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Terry was practically snarling, frozen in place on his knees. Johnny aimed a swift kick to the side of his head. Terry’s face snapped to the side and his eyes rolled up before he fell over in a dead faint. Daniel watched horrified for a moment, before turning all his rage on Johnny. Another moment and he would have launched himself at him, but he heard Kreese laughing and he snapped his attention on the other man.
Mike pulled a gun out of the waistband of his jeans, brandishing it at Kreese. The older man didn’t seem to notice him, his laughter dying down as he stared at Terry. Mike shot him in the foot and Daniel would have shouted, but his own attention was drawn to Terry. He was still slumped in the exact position he’d fallen in, completely still.
Daniel kneeled down next to him, rolling him over onto his back. He laid a hand on his chest and leaned over, close to his face. There was still no movement or even a wisp of breath from his lips. Daniel felt his own heart speed up dangerously, his eyes blown wide.
"He’s not breathing,” he said, clutching at Terry’s chest. He looked up, his eyes going even wider. “He’s not…” he said helplessly. Mike crouched down next to him. “He isn’t breathing?” he implored Mike who was leaning over Terry as well now.
“Did he croak?” Johnny asked, somewhere off to the side. He sounded far away, Daniel could barely hear what he’d said. Mike yelled something at Johnny in response, but Daniel’s entire focus was on Terry.
“You killed him,” Kreese snarled, blood and spittle flying from his mouth. He clutched his bleeding foot, a black, murderous glare trained on Daniel. Mike yelled something at Kreese next, waving his gun at him, but Kreese’s stare stayed on Daniel.
“I didn’t…” Daniel said weakly. He stared back down at Terry’s slack face. Paler and colder with every second. The rage was gone, melted away. He looked more at peace than when he slept. Nightmares couldn’t plague him anymore.
. . . . .
A month and a half passed in a blur. He hadn’t done much since that night at the Cobra Kai dojo. Geoffrey and Mike had taken care of everything that came after. He hadn’t even been much in the mood to see Trish when she’d come to town for the funeral, which he had not attended. He mostly spent his days tucked away in the house, bigger and colder now than it had ever seemed before. He didn’t know if the shop was still open or how Julie was handling Miyagi-Do. He hardly saw anyone besides Geoffrey and he never said much more than a few words to him.
He ate in the bedroom or the study. What little he could stomach of the food Geoffrey brought him. He rarely went anywhere else in the house. It felt a bit like a maze made of stone. He could wander around forever and never find his way out. The desk in the study had not been replaced, so the hole Terry punched in it was still there. Everything was exactly as he’d left it.
Mostly how he’d left it.
One day he noticed a small blue velvet box on the desk in the study. He was almost completely certain he hadn’t seen it before. It hadn’t been there before. He stared at it for a long time, confusion and trepidation overwhelming him. Finally, he reached out one unsteady hand and opened the small box. There was a ring inside, as he expected. He took it out delicately, turning it over and reading the inscription inside. Something Latin along with Terry’s name.
. . . . .
The door to the study opened with a creak. Daniel didn’t bother to look. Geoffrey would leave a plate for him and leave. He heard a small groan. A dragging sound. Footfalls heavier than Geoffrey would usually make. He turned slowly. Terry was there. He blinked a few times. Terry was still there. He heard a thud and then another. He opened his eyes halfway, Johnny and Kreese were also there, laying limp and bloodied at Terry's feet. His eyes closed on their own this time.
When he woke, he was still at the desk. Kreese and Johnny sat in chairs across from him. Johnny looked like an open wound, clothes in tatters and caked in blood. His chest was moving just the slightest bit. Kreese didn’t seem to be breathing at all. Terry came into view again, smiling at him.
“Brought you a gift,” he said, gesturing to the two men.
“Terry?” Daniel whispered, he felt like he might pass out again at any moment.
“More or less,” Terry shrugged, smile turning sharp.
He looked years younger. Almost the same as the first time they’d met. Daniel looked at him in amazement and then back at Johnny and Kreese.
“John’s dead,” he said, patting the man on the shoulder. “Terry figured he owed him a quick death. Of course, I had a little fun with him first. And it’s not going to be any better for him, where he’s going,” he winked. “But Lawrence, here…” he trailed off inspecting the man a bit. “He’s still breathing, for now. Terry’s got plans for this one.”
