Father And Son Episode Thirty-Five: Preparing For War

"Hey, it's Lars! The semi-finals are tomorrow, and I can't be more confident! I wish I could be more confident about other aspects of my life, like me and dad's public relationship...It's alright when strangers see us, but I'm still nervous about letting friends in on our relationship..."

*   *   *
Thursday afternoon, Lars was walking through the halls of the school, feeling like a boss. Everybody gave him looks as he strutted down the hallway on his way to his weightlifting class. Lars could care less though and only smiled and nodded as he went on his way. Arriving in the locker rooms, he quickly changed clothes and strutted into the weight room, past Darius.

"Well Lars, you look like you're in a good mood." Darius smirked at Lars.

"Oooh yeah Darius, I'm feeling GREAT!" Lars did some warmup stretches.

"I think I know why, too." Darius chuckled a bit.

"Yup..." Lars flashed Darius a badass look. "I just made my first successfull souflet in cooking class." Lars continued stretching. "Perfect texture, perfect flavor, perfect inflation." Lars struck a pose. "HELL YEAH!"

"...You're probably the weirdest student I've ever had in my entire teaching career, Lars." Darius facepalmed.

"But that's why you love me, right?" Lars continued posing.

"Alright, enough joking around Lars." Darius put a hand on Lars' shoulder. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Who was joking around? I'm PROUD of that soufle!" Lars gave Darius a pouting look. "I was gonna share some leftovers with you, but I'm having second thoughts now..."

"Lars..." Darius gave Lars a deadpan look.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm feeling GREAT!" Lars went back to stretching. "I'm reaching new weightlifting plataues all the time, I've mastered three different wrestling styles thanks to Omar and Grandaddy." Lars smirked pervertedly. "Hehe, and all the "training" me and dad do is leaving me well drained and clear minded." Lars threw a few jabs at the air. "In short, I'm feeling FABULOUS right now!"

"Good!" Darius nodded happily. "If we win the semi-finals, then we'll seriously be in the big times!" Darius put an arm around Lars. "You know Lars, when you first showed up to wreslling practice as that bony little freshman, I thought you were going to get wiped out in the first month, but then you showed determination and dedication that I hadn't seen since me and Omar were in school." Darius smiled widely. "I'm not afraid to say it: Larson Alexander, you are my star pupil." Darius let out a deep sigh. "And it's a damned shame to see you go..."

"Go where?" Lars smirked at Darius. "I'm only commuting to Westopolis for college, I'll practically be living at the gym otherwise."

"You know what I mean." Darius rolled his eyes at Lars. "I'm going to miss seeing you here everyday. There's not another student like you in this school."

"Aww Darius..." Lars hugged Darius tightly. "If we weren't on campus, I'd kiss you right now."

"Yeah, well save it until after tomorrow." Darius let go of Lars. "Right now, how about you get in some warmups for practice?"

"Yes sir!" Lars saluted Darius and ran off to decide on an exercise machine to use.

*   *   *

Meanwhile at the AlphaMuslce Gym, Omar and James were lifting weights together.

"Say James, you're still out of the job, right?" Omar set his dumbell down.

"Yeah, they still got me on suspention, or as they're calling it this week: "Paid Deliberation Time." James sneered. "I swear, if they don't make up their fucking minds about me, I'm going to march right down there and throttle a decision out of them." James rolled his eyes. "In a totally non-violent, work-safe way that won't end with me getting a belly full of led, of course."

"Well before that...how would you like to take over running the gym for a few days?" Omar smirked at James.

"Run the gym?" James cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I want me and Darius to spend a few days at home when we head back. It's pretty far across town, so it'd be inconvinient to have to commute back here every day." Omar nodded. "You're always helping me and Darius out, and I feel like I can trust you with this...do you want to?"

James smiled widely. "Of course I'll do it Omar." James put a hand on Omar's shoulder. "And I'm honored that you think I'm trustworthy enough to leave in control of your gym..."

"Of course!" Omar smiled back. "You and that kid are probably two of the only people I trust besides Darius..." Omar chuckled. "I mena, you can "Trust" a lot of people, but it's only those people who you can absolutely rely on, that you can truly be yourself around, and who you can barf out emotions to without a second thought that you can truly trust."

"I'm glad to be here for you and Darius." James nodded. "I'll be sure to keep the gym running at one-hundred percent while you're gone!" James gave Omar a thumbs-up.

"Great." Omar set down the dumbells he was working with and started to towel off. "I plan to head off after the wrestling semi-finals are over."

"Are you sure you can do something like that? With Darius, I mean." James cocked an eyebrow. "It's only the end of October, there aren't really any off days for school."

"Darius earned a few days off through favors and the like, he's good." Omar nodded. "And I don't plan to stay long..."

