The first day of Miyagi-Fang practice was a literal nightmare. Karter was glad to be back in the little apartment, nursing an ice pack to her shoulder after she hit the wheel after Daniel got her up there. Miguel tapped it around her tightly as Yaya made her plate. "It's probably just bruised."

"Yeah, definitely not popped out of place or anything." she agreed with a hum. "I could ram it into the wall to see what it does."

"Please do not." he said in return, sitting down first and giving her room to do the same.

"Dinner is served." Johnny walked to his kitchen table. "All right, tonight's main course is fajitas and grilled vegetables. I have pico de gallo and corn and flour tortillas."

"Wow. This looks delicious, Johnny." Carmen smiled at his attempt to keep their dinner cultured.

"Thanks. I got the recipe off the Chilis website." he said in return, popping the beer top off.

"Better then me. I'd have ordered in, slapped it on a fancy plate, and said I made it." Karter shrugged her shoulders as she sipped her drink. "You're a better man then I am."

"Yes, I am. I wanted it to be authentic." Johnny hummed with a nod of his head. Yaya made a comment in Spanish as Carmen scolded her, Miguel gave Karter a little wink when she looked his way for a translation. Johnny grabbed the large container of salsa. "Here, try this. Spicy mango."

"Mango flavored salsa?" Karter gapped. "This is Lolly and Pops fault, all their fault."

"What's their fault?" Miguel gave a curious look as Yaya made sure Johnny stopped over pouring the salsa.

"Pop grew up in Italy until he moved here freshman year." Karter nodded her head. "So much Italian food that I was too busy learning about raviolis instead of mango salsa."

"You're not missing much." Miguel whispered to her, playing it off like he'd just been kissing the side of her head.

"So, what? How long are you sticking around?" Johnny asked Karter, taking a long sip of his drink.

"End of the year. After Miguel's very impressive guilt trip to my Moms at Christmas, they agreed to let me stay as long as I come home after the All Valley." Karter nodded her head, placing her hand on Miguel knee. Neither of them liked to think or talk about the fact that they only had four more months together before they either do the long distance thing, or call it off.

"Sweet, I need you at the All Valley." he nodded, pointing two fingers at her.

"So, how was the big day?" Carmen asked, now that they were on the topic of karate.

"Uh, you know, it's the first day." Johnny tried to be positive.

"It was a shit show." Karter nodded after taking a spoon full.

"Karter." Miguel whispered in a scolding way.

"I'm happy you and Daniel are working together." Carmen went on as she took a scoop on her plate. "I just want to make sure Miggys safe."

"My backs in better shape than ever, okay? You don't have to worry." Miguel flushed slightly as he looked over at her.

"Yeah, i'll protect him anyways." Karter held up her muscles. "This is Daniel and this is Johnny. No one's hurting your Miggy."

Yaya got a kick out of it, laughing as she clapped her hands together. Miguel only went more red.

"Don't worry, I'm watching him." Johnny promised Carmen. "And the hooligan."

"The most important part." Yaya nodded as she held Karters wrist a moment.

"I noticed the shoulder." Carmen cleared her throat.

"Daniel threw me on the wheel and I fell on a koi." she hummed honestly.

Miguel nodded. "Very true story."

Karter gave an odd look when Yaya spoke in spanish toward Miguel again, making a proactive hand gesture. He sighed, flushing again. Carmen smiled. "I'm glad the two of you are still together. It's been, what? A long time now."

Karter gave a snort. "Oh, sure."

"Been together for real this entire time." Miguel shook his head, the trio of adults clearly hadn't gotten their fake dating joke. "I mean, im not the only one getting together with anyone, huh, sensei?"

He gave a panicked look as Miguel looked at his Mom. "He had a date with the love of his life."

"Spit a sushi all over me for it too." Karter rose her eyebrows with a nod.

"Is that right?" Carmen hesitated with a small nod.

"It wasn't a date, no." the blonde shook his head quickly.

"He's being modest." Miguel cracked a grin. "We took those cool pictures and made you look-"

"Like a major valley dilf." Karter agreed with a dramatic shoulder shake.

"Why don't you tell them about the sushi, prior to you spitting it on Karter?" Miguel rose his eyebrows.

"We don't have to talk about it." Johnny shook his head.

"I don't know why he's being shy right now." Miguel rolled his eyes. "Look, we went to the sushi spot because Ali likes sushi, or so we thought. So we got the dragon roll and he takes one bite and-"

"Oh." Karter cut him off, realized three drops of blood fell onto her plate.

