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Johnny leaned against the wall by the entrance of the bar, watching as crowds moved in and out, ready to enjoy the night. He felt a strange mix of satisfaction and anticipation, the latter stemming from the knowledge that Daniel would be arriving any minute now. They’d made plans for drinks after class, a casual suggestion from Daniel last week that Johnny had latched onto with more eagerness than he’d care to admit.
The past week had been a whirlwind. Bobby’s party had gone well, Robby had shown up, and while their conversation was stilted, it was a start. But the highlight had been the few minutes he’d spent with Daniel before leaving. The way Daniel had fussed over his shirt, the slight blush on his cheeks as he told him not to sell himself short. It had left Johnny with a lot to think about.
Tonight, he intended to step things up. Test the boundaries a little more. This thing, whatever it was, with Daniel had become a kind of game, one he was increasingly invested in.
He saw the familiar Daniel’s car pulling up and straightened himself up, a smirk playing on his lips. The door opened, and there he was, looking as effortlessly put together as ever. Johnny noted the way Daniel’s eyes scanned the outside of the bar before landing on him, a small smile breaking out on his face.
“Hey,” Daniel greeted, walking towards him, his own smile widening.
“Hey yourself,” Johnny replied, pushing off the doorway. “Ready for that drink?”
“Absolutely. How’d class go?” Daniel asked, he’d been caught up at work all day so it had been on Johnny to teach them all single handedly earlier. He followed Johnny into the bar, though Johnny could tell his attention was divided. He was looking at Johnny in a way that made him feel like the only person in the room.
“Good. Kids are really getting the hang of things,” Johnny said, stepping closer. “But they have a great sensei so what more could you expect right?”
Daniel nodded, his smile widening. “Right. Table over there.”
As they moved towards a small table in the corner and weaved through bush ones Johnny couldn’t resist walking a bit closer, their shoulders brushing. He watched as Daniel fumbled slightly with the menu he’d picked up on the way, his presence clearly having an effect. When they say down Johnny reached over, their fingers brushing as he took the menu for himself.
“Careful, LaRusso. I might start thinking I have an effect on you,” Johnny said, his voice low and teasing.
Daniel’s laugh was a bit too forced, his cheeks a bit too pink. “In your dreams, Johnny.”
“How’d you know?” Johnny shot back, enjoying the way Daniel’s eyes widened slightly before he quickly looked away.
Daniel quickly picked his drink and escaped to the bar to order, he returned with a Coors Banquet for Johnny and some fruity beer number for himself before settling back down.
As Daniel took a mouthful of bud beer Johnny made a show of adjusting the sleeves on his new deep green shirt. Then he nonchalantly stretched out, his leg brushing against Daniel’s under the table. He didn’t move it away, watching for Daniel’s reaction. To his credit, Daniel didn’t flinch, but Johnny could see the flicker of something in his eyes, curiosity, maybe. Interest, also maybe.
“So, any plans for the weekend?” Johnny asked, shuffling his chair around the table a bit closer. Their faces were only a few inches apart now, and Johnny could see every detail of Daniel’s expression.
“Not really,” Daniel replied, his voice a bit strained. “Have you?”
Johnny took a slow sip of his beer, letting the moment stretch out. “Maybe. Depends on how tonight goes.”
Daniel’s gaze met his, and for a moment, Johnny saw something raw and unguarded in his eyes. He decided to push just a little more. “You know, LaRusso, you’re not as good at hiding things as you think you are.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Daniel asked, his voice a mixture of challenge and uncertainty.
“It means,” Johnny said, his voice dropping to a near whisper, “I think you’re starting to like my company a bit more than you’re willing to admit.”
Daniel’s breath hitched, and his eyes widened slightly before narrowing in defense. “Oh, please. You’re so full of yourself,” he sighed.
Johnny leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. “Am I? Because from where I’m sitting, you’re the one who can’t seem to stop staring at me.”
“I’m not staring,” Daniel protested, a bit too quickly. “I’m just concerned about you. You’ve been acting strange lately.”
“Strange how?” Johnny asked, tilting his head in mock confusion.
“Strange like, like this!” Daniel gestured between them, clearly flustered. “All this… this flirting. What’s your angle, Johnny?”
Johnny chuckled, enjoying the sight of Daniel squirming. “No angle, LaRusso. Just enjoying finally not hating you. But if it’s making you uncomfortable…” He let the sentence hang, knowing full well Daniel wouldn’t admit to being uncomfortable.
“I’m not uncomfortable,” Daniel insisted, folding his arms defensively. “I just don’t see the point of all this.”
“The point?” Johnny echoed, his amusement growing. “The point is, I think you like it, you like me and I can’t blame you.”
Daniel’s face reddened, and he looked away, struggling to come up with a retort. “You’re delusional.”
“Maybe,” Johnny conceded, taking another sip of his beer. “But I’ve noticed you don’t mind when I get close. Like this.” He leaned in again, their faces inches apart once more.
Daniel swallowed hard, his eyes darting to Johnny’s lips for a brief moment before he quickly looked away. “Johnny, this is ridiculous.”
“Is it?” Johnny asked, his voice softening. “Or is it just something you’re not used to?”
Daniel’s eyes darted back to Johnny’s, and for a moment, something undefinable passed between them. “You’re insufferable, you know that?” he finally said, attempting to regain his composure.
Johnny’s grin widened. “But you still keep coming back for more.”
Daniel huffed, taking a long drink of his beer as if it could somehow cool the heat rising in his cheeks. “Someone has to keep you in check,” he mumbled.
Johnny laughed outright at that. “Oh, is that what you’re doing? Keeping me in check?” He leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head, his posture oozing confidence. “Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like you’re enjoying yourself.”
Daniel’s fingers tightened around his bottle, and he set it down a bit too forcefully on the table. “God you’re impossible,” he muttered, his voice exasperated but tinged with something else, something Johnny couldn’t quite place.
“Impossible to resist,” Johnny teased, his tone playful yet serious. He was on fire this evening, that was for sure. He reached out, placing a hand on Daniel’s arm, feeling the muscle tense under his touch. “Admit it, LaRusso. We’re having fun.”
Daniel stared at Johnny’s hand for a moment before meeting his gaze. His eyes were a mix of frustration and something softer, something that Johnny couldn’t help but find intriguing. “Fine,” Daniel said slowly, as if the words were being dragged out of him. “Maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world, having you around.”
Johnny’s smile softened, becoming more genuine. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Daniel rolled his eyes and shrugged his arm away, but the tension seemed to ease a bit. “Don’t let it go to your head, Johnny.”
“Don’t worry LaRusso, there’s more than enough space for you up there too.”