh no, don't open that door). He had a friendly gaga ball match with Larusso, and then carried him when he sprained his ankle. She wasn't there for it, but she surely heard about it when Larusso wasn't at dinner.

"What's with the tone?" He fired back. "I'm just dropping by to ask you a favor."

Ali's eyes flitted down to the paper in his hands, brows furrowing a hair in curiosity. She then looked up at Johnny, scooting back and glaring. "We aren't friends, Johnny."

Her cheeks were flushed. She sounded breathless.

She looked and sounded how she did when Johnny first started pushing Larusso around, a certain light in her eyes, a dash of something in her expression akin to worry. But it seemed elevated now.

She looked scared.

"Hey, I know we got some history, but I figured we were past it." Johnny started. "I just wanted your help making Larusso some dumb get-well card."

Ali scoffed, her smile insincere as she studied the candle on the floor of the tent. She picked it up carefully, holding it out as if pointing it at him. "Get the hell out of here, alright? I'm not helping you learn basic human decency."

Johnny didn't think Ali was going to burn him with the candle, or pour hot wax on him or anything crazy like that. Even so. He was used to her yelling at him, but to go for anything that could be used as a weapon?

"The hell's wrong with you?" Johnny asked. Anger rose within him, and he almost wanted to ask why she was acting like a bitch, but that wouldn't get him anywhere good. "I played a game with Larusso and then carried him when he was injured. I'd say that's pretty damn well made up, don't you think?"

"Yeah, well, what about me?" Ali asked, eyes glittering in the candlelight. Honestly, of all things, she looked sad now.

"What about you?" Johnny echoed.

"You never once apologized to me," Ali uttered, putting the candle down. "You can make up with Daniel all you want. Hell, go eloping with him, won't make a difference to me. You still never said a word to me. You can't just expect everything to be okay because that's what you want."

"Oh," Johnny frowned, then shrugged as if it was common sense. "Well, I'm sorry, Ali. You know that." He said, with all the sincerity and emotion as someone talking about the weather.

"Right," Ali rolled her eyes. "What are you sorry for?"

Johnny sighed, and he was reminded of elementary school, when his teachers or his mom would ask him what he was sorry for, and half the time he was never sorry at all.

"I'm sorry for picking on Larusso," he settled. "I know you wanted to date him, and I was giving him a hard time."

"Mm," Ali nodded, her mouth pressed to a thin line. And then, again: "get the hell out of here, Johnny."

"What the hell?" Johnny ran his hand through his hair. "I apologized, what more do you want—"

"Do you not remember the night at the country club?" Ali demanded, eyes welling up, but she seemed determined to stare Johnny down.

The night in question hit Johnny like a tidal wave. The scratchy suit, Ali's dress, asking her pointedly to finish the dance. He hated all those prissy country club nights, his step-father pretending to care about him in the face of others, dragging him around like a show pony. Even so, if it was an excuse to hold Ali, to pretend she was still his in the face of everything else that seemed to be changing around and within him, he would take it.

And then there was Larusso, popping in as if summoned by Johnny's thoughts, always stepping in when Ali was on his mind or around him. And Johnny didn't even think, he just wanted to do whatever he could to ruin Larusso's day without breaching their agreement.

And, well, the thing he could do was right there, stubborn and stiff in his arms in a little pink and white dress.

To say Johnny kissed her would be putting it mildly. It felt more like a punch any day in the dojo, how he lunged and pulled her close, slamming his lips against hers. He could feel how she tensed and struggled against him but couldn't care less, not when Larusso was watching with his stupid Bambi eyes all wide and innocent.

When Ali finally pushed him away and got a good right hook on him (he thought in that moment, off-beat, that if a chick was ever let into Cobra Kai, it should be her). He probably deserved that, it was an even trade, but he was too focused on Larusso, who'd gotten sauce spilled on his white shirt. He laughed to himself as he saw him scurry away, and he couldn't even care that Ali was yelling at him. She got a hit in, weren't they even now?

When Ali's parents asked if he was alright, he nodded dismissively, grin not fading even through his now busted lip.

"Yeah," Johnny replied, his voice hoarse as he suddenly found the candle much more appealing than looking into Ali's eyes. "Yeah, I remember."

Ali curled up, arms around her legs and head on her knees. In her pajamas with no makeup on, Johnny felt as if he'd walked in on her in vulnerability. Like their first summer together here at 15, when Johnny walked in on her crying over some fight she had with one of the other girls.