"Well you won't have to worry about the gym while you're gone. I run a tight ship." James tossed the dumbell he was using up in the air, catching it as he threw a punch. "And I doubt anyone will oppose my style of running things for very long..."

"You're a lifesaver James." Omar gave James a nervous look. "But please don't do that with my equipment. I don't need a lawsut over projectile dumbells."

"Oh, sorry..." James tossed the dumbell in his hands a few times. "Still, it prooves my point."

*   *   *

At wrestling practice, Lars and Lamar were practicing moves on eachother.

"Dude, what are you doing!?" Lamar jumped out of a hold Lars had him in.

"I was doing a takedown." Lars cracked his knuckles. "Why? Was I hurting you?"

Lamar blushed brightly. "No, but you were all over my junk when you were doing it!" Lamar adjusted his singlet.

"Oh, sorry." Lars shrugged. "I practiced that move with dad all the time, and he doesn't mind it..."

Lamar cocked an eyebrow. "Your dad really lets you put your hands all over his junk?"

"Sure." Lars nodded. "When you're on the mat, you can't be afraid of touching a guy's nuts, you got to take him down!" Lars smirked. "You can even use it to your advantage and make the guy hesitate like you did." Lars blushed a bit. "Of course, I've tried that on dad so many times that I think he's gotten over it."

"Okay Lars, what's going on with you?" Lamar stepped in close.

"Whatever do you mean, pal of mine?" Lars gave Lamar a smirk.

"With you and your dad." Lamar looked around to make sure the others weren't listening. "You calling him sexy, you pretty much admiting to me just now that you try to fondle his junk, and whenever you talk about him you get all lovey-dovey. Don't tell me you've got some sort of crush on your own dad man."

"Oh! Don't worry Lamar." Lars smiled widely. "What me and dad got going on isn't some crush or anything." Lars was about to continue when they heard Darius call everyone together. "I'll explain it more after practice." Lars walked off, chuckleing a bit.

"You'd better Lars!" Lamar shrugged as he walked after Lars.

*   *   *
Later on at the gym, Lars and Bouchard were both sweeping.

"Thanks for the help Butcher." Lars contined sweeping.

"It is no problem." Bouchard smiled, nodding. "Some days there is not that much going on here...I like to keep busy..."

"Hey kid!" James stepped out of the office and greeted his son with a wave.

"Hey dad!" Lars ran over and hugged his dad tigthly.

"How was practice? Is your team ready for tomorrow?" James rubbed his son's back, smiling down at him.

"Yeah!" Lars smirked. "Those kids won't know what hit 'em tomorrow!"

"Good, good!" James laughed. "I'm expecting you to push yourself to the limit tomorrow son." James lifted Lars up, looking him in the eye. "No mercy, no lazing about! Make those other guys FEAR the name Alexander!"

"Don't worry dad, I will!" Lars smirked at his father.

"If you do your best, I'll be sure to give you a good reward, too..." James leaned in close to his son.

"Ooh, can I get a hint?" Lars leaned in even closer.

"How about this?" James held his son tenderly and kissed him deeply on the lips. "Mmh..."

"A-HA!" A voice came from the door of the gym. "I KNEW something was up with you!" Lamar stepped in.

"MMH!?" Lars quickly broke the kiss. "Lamar!? What are you doing here?"

"I followed you here. I thought I would hang out and get an answer out of you while you were working." Lamar smirked. "I guess I was right."

"You didn't see anything, boy." James put on an intimidating face.

"No dad, he's cool." Lars jumped out of his father's arms. "So now you know Lamar..I don't have a crush on my dad..." Lars held up his ring hand, blushing. "We're a couple."

Lamar scratched his head. "You and your dad? I can't say it's out of character for you..." Lamar shrugged.

"Of course now that you know, you've got to keep your mouth shut." Lars gave Lamar an intimidating look and cracked his knuckles threateningly. "I know how you are about gossip! If word gets out about this before graduation, I'll make sure you'll spend summer AND autum in a cast!"

"Whatever, I don't care." Lamar shrugged. "Not my dad, not my problem."

"Good." James joined the two, putting a hand on Lars' shoulder. "Lars and me aren't hurting anybody, no need to cause unececary drama."

"Drama? We're seniors." Lamar smirked smugly. "We're above drama, we're golden!"

"I wouldn't be so cocky, kid..." James shrugged. "Pride comes before a fall."

"Well since you're here, how about we get some weightlifting in?" Lars flexed a bit. "I'm just about done cleaning up and I was going to do a set."

"Sure!" Lamar joined Lars. "If I can figure out how to keep up with you, I'll have ALL the ladies on me!"

*   *   *
"So now Lamar knows the truth about us. And just before the match tomorrow, too! He's my best friend though, so I know he'll keep his mouth shut....but still....I'm starting not to really care...Wish me luck in the match tomorrow!"