Author's Note:
The idea for this story and the protagonist's name are based on suggestions from two of my awesome Patrons. Standard disclaimer applies: this story contains graphic depictions of sex, so if it's illegal or immoral for you to be reading this, stop now! All characters in sexual scenes are at least eighteen, all situations are entirely fictional, and any resemblance to any real-life individuals or situations is entirely coincidental. Copyright Fidget, 2020. All rights reserved. Enjoy!
The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree
by Fidget
Chapter 1
Josh couldn't be more unlike his father, for all of the usual, stereotypical reasons.
Josh was smart, good grades, good with computers. He was on his high school's chess club and debate team, and hadn't played a sport since a particularly bad asthma attack in his last year of Little League.
His father, on the other hand, while by no means unintelligent, fit the jock stereotype perfectly. He was obsessed with following sports and showed zero interest in more intellectual pursuits, quickly becoming frustrated and angry when confronted with problems he couldn't solve with his considerable muscles.
His parents had been high school sweethearts. His dad was the captain of the football team, and went on to lead the league in rushing yards in college, before a knee injury ended his blossoming career prematurely. His mom had been head cheerleader, but dropped out to have Josh and be a stay-at-home mom while his dad went to college, though complications with his birth had prevented his mother from ever having any more children, in spite of her wishes for a whole housefull. She had died in a car crash when Josh was still a toddler.
His dad had worked as a mechanic in his hometown after his injury. He had never married again, though Josh was well aware that his dad made frequent calls to the apartments of various single women around town.
Josh had tried playing soccer and baseball when he was younger, but it quickly became clear that he didn't have the talent or the athleticism to succeed. Not to mention that it was boring to mindlessly run after a ball or stand in right field hoping a ball would be hit his way, and he'd much rather be teaching himself to code. Josh often worried that his lack of interest in sports and other stereotypically masculine activities disappointed his father, but if it did, his dad never let it show, and was always supportive of his interests, which Josh appreciated.
One day, during the summer after his junior year of high school, shortly after Josh's eighteenth birthday, his dad knocked on his bedroom door, and then let himself inside.
"You're a man now Josh; it's time you had this. It's something my dad gave me when I was your age, and it's the reason I've enjoyed all of my success."
He handed over a box wrapped with white paper and a bright blue bow, the colors of their local high school.
"Open it whenever you want, but be careful with it."
Later that day, Josh's best friend Amy came over with her laptop so they could work on their most recent programming project together.
They'd been best friends for a few years now, after discovering their freshman year that they'd been born on the same day. They both had interests in computers, chess, and debate, shared very progressive ideals, and were budding activists on a number of important fronts. They were both vegan, and, not wanting to contribute to an increasingly overpopulated earth, had fully committed to adoption over having their own children.
Amy was petite and somewhat attractive, but Josh respected Amy far too much to risk their friendship on a superficial relationship. For her part, Amy appreciated his lack of toxic masculine traits and the way he didn't view her as a sexual object, so their relationship had quickly grown close without ever becoming physical.
Josh showed her the gift from his father, still wrapped, and told her about the strange things his dad had said about it.
"Should I open it?" Josh asked hesitantly. He could see no reason why whatever was in the box should be overly dangerous (or life-changing, for that matter), but his dad had never been prone to unnecessary exaggeration or embellishment.
"Absolutely! I want to see what it is! It's weird that he just gave you a random present out of the blue like that though," Amy responded.
Josh untied the bow and slowly removed the wrapping paper from the box, careful not to rip it, before taking the top off and revealing... an old, deflated football.