They lie on opposite sides of the cypress circle, curved towards one another, watching the flecks of stars bright enough to compete with the lights of Los Angeles.

"I like this little watering hole," Johnny says, scratching the decal on his Journey T-shirt. Thirsty. It's his first time seeing Daniel in shorts in years, although they're a lot longer than his cutoffs from long ago. "I want one of these too. With spikes at the bottom. And water cobras. You think Zarcharian will mind if I dig a huge ditch out in front of my place?"

Daniel does his best impression. "Okeh, but if people want to feesh, I put parking meter."

Johnny laughs heartily, then falls silent under his muddy gaze. "Wouldn't be as private as this, though."

"No…" Daniel forgets where he is for a moment and leans closer, the platform wobbling. "Shit."

"Easy, LaRusso," Johnny chuckles as they readjust themselves. "There we go…." he grins, getting comfortable again. "My solid muscle, your fat ass—it all evens out."

"Yeeeah, it all has to do with that. Not that we're actually cooperating or anything."

"Put your hand in the middle, on three," Johnny says, a spark-eyed command. "One, two…"

They clasp hands in sync, and the circle doesn't tip an inch. Daniel relishes that strong grip, knowing his own has never quite been the same since smashing his knuckles into a wooden effigy of Karate's Bad Boy. What he lacks in brute strength, he makes up for in the booming pulse that Johnny can feel all the way up his own arm.

"Wish we could see more stars out here," Johnny sighs. "You remember that blackout years ago, when people called 9-1-1 'cause they'd never seen the Milky Way before?"

"By 'people', you mean you, right?" Daniel snickers.

"Yeah, okay, fine. It looked like toxic gases or something."

"Sorry, I shouldn't be busting your ass or you'll never do wheel technique with me."

"I don't do techniques. I shred obliques," he winks, lifting his shirt like a dick. "Huh? You like?"

"Oh, stop. C'mon, please?"

"Say what you want about Kreese, but when he wanted us to fight in a circle, he just said 'fight in a damn circle', and we did it. We didn't go prancing on the merry-go-round and then get all deep and philosophical about it."

"OK, fine. Miyagi-Do is a little indirect."

"No shit, LaRusso. I've been trying to get you on track all night and here you are…still yapping." He squeezes his hand. "I'm more interested in what we can do on here lying down."

"On opposite sides?"

"If we both get in the middle."

"And mirror each other. How're we gonna do that?"

"God, if only there was this perfectly mirrored thing—wait, what is it—uh, doi, a sixty-nine?"

"Johnny," Daniel groans, the redness of his face obvious even in the moonlight.

"Oh, I'm sorry, was that too direct?"

"…no, I...I just don't know if I could handle it…"

"…You got a point. It would get…intense. I won't bite yours if you don't bite mine."

Johnny enjoys the glazed over look in Daniel's eyes, foreseeing that balancing act, his stifled reactions as he did to Johnny what he was doing to him.

"Nah, forget it," Johnny says. "Let's flip this bottle cap." He bails off the side of the wooden lily pad, Daniel rolling after him with a yelp interrupted by the water swallowing him whole.

He really isn't sure what's in this pond, but he's introduced to the rocky bottom by Johnny holding him against it. At least, it feels like Johnny, but he can't see a thing. He doesn't want to be a lightweight but he's already out of breath. Johnny finds his mouth with his, already bubbling with strain himself, and Daniel's relieved that neither of them can see how unglamorous kissing underwater is.

They break the shallow surface, sputtering. "You're no Daryl Hannah, LaRusso, jeez."

"I'm sorry," he coughs. "The water went up my nose and something was touching my leg."

"Yeah, my hard-on, idiot. What did you think it was, an electric eel?"

Daniel rubs the water off his face, red as ever. "…in here, you never know."

He climbs out of the pond and sits on the side. Johnny is still in the water, nestled between his legs. "Look, if…I'm freaking you out, or…"

"No. No, that's not it at all. It's just…this place is such a big part of who I am, and…being here, sharing it with you….it's a little overwhelming. I don't want to freak you out. I'm afraid I'll…"

"Yeah…?"

"Seeing you here just…drives me crazy," Daniel sighs, "makes me want to…go crazy on you." He cages his face in his into steepled hands. "Oh, God, I knew I was gonna say something stupid!"

"And that was without a drop of liquor, dreamboat." Johnny drags Daniel back into the pond by his shirt. "You always say something stupid. I'd be like, concerned if you didn't." Johnny pushes him onto the balance pad, pinning him to the middle in one swoop. The circle spins madly but doesn't tilt. "Do you trust me?"

"Should I?"

"I…" Johnny doesn't expect to falter, but Daniel's heartbeat against him is gently distracting. "I want to take you in the back of the Nash," he breathes against his neck.

Daniel's eyes roll back. "That's direct." He tilts his head back and Johnny sucks on the pulse there. "Then what're we doing here?"

"We're gonna do your little wheel thing first. That is, if you still—"

"Oh God, yes."

"Save the begging for later, LaRusso. Right now we're doing kata."

They smoothly ease into their stances on opposite sides of the platform, their backs to each other. Daniel's panting is already off the charts and Johnny hears him suck in a few deep breaths.

"There you go, nice and easy. Always a good way not to prematurely pop a load."

"Shut up. Just…tell me what form we're doin'…?"

"Your favorite. Seinchin. What does it mean...oh, right—lull before the storm? Totally counts as foreplay then, right?"

More long drags of air on Daniel's side. "You're killing me here..."

"Exactly. Now mirror me or get douched in the pond."

Hands flow in in to the heart, fists flow out to the their sides. The platform wobbles a little on Johnny's side. "My bad," he chuckles.

"Dumbass."

Their timing doesn't hitch after that, their kiais are nothing but wisps of breath. A step back, fanned fingers to the brow. The sound of Johnny's elbow pounding the palm of his other hand almost sends Daniel into a tizzy. He remembers the strength of that elbow, and the thought of it moving with him and not against him is too much to bear. The platform is suddenly as still as they are.

"Johnny?"

"Yeah?"

"That was…"

"…I know."

"I-I'm not sure we're gonna make it to the Nash."

"Nope."

They join hands from behind and twist into the center of the platform, a tango of sorts. Perfectly centered. They can't see the Milky Way above the Valley tonight, but Johnny can see it in those big, dumb eyes. Johnny isn't the type to stare at a lover and just breathe, but it's happening…for now. He'll strike with inner peace. He'll be merciless on his body, but keep the circle above water, among the stars.