"When you...forced yourself on me," Ali murmured, face flushed further still, eyes wet and downcast. "And I hit you...you were still smiling. You were smiling, and you didn't care about what you did to me. Your eyes were on Daniel the whole time, but it wouldn't make a difference if you were focused on me, anyway. I hit you, and you hardly even moved, while I sprained my wrist. It was like...no matter what I did, I would be powerless against you. You, and anyone else...could use me however you wanted. And my parents, they comforted you. They didn't care about what I had to say on any of it. My mom told me, she said...'it's better for an Encino man to force you into sense than for a Reseda boy to drag you into trouble'. I felt so...awful, and powerless. I felt like I was going crazy, Johnny..." A few large tears slipped down Ali's cheeks, and she trembled a little. It was like the night they watched scary movies together when they first started dating, Ali trembling in his arms and burying her face in the crook of his neck. "No one was there for me...and it was so awful, Daniel being upset with me..."

Johnny breathed out an unsteadily, his own eyes wet. He wasn't one to cry; he doesn't think he cried since the night he got home from the tournament. Even so, from Ali's perspective, he sounded like the monster under her bed.

"Ali...I'm so sorry, I didn't—"

"I was just a pawn in you and Daniel's game." Ali continued, shaking her head in disbelief as if talking to herself. "It's never been about me, not really...I never wanted it to be, but I thought you were better than that. My friends all said I was just with you for your body and what you could do with it, but I thought I knew how sweet you could be. But after that night, I couldn't even see you as human. I wanted to see you as a friend, I still want to...but if you can't see that what you did to me was terrible, then...you're just as crazy as I am..."

Johnny stewed in the silence, letting the utter shittiness of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. He sniffled, stirred; looked at Ali, looked away.

He didn't know what would suffice, or if anything deserved to suffice.

"Ali," Johnny reached out, touching her hand. Ali pulled away first before tentatively putting her hand back on top of his. He squeezed just barely, something to keep him grounded. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking, and what I did was...one of the worst things I've done, it was just as bad as what I did to Larusso. You deserved better than that, you still do. I want to be friends again like old times, but if you don't want to talk to me again, I understand. Whatever you wanna do."

Ali squeezed his hand back, and a long silence spanned between them. "I want to pretend everything's alright, too...even if it's just for now..."

Johnny breathed out a sigh of relief, feeling he got off too easy, but he would take it. "You know I'd do anything for you. I'll be in your corner, always..."

Ali gave Johnny a peculiar look. "Is that just because I'm not dating Daniel anymore?"

Johnny wasn't sure what to make of that. "I don't know what it'd be like if you were still dating him, I don't want to imagine that hell-world. I think things are perfect just the way they are."

"Yeah, well," Ali let out a small huff of a laugh, rolling her eyes. "I was saving face earlier, at the gaga ball game. I'm gonna appreciate being a little more honest from now on."

"You can tell me about this kind of stuff. I'll need the help, I don't always catch on." Johnny said. "Just know that I'll always be here for you. I'll be the, uh...Larusso to your Jessica, right?" Johnny spared her a smile, leaning in a little to the side to show he wasn't going to kiss her lips. He instead moved forward, pressing a hesitant kiss to her cheek. When he pulled away, Ali was smiling back at him, even if it wasn't as bright as the smiles he used to get from her.

Ali moved just as hesitantly, pulling him into a hug and resting in the crook of his neck.

"You're the worst person I've ever loved, Johnny Lawrence." She murmured, settling there before pulling away a moment too soon, as if worried what would happen if she settled too long.

"I love you, too, Ali." Johnny replied softly, rubbing circles into her hand with his thumb. "I always will, even if the way I do changes..."

Ali nodded, settling on her bedspread, inviting Johnny to lay next to her, and he did. "You'll be better, I know you will. Ever since you...you got out of Cobra Kai, you've gotten better. Nicer to Daniel—in your own way. Nicer to me, hopefully...I know you can be the person I saw in you..."

"I will be," Johnny said, his voice so quiet it was almost intimidating.

A long silence spanned between them, and Johnny tried to think of the last time he tried to make Ali laugh, genuinely. Had it been a little under a year? God, she must have been as miserable as he was without her.

"Hey, Ali?" Johnny tried, and he smiled slightly to hear her sleepy replying hum. "If our friendship is gonna be like Larusso and Jess's...you think she told him her bra size? You know, as friends?"

(And it's a stupid joke, it's not even really a joke, because Johnny and Ali have been intimate before. But it was all Johnny could think of at the moment, Larusso was the funny one.)

Ali slaps his arm, but she snickers, and it's like just a flash of how things will try to return to a new normal. "I can tell you about my period, if you wanna hear about girl stuff."

Johnny cringes at that, tapping Ali's arm right back with a light laugh. "Touché, Mills."

(It's several minutes of idle chatter later when Johnny asks why Ali's in a tent rather than the cabin with Susan and Jessica.

"It's the candle. It activates Susan's allergies."

"Oh," Johnny replies, as if he was dumb for not knowing. "You know, you should bring that thing into the boy's cabin, Tommy's making the place reek."

"Are you sure it isn't you, Lawrence?" Ali asked, and Johnny rolled his eyes, a fond grin on his lips nonetheless.)