"What happened?" Miguel hurried to hold the napkin to her nose. "Let me see."

"The winter does it to me." she tilted her head back as Miguel kept the napkin on her nose. "Naked trees, am I right?"

Johnny was thankful she'd been a bleeder.

"I just think we need to talk about it." Miguel ranted that night as he sat in his bed.

"We don't need to talk about it." Karter shook her head, pulling her hair up in the small mirror.

"Karter." he huffed.

"Miguel." she mocked, checking to make sure her nose wasn't bleeding still.

"I just want to know if you want us to long distance or..." he didn't even want to say it.

"It's four months away." Karter kicked off the slippers and climbed into bed with him.

"So we just avoid it until then?" he gave her a dumb look, turning to face her.

"Exactly." she leaned into peak his lips. "Night, love you."

Miguel sighed, turning the lamp off. "Love you too."

She sensed his discouragement, flipping him over as Miguel gave a noise, sighing in much better content as her arms wrapped tightly around him.

"Ready, bow!" Johnny announced when they all arrived the next day.

"Sensei Lawrence and I have the same goal of preparing you for the tournament." Daniel said soon after. Karter and Eli shared a look.

"But we have different ways of getting you there." Johnny spoke awkwardly, but it was clear he'd wanted to make it seem like a good plan.

"We realize that teaching you opposing viewpoints at the same time can be a little confusing." the LaRusso man nodded sympathetically.

"So we've discussed it and came up with a solution. We're gonna divide and conquer." the blonde man nodded, only confusing the kids more. "Eagle Fang trains out front."

"And i'll be back here with the Miyagi-Dos." Daniel waved his hands around as he spoke.

"I thought we were stronger working together." Miguel spoke up with an odd look.

"We're still working together." Daniel reassured him.

"Just reparably." Johnny added in. "On opposite ends of the dojo. All right, Eagles, follow me."

"Come on, little rabbit." Karter pulled Eli with her, looping an arm around Miguel's waist. "I have an idea."

"God, no." Hawk sighed loudly.

"Last time you had an idea you almost broke a toe." Migeul gave her a knowing look. "But, fine, i'll bite. Please fill my brain with your brilliant idea."

"Hawk and Demetri." she smiled, tightening her arm around her cousin. "And me and you."

"How impressive." Hawk mocked her. "You realized we're all here."

"A double date." she smacked him in the arm. "We can do some milkshakes, we can smell the shoes at JC Penny."

"Is that your idea of a double date?" Miguel looked down at her. Karter nodded with a smile. "I like it."

"Fall in!" Johnny yelled at them, scanning their faces over. "Hawk, since you're new to Eagle Fang, come on up."

He took a step forward and bowed. "Yes, Sensei."

Karter winced when Sensei kicked his legs out from under him, wincing slightly when his back hit the ground. The couple shared a look. Hawk scoffed as he looked up at him. "What the heck?"

"Today we're gonna practice our front sweeps. On Hawk." the blonde nodded at the ones left standing.

"Yeah!" Karter cheered, tossing her hands above her head. Miguel hurried to yank them down.

"All right. I know I was a dick, but i'm sorry." Hawk rose to his feet as Johnny looked over at him.

"Talk is cheap. Who's next?" the older man looked at the group, giving a small smile. "Okay, let's get some family abuse going on."

"I won't use your moves this time." Karter gave a little grin, twisting around to kick Hawk in the stomach, leaning down to the ground and kicking upwards, heading for the gut, but hitting him right in the balls.

"You kicked him in the balls? What the hell is wrong with you?" Sensei Lawrence looked at her in disbelief, clearly taking sympathy upon the boy. "Punch him in the face, don't be a pussy."

Miguel helped Karter up, dusting the sand off. Karter laughed. "Woah, watch those hands, Rwanda."

Gus, a new boy, pushed out of the way and sweep Hawks legs out from under his feet.

"Boom! Nice shot, Gus!" Johnny smiled at him.

"Sensei Lawrence." Daniel walked out of the Dojo, looking his way. "May I have a word with you?"

"Walk it off. Take a five." Johnny nodded to Hawk and the rest of the students. Karter and Miguel helped him up.

"A double date sounds good now." Hawk winced. "But, Demetri and I aren't together."

"It's a good think you have us." Karter nodded to Miguel. "We're officially your qualified match makers."

Miguel gave an excited look. "I've always wanted to be a match maker."

•

kylie speaks

when they kinda suck
at communication but
still are super healthy and
precious all through season
four>>>