“How? You’re dead,” Daniel blurted incredulously. He still couldn’t believe what he was seeing was entirely real. Maybe Geoffrey or someone else on staff had slipped something into his food?
“Well, Terry didn’t particularly like where he was. You didn’t think he was upstairs, waiting for you with your old pal Mr. Miyagi, did you? Terry’s a bad man,” he smirked wider, sending a chill down Daniel’s spine.
“He wasn’t,” Daniel responded immediately. “He did some bad things, but…he changed.”
Terry laughed, but it sounded nothing like Daniel remembered.“I think Johnny might disagree with you,” he said indicating the blonde man, still unconscious and dripping blood steadily on the carpet below.
“Where’s Terry?” Daniel glares. He’s clutching the desk a bit nervously.
“He had to fight and then claw through 6 feet of dirt out of his own grave to get back to you. He’s a bit tired.”
“Why are you here?”
“He couldn’t do all that on his own. He needed a little help. Even a man as rich as he is doesn’t have much to offer in hell.”
“Then why did you help him? What did he offer you?” Daniel demanded, doubt and suspicion clouding his mind.
“Anything. Everything. All his worldly possessions. This house, this body, his tainted, shriveled, little soul. All his wealth…” he trailed off, inching closer to the desk and to Daniel.
“And you.”
“Me?”
“You belong to him,” his hand caught Daniel’s wrist quickly, and coiled around it tight like a snake. “He was dead, but you still wore his ring. How sweet,” he chuckled.
“I love him, but I’m not his possession,” Daniel bit out, trying fruitlessly to pry his wrist free.
“No, you’re his whore,” the grip tightened further, causing Daniel to wince. “You live in his house, sleep in his bed. Wear what he bought you. You’ve been paid for, Dannyboy.”
“Don’t call me that!”
“Anything with his name on it, is mine. And guess what?” he tapped the platinum ring on Daniel’s finger. He grinned, black eyes lit up in malicious glee, letting Daniel tug his arm free.
Daniel took hold of the ring and tried to slip it off. It wouldn’t budge. He tugged it harder and tried twisting it, but it stayed firmly in place. He paused, examining his hands. They were smoother and the scars on his knuckles were no longer faded by the passage of time as they had been. They looked fresh. He turned his gaze back up at Terry, staring at him in awe.
“What did you do to me?”
“Nothing yet,” Terry replied with a leer.
. . . . .
Daniel examined his face and hair closely. Dragging his hands down smooth skin and through silky strands. He looked 20 again. Felt that way too. He didn’t know how this could be possible but unless he’d somehow gone insane, this was really happening.
He walked towards the door, testing the lock again. He checked it periodically even though he knew the result would be the same. He was shut in here. The windows were sealed too. It was dead silent beyond the door. He hadn’t seen anyone besides Terry, Johnny, and Kreese’s corpse for a month.
Kreese still looked exactly as he had when he’d been brought here and he remained seated at the desk where Terry had left him. Johnny was usually gagged and chained up in the study with him. Sometimes Terry dragged him on a leash when he wanted a change of scenery. He was always beaten and bruised, yet somehow still alive. Terry must have been doing something to keep him breathing despite his injuries.
Someone was still making Daniel meals and bringing them to him, but he wasn’t sure it was Geoffrey anymore. He hadn’t seen or spoken to the man since Terry had re-appeared.
The phones didn’t work for him. Only Terry could answer or make calls. Even his cell phone was useless. He’d tried answering a call from Trish but she couldn’t hear a word he said. He had no clue how Terry could be doing all this. Sometimes he thought Terry wasn’t really there at all. That his soul was still trapped somewhere and only a demon resided beneath his skin.
Sometimes he touched him tenderly. Sometimes he laughed and sounded like himself. Sometimes he would smile about something and it reached his eyes and they looked clear and bright. He called him Danny and it was nice; It felt normal. But then his eyes turned dark, and it was like Daniel could see shadows moving behind them. When he would smile, it was with sharp teeth. And the way he said Dannyboy was…wrong.
. . . . .
He tried to free Johnny.
He hadn’t seen Terry for hours. There didn’t seem to be any sign of life in the house. It had never been so quiet. So he’d snuck into the study. Johnny was lucid enough to tell him where Terry kept the key for his chains. And he’d slowly limped out the door. Daniel took a tentative step forward, but he couldn’t follow. He couldn’t move beyond the threshold.
