The dinner table was quiet that night. The only sounds heard were forks and knives hitting the plates. Occasionally, a cup would lift to be used, then sat back down. Alan's chair was empty and a cold plate of food sat in front of it. Zorn was sitting back in his chair with a foot kicked up on the table, chewing at a large leg of ham.

"Zorn, get your feet off the table, please."

"I only have one foot one the table, Edie."

"You know what I mean. And where'd you even get that monster of a pig leg? We're eating salmon and asparagus."

"I don't like asparagus."

"Why?"

"It makes my pee smell gross."

"Are you serious."

"Yes, I'm serious!"

"Asparagus is a great source of fiber."

"My cousin Gormonda ate asparagus and grew a third eye."

"Zorn, she was born with a third eye!"

"That's not the point, if I don't want to eat asparagus, I don't have to. I am Zorn! Defender of Zephyria! You're not my mother!

"You're right, if I was your mother I would have fed you vegetables, not the blood of your enemies children!"

"Hey, that is extremely high in iron!"

Craig sighed while they continued arguing and picked up Alan's plate. He stuck it in the microwave and headed to his room. He knocked with a couple of knuckles and asked quietly, "Alan? Hey...buddy. I have something here for you. Can I come in…?" There was a silence that lasted about 10 seconds. A faint 'yeah' was heard from inside. "Hey...I didn't see you at the dinner table. I thought you might be hungry." He gestured the plate and put it on the foot of his bed. Alan sat up, "Thanks." They sat for a few moments while he ate, staring at the food. "Eughh. Hate asparagus." "Haha.. that's funny. So does your father." "Yeah, that's probably the only thing we have in common." Craig furrowed his brow, "Now, why would you say that?" "Come on, Craig, look at him. He's Mr. Universe over there. He's...fearless and strong and handsome...and strong."

"Alan. Having muscles doesn't make a person strong. Zorn was born into a race of warriors and barbarians. Physical strength is what their nation is built on.

But you, on the other hand...You grew up without your father. Yet you still get good grades and you make friends." Alan scoffed.

"Okay-" Craig said, "maybe you don't have hundreds of friends... but you live every day to the best of your ability. You don't let your insecurities stop you from talking to girls, and you have a good relationship with your mother. And you have me. I don't know if your mom and I will be married for 10 years or be engaged for 5 years. But you'll always have me. I see your father, Alan. You don't think I get envious of his muscles or his long flowing hair or his rugged jawline? I know Zorn is a man of mass. But us? We're men of substance."

Alan rolled his eyes at this cliche. Craig spoke in an encouraging whisper, "Alan, you could gain 30 pounds of muscle tomorrow and feel great for a good while. Think about when you're Zorn's age. If you lose it. Maybe even sooner. What will you have left?" Alan looked at his feet in thought. "I'll tell you what you'll have. You'll have your sense of humor. Your humility. Your empathy for human life. Those are things you have that your father doesn't."

Zorn was listening by the door with a face of awareness and sorrow. "You're a good person, Alan. I would rather spend a whole day with you, than 5 minutes with a person like your dad." Alan smiled and looked up to Craig, "Thanks… that really means a lot. And if it makes you feel better, I'd rather spend the whole day with you, too."

They reached across for a hug and Zorn leaned his back against the hallway wall, taking in what just happened. A tear formed in his eye but he promptly wiped it, put it on the floor and stabbed it with his sword, walking away from it.

Zorn walked passed Edie and wiped his nose on his way out. Edie glanced at him while doing the dishes and heard the door shut. Craig walked out of Alan's room and ran into the sword that had been impaled into the hallway ground. He thought about it and sighed,

"Edie, have you seen Zorn?" "Yeah, he just walked out." Craig put his hands on his hips and looked down.

Zorn was walking in the cold night and pitched a tent about 3 miles from the house. "What am I even doing here?" he asked a mole in the ground, "Ew. You're ugly. At least I don't look like you!" he chuckled and fell quiet. The mole was unamused. "I thought I was doing a good thing by coming here… by showing interest in Alangulon's life. I've always loved attention and envy from weaker men but for some reason…" he looked at his hands in front of him, "this time I feel sick about it." His mind flashed to baby Alan in his hands at the hospital, kicking with his Zephyrian feet and cooing in his arms. He leaned in to look at them and got a kick to the face that made him stumble. He and Edie laughed it off.

Back to reality, he looked at his empty hands. His eyes drifted to the fire and he crouched down to poke it with a stick. "Do you think Alangulon hates me?" He asked the mole. The mole went back into the ground. "Yeah...I think so, too." He sighed, "I'll find a way to make it up to him... somehow."

