bakerstreet | —turn over a new leaf for you

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—turn over a new leaf for you

turn over a new leaf for you

Here's the thing: in the past, you've not been a nice person. Whether you were just a little nasty, you did terrible things, you were forced to be a monster, or your heart was dark to the core, it's understandable why you weren't anyone's favorite. But those days are behind you. Now, there's someone you care for, someone you want to get closer to, someone you lov-

Well, they make you want to be a better person. This desire could have been a gradual realization, or you could have suddenly decided one day to improve. In the same vein, you may want a complete overhaul, yet you could also be more realistic and try to work on one thing. Still, you know that you're the only one who can change yourself.

How is that going? It can't be easy, as old habits die hard. Do you have a supportive loved one — or someone who wants nothing to do with you, no matter how much you improve?

Comment with your character, preferences, and the role you'd like to take on in this meme: so, changing or changed for, if you'd prefer.
Reply to others.
Thread out what you agree upon.

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Edited 2021-06-16 16:43 (UTC)

[This can go both ways. On the one hand, he will absolutely be the amicable good guy who supports a reforming person. He's very idealistic, supportive, and has a tendency to see the best in people.

On the other hand, in one ending of his canon he has absolutely been flagged by world governments as a suspected cyber terrorist for having tried to be a whistleblower wrt state secrets, and (it's implied) goes on to be an alcoholic recluse like his grandfather before him, so if you want 23 year old, bitter, technically-a-criminal-but-I-meant-well-no-really Zak, that's also an option. Specify the flavor of Zak you want and we'll make it work.]

ooc: conman turned legit? m/f or m/m welcomed

ooc: Definitely the wholesome one who loves and supports someone reforming.

[ one asshole trying to be Better post-movie GET ]

Having to wear a knee brace sucks. Knowing there's the possibility he might need surgery which there is no way his Ma can afford sucks even more. Daniel spent most of Christmas vacation laid out on the sofa watching TV because it hurt to do much else.

He thought winning the All-Valley would change things when he went back to school. Thought it might help him make friends. But he was still mostly alone. At least the Cobras... (ex-Cobras?) were leaving him alone.

Still, the brace sucks. School sucks. The highlight of his day is going over to Mr Miyagi's after school, taking the brace off and working on a few light exercises. But today Mr Miyagi seems distracted, looking over at the gate every few minutes.

Daniel furrows his brows, wiping his sweaty forehead on his sleeve. "You expecting someone?"

"Hai." Mr Miyagi had never really been a big talker - maybe Daniel could take lessons on being quiet.

"Well who?" He asks, cracking open a can of soda to take a sip.

"New student. Be here soon."

A new student? But... Daniel is supposed to be Mr Miyagi's only student. This is their thing. "New student? What new student? Since when did we need new students? Who is it? Come on, Mr Miyagi, you can't just drop a bombshell like that and not explain! Who is it? Do I know them?"

Miyagi shushes him. "All become clear soon, Daniel-san."

Right. About as clear as mud.

After the tournament, things had gotten...rough. Kreese rode them harder than before, so most of them left. Together, because they wouldn't have had the stones for it otherwise, and wasn't that pathetic to admit to. Almost getting the life choked out of you tended to have an affect on a guy no matter how hard he tried to avoid it. Tried to ignore it, to shove it into the back of his brain where he didn't have to think about it.

But he'd been trying after. It had solidified that they'd made the right choice, every time he second guessed he'd just get nasty nightmares, so when Miyagi had approached him when he started hanging around the complex instead of lurking a block away from his old dojo or trying to be anywhere but home, he'd gone for it. Maybe it was a bad idea, but it couldn't be any worse than any other idea he'd had.

So he's told when to show up, and he does, unsure about all of it, but he's gotta do something. And if the old man doesn't think he's completely worthless, then maybe it's true.

Of course LaRusso's there, and for that he almost leaves. Fists clench, every muscle poised to bolt on principle, but he was invited. They're not at war anymore, he defected from Cobra Kai. So he stands just inside the gate, uncertain for once, forces his fists to relax and runs a hand awkwardly through his hair, and offers an uncertain smile.

"Uh. Hey."

Daniel bristles at the sound of that voice, jumping up onto his feet - which he instantly regrets as pain shoots through his leg. "Hey!" He shouts, anger rolling off him in waves. Hands falling into fists. "What the hell are you doing here?! Looking for a rematch? You can forget it! Get out of here! You're not welcome!!"