Terry was livid when he found out. He locked him in the study, chained to the chair right across from Kreese. From time to time he’d come in and bend him over the desk, forcing him to stare into Kreese’s wide, dead eyes, as Terry fucked him.
The curtains were heavy. He couldn’t tell the daytime from the night. He wasn’t sure how long it had been. He started hearing whispers, but Kreese was long gone, and Daniel was supposed to be alone.
Eventually, Terry came to let him free, dragging Johnny behind him.
. . . . .
“Brought your little boyfriend back. A bit worse for wear,” he gestured at Johnny’s legs, bent at an unnatural angle.
Johnny hissed in agony and mumbled unintelligible curses. He hung limp and bloody and Daniel wondered how he could appear to lose so much blood and still be alive.
Terry forced Daniel to his knees and forced his mouth wide open. Johnny turned his head away and Daniel closed his eyes trying to stop tears from falling. Terry yanked his hair and thrust savagely and his tears slipped out anyway, mixing with the spit sliding down his chin. When he tired of that, he forced him down flat, face pressed into the carpet. He used Daniel’s own spit to open him up and force himself inside.
Daniel breathed hard, muffling his sounds and trying not to rut against the floor. Terry could tell and laughed darkly in his ear.
“Touch yourself. Show Lawrence how much you love this; someone watching you get fucked like a slut.”
He dug his hands into the carpet, refusing to give in, but those words proved to be enough. With a small shameful sob, he came, clenching down on Terry who laughed again, biting his ear and fucked him harder, making him spill over and over again into unconsciousness.
. . . . .
He killed Johnny. He used his chains to wrap around his neck until he stopped squirming. Terry had been sustaining him somehow, healing him just enough to keep his heart pumping. But he still needed air to breathe. He held the chains with shaking hands, wondering if he’d have the courage to use them on himself next. They were yanked out of his hands forcefully, Terry looming over him, red-faced and furious.
“You betray me over and over again for that lowlife scum,” he kicked Johnny’s lifeless body to the side. “But this is the last time. Now that you’ve killed him, you’re taking his place,” he growled, his words echoing like there were two voices speaking instead of one. He backhanded Daniel hard, taking the chains off Johnny and securing them around him.
He took off his belt, leaving angry welts in his flesh. All across his back and chest. Daniel tried not to scream, biting down hard on his lip until blood dripped out.
“You said…” he paused, swallowing. Terry stopped, tilting his head in close to hear him.
“You couldn’t hurt me…” he trailed off.
“Ah, but maybe you forget, Terrence isn’t alone in here, Dannyboy. He’s really ticked off right now, and luckily, I’ve got no qualms about marking up this pretty face of yours,” he said, rubbing his cheek soothingly only to backhand him again.
That night he left him locked up with both corpses.
And this time he was sure he could hear a low voice whispering. The voice sounded vaguely like Johnny's.
. . . . .
A few days later Terry moved him to the bedroom. He woke one night to find Terry fucking someone in the bed right next to him. He closed his eyes again, pretending he was still asleep. That he hadn’t seen. But Terry knew he was awake.
He taunted him and when he was done he snapped the man’s neck, leaving the body there on the bed with him. He only moved it when he brought another person to bed with him. Daniel cried until he was numb. One night Terry sat and watched him. He was silent, observing him. Daniel slept and when he woke Terry was still watching. When he spoke it was uncharacteristically soft. Daniel ignored him, tuning out his words.
“I’ll let you go.”
That caught his attention.
“Terry’s the one who’s been keeping you here,” he said, unlocking the chains. “But I grow tired of this.”
Daniel didn’t move, not believing his words.
“You're free.”
The door creaked open. He felt a breeze come through the window. Daniel finally sat up, watching him carefully, trying to figure out if this was some sort of trick.
“What happens if I leave?” he asked after a long pause, his voice low and raspy.
“You’ll go back to your true age.”
“And what happens to Terry?”
Terry didn’t answer. He left. Daniel waited, listening. Hours passed and Terry didn’t return, so Daniel finally walked to the window, sticking a hand out tentatively. He felt the crisp air and nothing else. No barrier. He walked out the bedroom door, looking down the corridor, peaking into every room. There was nothing but silence and his own shadow following him.