Alan walked through the hallways of his school, not really sure how to feel. Craig made him feel better, but it was getting harder to remember what he said due to the fact that all his classmates could talk about was Zorn's lecture. "Alangulon!" a voice called from the down the hall. This made Alan panic and look around. It was only Betty running up to see him. "Hey…" he smiled awkwardly, "why'd you call me that?" "Well, that's your name, isn't it? Or is that just something your dad calls you?" "Yeah, kinda just a thing he does." "Oh. Oh! Speaking of your dad, is he gonna be a guest speaker any time soon?" "Ah… no, I don't think so." She deflated a little bit, "Man. I was gonna try to get a selfie with him to show my friend Becca in another class. She didn't believe me when I told her about him."

"You know what? Maybe tonight we could hang out." He said confidently, remembering what Craig said. "Oh-yeah! That'd be awesome. At your house?" Alan kinda bobbed his head from side to side, "We'll see. Go for a walk or get a milkshake or… I don't know." "Get a milkshake! You're hilarious, Alangu-Alan. Sorry! Can't get that outta my head." She laughed it off, "Anyway, see you tonight? Text me your address." Alan watched her leave and the bell rung.

Once again, Alan was in front of his mirror. He straightened his jacket and ran some fingers through his hair. "You're a man of substance. You've got...um...a good sense of humour? Oh god, that's what ugly people say." "Alan!" His mom called to him, "Did you invite a girl to come over for dinner or?" "Crap," he ran out of his room, "Nope! Not for dinner we are gonna go somewhere else other than here and I love you." "Now, wait a second, is this that Betty girl?" "Yeah." "Okay, well, stay safe-and um… Have you seen your father?" Alan stopped jogging for a second, "No. But tonight, is that really a bad thing?" "Well, no. But I haven't s-" "Alright mom, love you!" He ran outside and greeted Betty

She tried to walk in but Alan shoved past her. "Oh, are we not going inside? I thought I could say hi to-" "No, actually I was thinking we could go for a walk. It's a nice night, figured we could." "Yeah, yeah definitely."

They walked through the neighborhood, laughing and so forth until he hatched an idea. He took her to a beautiful piece of land a few miles out. "Wow...this is amazing. I bet your dad could lift that cow over there no problem, huh?" She chuckled. Alan had had enough. What was this obsession with his dad? Just because he's strong?

"You know I am his son. I can lift just as much as he can."

"That's...super cool!" she said in a humoring type of way. "What, you don't believe me?" "Well- Alan,-" "No, it's true! Seriously. I'm gonna lift…" He looked around. "How about that tractor?" she teased. His face grew pale, "Uh…" he swallowed, "in my sleep!" She smiled at him and lifted an eyebrow. "I'll…" as if the next words coming out of his mouth were poison, "I'll prove it to you!"

He ran over to it and looked around for an angle. "Really, it's fine, I believe you!" She yelled to stop him. "Nope," He shouted casually, "I will lift this 20,000 pound hunk of farming...machinery." "Alan, NO!" she yelled. "I'll prove it!" He walked behind the tractor and reached for the bottom of the wheel. He squatted to its level and grabbed hold. He groaned and moaned and nothing was happening. He gritted his teeth and squeezed with all his might until finally..

The tractor lifted off the ground. Alan's eyes widened. The tractor was now lifted above his head. Betty screamed and cupped her mouth. "Oh my god, Alan!"

"I know, right?" "But-How?" "Because… I am Alangulon! Son of Zorn!" Behind Alan stood Zorn; holding the tractor above his head, biceps trembling. "This is amazing!"

"Yep, now wrap it up, kid!" Whispered Zorn, painfully. Alan threw the tractor behind him and walked towards Betty. He held out his arm and they walked back home. Zorn was groaning from underneath the tractor.

***in the hospital***

Zorn sat up in a full body cast. Edie and Alan came in to visit him. "My god, Zorn. This is like Deja Vu." Zorn laughed and then moaned. "I, uh, heard what you did for Alan," she put a hand on her son's shoulder, "That showed a lot of character. I'm proud of you." Zorn half- smiled. "Yeah. Thanks a lot, Dad. Betty and I are gonna go to the movies next Saturday so," he put both thumbs up. "Alright champ. Just don't try to lift the theater. I have my limits, big man." "Haha, okay 'big man' I actually brought you something, Dad, uh— hold on" Alan squatted down and picked up a large Zephyrian war horn and tossed it on his body. Edie laughed and Zorn shouted in pain. "Hey look! A horn on a Zorn!" He laughed triumphantly, "Yes! Holy shit, Alangulon! You rock!" He laughed once again and blew it. "Shh!" A nurse leaned in, "Stop blowing that thing." "Oh why don't you blow—"

End.