Completely ignoring Daniel's outburst, Miyagi stands and walks closer to Johnny. "Ah, Johnny-san. Welcome, welcome." He looks over at Daniel. "New student arrive."

"New stu--new student?! Are you kidding me? Him?! He's your new student?!" if looks could kill, Johnny would be deader than the dodos right now. Daniel gras Mr Miyagi's arm. "Can I talk to you? In private?!"

By 'in private', he actually means a few steps away and in theatre whispers. "I'm sorry. Please help me understand this... you invited Johnny Lawrence to train here? Did you forget that he's made the last few months of my life a literal living hell?!"

"Miyagi remember."

Daniel looks absolutely dumbstruck. "Oh well that's just great. Thanks a lot! Can you believe the nerve of this guy?! Tries to kill me then comes 'round here seeking free lessons."

"Boy failed. You still alive." Mr Miyagi is actually laughing.

Daniel opens his mouth to say something, but the words just get stuck. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. Like this is all some big joke! I can't believe after everything you'd even consider letting him through the gate."

If anyone ever spoke to Kreese the way Daniel is speaking to Miyagi, they'd be stood in a puddle of their own blood by now, but Mr Miyagi doesn't even seem fazed by it. "Remember, Daniel-san. No such thing as bad student. Only bad teacher. Boy here to learn. Boy deserves second chance."

"Once a snake, always a snake," Daniel mutters.

"Ah, ah, ah. Forgiveness, Daniel-san. Very important."

Daniel isn't ready to forgive and forget. There's too much bad blood. But he also knows he can't out-stubborn Mr Miyagi. "Fine. Whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you when he stabs us all in the back," he huffs, returning to the deck to grab his soda can.

Miyagi bows to Johnny. "Welcome, Johnny-san. Must excuse Daniel-san. Good boy. But hard head."

Johnny just stares at the exchange, looking from one to the other, dumbfounded. Tension twists in his gut as Daniel mouths off, instinct expecting the worst based on his own experience; he should be getting his ass handed to him, chewed out and forced to pay for it with pushups on his knuckles, if not worse. But...there's none of that. He doesn't say anything. Just lets it happen, only smiles and counters, polite as ever, and Johnny's shocked and uneasy in equal measure, off-balance waiting for the shoe to drop.

Not that he blames LaRusso for going off like he does; he knows he's been a bastard. Doesn't blame the other for assuming the worst, because he would too. Honestly he doesn't even know why he was allowed to come considering all the shit he pulled. But the old man bows at him, tells him he's welcome right after LaRusso warns him off, and he finds himself bowing back, awkward and uncertain.

"Uh. Thanks. Yeah, it's...fine. I understand where he's coming from. I can always come back another time if it would be better? I'm not trying to start anything."

A beat, then, because he can't help himself:

"I wasn't trying to kill you, LaRusso. I was trying to kick your ass a little. There's a difference."

"Wasn't trying to ki-- wasn't trying to kill me?! Can you believe this guy! You pushed me down a cliff." It was a hill. "I coulda cracked my head open or broke my back. And what about Halloween?! Wasn't trying to kill me, my ass! You kicked the shit out of me so hard that my bruises had bruises!"

Maybe the Cobras took things too far at the Halloween dance, but if Daniel hadn't soaked him with a hose then Johnny wouldn't have had to retaliate. But no, Daniel is the victim here. Poor, poor Daniel LaRusso, so bullied and tortured by the mean Johnny Lawrence.

Mr Miyagi had wandered off at some point during Daniel's rant, only to return and thrust the sanding blocks against Daniel's chest. Daniel blinks at them, and then at Mr Miyagi. "Wha... what do you want me to do with these?"

Mr Miyagi motions to the deck. "Teach Johnny-san 'sand the floor'."

"Wait, wait, wait... Teach? Why teach? Where are you going?!" What the hell? First Mr Miyagi invites Daniel's mortal enemy over during their time and now he expects Daniel to teach Johnny and his stupid dumb face stuff?

Mr Miyagi heads inside and returns a few moments later carrying his fishing rod and tackle box. "Miyagi fish."

Seriously?! "No, no, no... Mr Miyagi... you don't understand... you can't leave me here with him. He will kill me!"