He took a step out the doorway and then another and another. He reached the gate and still, there was nothing keeping him caged any longer.
. . . . .
He spent a month in his apartment, hiding away until he’d aged up. Then he went back.
The house still appeared to be empty. Johnny and Kreese were no longer there. Terry was alone. Aged up considerably more than he had been before death.
“You came back.”
Daniel approached him cautiously. He still wasn’t entirely convinced this wouldn't turn out to be some kind of setup.
“What happened?”
“He’s dying. Took a bit longer than I expected, but he’s almost all gone now.”
“Gone? Why?” Daniel asked still walking forward slowly. It might have only been his imagination, but he felt colder with each step he took.
“He was dead. The only way he could return among the living was to bond himself to something or someone. You were that anchor for him. So he kept you here. That bond is broken now.”
Daniel’s face went pale.
“You killed him,” he smiled wide and laughed. “Twice.”
“I didn’t…You didn’t tell me..” Daniel said lowly, shock all over his face. “Why didn’t you—"
“He wouldn’t have died in the first place without your interference,” he said, interrupting. His face and tone are gleeful. “And now, you left him to rot away slowly so he could go straight back down to hell.”
“No! I didn’t…that wasn’t my fault! And I didn’t know any of this. You didn’t tell me!” Daniel denied, shaking his head.
“You didn’t care. You wanted to leave. You hated him. Everything he did to you—”
“Everything you did!” Daniel cut in balefully.
“We, Dannyboy. Although I will take most of the credit. In truth, Terrence was too soft on you,” he shrugged.
“I’m here now!” Daniel said urgently. “So he can’t die! This can be reversed again and—”
“Afraid not, Danny,” he chuckled. He’s gone.”
Daniel froze, his blood rushing in his ears. "Then what about you?”
“This body is completely mine now. Not that it’s of much use to me in this state. But that’s okay, I’ll hitch another ride. Might even drop in on you again, someday. Maybe Kreese or Johnny will want to cut a deal,” he winked.“See you around.”
Terry slumped over in his seat, motionless. Daniel took the final few steps to reach his side. He lifted his head carefully, seeing that he’d aged even more rapidly after the demon had vacated his body. Daniel gripped him tightly, tears spilling from his eyes after so long. He hadn’t known what would happen to Terry if he left and perhaps at the time, he hadn’t cared enough to find out. But if he’d known, he would have stayed. No matter what other torture he’d have been put through.
He gripped him even tighter, chest heaving with quiet sobs.
. . . . .
He parked the car, shutting off the engine. The lights cut out and he took a few long breaths. He gripped the steering wheel, to stop his hands from shaking. He had to get his nerves under control.
He’d spent at least half a year trying to find some way to do this. He’d ultimately found the information he needed from a book in Terry’s home library. Then he’d needed time to prepare. For this to work, he needed to get some graveyard dirt and a bone from a black cat.
He got out of the car and walked to the middle of the crossroads, digging a small hole to put the box in.
And waited.
He saw black smoke and then someone appeared behind him, touching his shoulder. He was startled his pulse racing. He knew this would happen. It had to if this was going to work. A woman walked around to stand in front of him.
“Daniel LaRusso,” the woman purred. “Astaroth’s mentioned you. He says hi, by the way,” she smirked.
Daniel furrowed his brow for a moment, but he realized that must have been the name of the demon who had been sharing Terry’s body.
“You know why I’m here,” he said and the woman nodded, grinning.
“I have to say though, I definitely didn’t expect it. A good boy like you,” she tsked. “Mr. Miyagi would be so disappointed,” she said mockingly.
“Don’t talk about him,” Daniel replied angrily, clenching his fists.
She merely laughed at him. “So uptight. Well, you know the deal. Made sure to read the fine print?” She asked and he nodded. “You get 10 years. That’s probably as good as he’s got left anyway,” she sneered.
Daniel nodded again, unclenching his fists. “Fine.”
“Good,” she stepped up to him. “It’s a deal then.”
She pulled him into a kiss and Daniel expected this too, but he still stiffened in her grasp. She pulled back and tsked again. “That was underwhelming, but maybe you’ll be better at it next time.”
She stepped back and dissolved into a black cloud. “See you in 10 years,” her voice faded along with the smoke.