"Is okay. Plenty of room to hide body." Mr Miyagi smiles at Daniel. "Whole deck. You teach. He learn. Remember breathe. Very important."

He looks back and forth between the two, wary and uncertain as they talk. He can't really blame LaRusso, all things considered, even if everything in him still bristles at his every word. Yeah, he's not proud, he made a lot of mistakes. Shouldn't have been such a shit, shouldn't have pushed things as far as he did. But he's here now, trying to make amends. Trying to do better. Didn't that count for anything?

Not that it explains sanding the deck. What, is that his punishment? Home improvement shit? Could be worse, he supposes, but the old man says he's going to leave and LaRusso loses his fucking mind about it and all Johnny can do is roll his eyes.

"I'm not gonna kill you, you little twerp. He invited me here, you think he would've done that if he thought I was gonna murder you?"

Daniel can't believe that Mr Miyagi is seriously considering leaving them here. Alone. Without adult supervision. Oh god, he's too young to die a tragic death. What about his Ma? However will she cope when she learns her only son has been brutally murdered by a stupid blond bully with his stupid blue eyes and his stupid face. She'll be heartbroken.

No. Mr Miyagi is totally bluffing. Yup. He's going to come back through the gate any second now. Any sec-- oh crap, that's the sound of his truck pulling off of the gravel.

Fuck. He's seriously left him and Johnny alone.

Daniel grits his teeth. "Well first things first, Mr Miyagi left me in charge. That means you gotta do what I say."

What the hell is this shit. He came here to continue his training, because the old man had invited him and he had nowhere else to go, he'd at least thought the guy would stick around to teach him something, but he leaves, leaves him alone with the guy he's tormented for months who obviously thinks it's just going to get worse now because he doesn't trust him. Part of the knowledge hurts; he'd congratulated him, hadn't he? Hadn't done what he was told, let him win fair and square, handed him the damn trophy and then almost got his card punched because he did the Right Thing for once in his miserable life. Doesn't any of that count?

No, obviously not. He's still the monster, apparently, and it hurts, an ache deep in his chest, but louder than that is the echo in his head that he deserves it. Deserves everything LaRussi throws at him, a vicious cutting echo that carves through everything. Like anything he could do now would make up for the damage he's already done. Sid and Kreese were right about him, and if his only worth is how strong he is, his ability to fight and win, then where does that leave him now?

Worthless.

But LaRusso's words now still rub him the wrong way, have him gritting his own jaw in reflexive resistance.

"Or what. I came here to learn, not for some shrimp who's jumped up on a lucky shot to tell me what to do."

While it may seem to the untrained eye that Mir Miyagi invited the troubled teen here and then deserted him - there is method in his madness. Neither boy is going to get anything out of the lessons if they can't get along. Neither of them will find balance in life if they can't find balance with each other. They'll either figure things out or kill each other in the process - either way, problem solved.

"Or what? Or nothing. Jeez. Why do you have to make everything a fight?! You're the one who came here. Which I totally don't understand. At all. There are other dojos. Why did you need to come here? To this one? Why do you even need one at all? Everyone knows you're the karate king of the whole Valley!"

Killing each other definitely seems like the most likely outcome.

"But hey. If you don't need me to tell you what to do. Fine. Here." He thrusts the sanding blocks at Johnny. "Go ahead."

"I'm the one making it a fight?? I came here because I thought I was going to learn your sensei's way, and you've been assuming the worst since I got here!!"

Anyway, he's not the karate king anymore, not after the tournament. Not after Kreese made sure he couldn't go back to his own dojo. But the blocks are thrust at him so he scrambles to accept them with a scowl before moving to the deck. He knows how to sand, at least, and if he's not going to learn anything he can at least do something while he's here.

"Can you blame me?! You've made the last few months of my life a living hell! You know I have no friends at school except for Ali because of what happened at the beach, right?" Why the hell did Mr Miyagi think this was a good idea?

He huffs, standing with his hand on his hip as he watches Johnny move to the deck and start to sand it. Daniel rolls his eyes so hard it's a miracle he doesn't hurt himself. "Wrong. You're doing it wrong. That's not how you do it."

It takes everything in him not to surge forward and deck him, because it's not like his life has exactly been roses these days either. Sid's just as bad as always only there's no karate lessons to keep him out of the house anymore, and Sid's beyond thrilled about it because it means Johnny's not still wasting his money. He's still got friends, sure, but everything else is shot to hell, and he doesn't even have the security of a halfway decent college to escape to because his grades suck.

But when LaRusso keeps nitpicking, critiquing his ability to sand some damn boards he throws one of the blocks at him in frustration.

"I know how to sand. You think you can do it better, take over."

Daniel yelps as the sanding block flies towards him. He manages to stop it hitting him, but he doesn't catch it, rather slaps it to the side of him in a flail of limbs. How the hell did he ever win the All-Valley when he has all the grace of a newborn fawn?

He picks up the block and moves to the deck, shifting to sit awkwardly since he can't kneel on his busted up knee.

Snatching the other block from Johnny, he slips them onto his hands. "You gotta go in circles, man. See? Right circle. Left circle." He makes the circles in time with his words. Right, then left. Right, then left.

"And you gotta breathe. In through your nose. Out through your mouth."

He's perfectly content to stand back and watch, not that he really gets the point. Right, left, right, left, whatever, it's not like it really matters. It's sanding.

"Why? It's just sanding. Why does it matter?"

Daniel huffs, sitting back to stare up at Johnny.

"First rule of Miyagi-Do - things aren't always what they seem. Well, no, the first rule of Miyagi-Do is that karate is for defence only. But, things at Miyagi-Do aren't always what they seem. It's not just sanding. It's a karate lesson. You wanted to learn Mr Miyagi's way, well... this is it!"

[[ooc: He is more than likely to support a person reforming, as long as that reforming doesn't take away from a person's core personality.

As for him, he's bad at communication, at dealing with his personal problems in a healthy fashion (he tends to pretend they aren't there or use drugs). Part of reforming for him would be actually going to a therapist - but they would have to be cleared for classified information.
Pick your poison.]]

[ooc: He's already a really good man, but I'd be willing to play either role.]

[ooc: Probably being changed for, but open to playing eithe role.]

[ A vampire that is a darker shade of grey in morality, if not evil. ]

[ the cliche is nice and all, but I'm more interested in turning it on its head: maybe the "good" character likes the "bad" one because of their sharp edges and is open to change themselves.

open on canon points and divergence. she could still be with the First Order, or defected, or some manner of doing her own thing. regardless, she's well aware of the blood on her hands - but she's also not ashamed of her prowess or power; it's kept her alive, after all. quite frankly she would find it refreshing for someone to not be focused on trying to change her or sway her one way or another. TLDR: looking for someone more interested in embracing her inherent duality rather than wanting her to be strictly Light or Dark.

good with gen scenarios (friendship, found family ~~that's not afraid of her~~, etc) or shipping. canon, cross canon, AUs, OCs, timeline shenanigans are welcome. for cross canon, open to canon merging, jamjar situations, AUing one into the other, most anything really. ]

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—turn over a new leaf for you

jyn erso || rogue one || ota

cassian andor || rogue one || ota

rey || star wars || ota

ben solo || star wars || ota

bodhi rook || rogue one || ota

rose tico || star wars || ota

James | Pokemon | OTA, het for ships

Leonard Snart/Captain Cold | DCTV | OTA

Loki | MCU | OTA

Killian Jones/Captain Hook | OUAT

Jin Guangyao|The Untamed|m/m

Zakariya Hadra | Drowned God | OTA

gregory lamè | oc

Raven ‘Mystique’ Darkholme | XMCU

Alina Starkov | Shadow and Bone

Ted Lasso | Ted Lasso | ota

Rey | Star Wars | m/f

Johnny Lawrence | the Karate Kid | ota

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

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Sherlock Holmes || Sherlock BBC || m/m for shipping, gen welcome

Usa Tsukino (Black Lady AU) || Sailor Moon || OTA

Nico Acosta | OC | M/F

Evie Montgomery | OC | OTA

Remilia Scarlet (adult) | Touhou Project | OTA

Kylo Ren/Brianna Solo • r63!Star Wars

Xiao Xingchen|The Untamed|ota

Jyn Erso | Rogue One | OTA

Cassia Andor | Rogue One | OTA

Essa Erso-Andor | Rogue One OC | OTA

Cassian Andor | Rogue One | OTA

Rey | Star Wars | OTA

Ben Solo | Star Wars | OTA