Chapter Text
"You want me to WHAT?!" Were the first words Isaac Yankem managed to get out after hearing Jerry Lawler's proposition on a phone call one night.
Jerry doubled down, "Yeah, so why not? Why don't you come back to the wrestling world? I could put a good word in with Vince and maybe he would consider it. I know he used to love watching The Destroyer when he got some tapes from PNW. Ya know he was always on the search for new superstars...."
Yankem sighed, "I don't know Jerry, I just really like living my life, not bothered by the public, and I am only just started in my practice here. I'm not doing too hot either so I want to try to put more work into establishing myself as a dentist".
"It would give us more time to spend together too, I haven't been able to see you that much since we had to film a lot of matches recently, then that pay-per-view...." Jerry trailed off.
Yankem flopped down on his bed at his studio apartment, creaking sounds permeating the space due to his large frame "What would you tell him? You found a dentist that used to wrestle? What is he going to do with that?....God I hope that he comes up with something cool. Jerry- I am not going to lie, I do not have high confidence. There is a reason why I wore a mask in the ring back in '87....."
Lawler just laughed, "Baby, I'm sure it will be fine! I know Vince likes big guys, so I'm sure he will come up with something fantastic for you!" Jerry said to try to assuage his boyfriend. "Maybe I could mention it to him this week at the creative meeting, then maybe he would want to see you do a practice match somewhere! I could help you get back into it, maybe run a few drills?" Jerry added on.
"Oh God, you're hilarious Jerry. A real knee slapper...." Isaac let the two think in silence for a while while Jerry was giggling to himself. He caught a glance at the bucket he had in the corner of his apartment of a drip that he couldn't afford to get fixed between the price it took to run his practice and his student loans.
Jerry could hear Isaac sigh yet again, "Alright Jerry you win...I really need to find some extra dough and this might be what I need. Hopefully I can still practice while I wrestle... either way, I really need some cash..."
Jerry couldn't be more elated, "Yay! I'm so glad you agreed..... I can't wait to tell Vince. I'll leave out the part about us dating for the time being, not that he'd care, but we need more big guys in the business. They are always so popular with the fans...."
Isaac rolled his eyes he knew Jerry would never see it, but hoped the silence as his response would take the place of a visual eye roll. God, what was he getting into? A black pit formed in his stomach when even entertaining the thought of going back into wrestling again, and even worse, talking to Vince McMahon.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A week later on that Friday, Jerry had come up to Indiana to spend some time with Isaac, and to help get him back in the mindset of wrestling. Jerry knew some people associated with the old WWA that still had some local training facilities in a nearby town. Jerry called them up and asked if he could train with a colleague. They of course obliged, and Isaac and Jerry met up to go over some skills.
Yankem was about run ragged mentally. Jerry had yet to call Vince, he said he wanted to make sure that he was comfortable in the ring first, and then maybe he would film some tapes for him to send up to Stamford when he would give him a call, just to show him what he was working with. No pressure, right?
Isaac was dressed in a muscle tee and some athletic shorts, sweating profusely, waiting outside the gym that Jerry said to meet him at. Even though he and Jerry were actually dating now, Jerry was still his idol, and he was really worried he would mess up and Jerry would lose faith in him. Money aside, he did want to impress his boyfriend, but he hadn't been in the ring for quite some time, and his skills would need a lot of work.
Isaac nervously kicked around his high tops in the gravel. He wasn't even sure what clothes and shoes to wear today. He brought his old gear and boots, but they were ragged at this point, and he really didn't feel like wearing trunks today. He did clean his old performance boots yesterday, so they weren't too bad, just a little worn out. Isaac wondered if Jerry could be any later than what he already was.....
10 minutes later, Jerry pulled up in rental car in the gym's parking lot. Isaac ran over to him "Could you have took any longer Jerry? My anxiety was through the roof, thought I'd been stood up...." Isaac enveloped Jerry into a hug. Jerry removed his head from Isaac's chest, "Sorry baby, it was almost impossible to get a rental car from the airport, people were probably traveling for the weekend".
Isaac, now calm- accepted his apology and the pair went into the empty gym. Isaac was relieved that they had the place to themselves. He didn't think he would be able to practice with others watching for now.
Jerry sat down on the floor and motioned for Isaac to join him. The pair started stretching and doing some strength exercises like squats, and pushups to get warmed up. Thankfully, Isaac stayed in shape normally, visiting the gym at least 4 times a week, so he was up to par in his conditioning. Jerry eventually climbed in the ring, and Isaac followed.
"Do you want to start with a few bumps, and then we'll work the ropes a little bit?" Jerry asked Isaac. Isaac nodded and moved to the center of the ring. He took a bump flat out on his back, low and careful, and he felt all the air rush out from his lungs. Isaac wheezed and rolled onto his size in fetal position, wheezing and keening while Jerry ran over to him.
"Baby you have to be more careful! Try not to travel backwards and just rotate in the spot you're standing in remember? I know you're probably nervous, so let's try that again in a minute. That was beautiful form though." Jerry said as he patted his boyfriend's head and rubbed his chest, while Isaac was coughing loudly.
"*Huu huu*, y o u're right Jerry, *cough*, I threw myself backwards at an angle, rookie's mistake. I'm sure I'll get be-*cough cough* -tter as I warm up here". Isaac rolled to his side and gathered himself so that he was kneeling and slowly got up so he was standing. Isaac tried the bump again and it was way better the second times, his nerves were going away. The first one was over, so now it could only go up from here.
The pair took turns doing more bumps, but they stopped after a while, as Jerry didn't want to shock Isaac's body too much at once. They had plenty of time to work up to doing more advanced moves. This was Isaac's first day back in the ring after all.
Jerry called out to Isaac, "Hey, let's take a break, and then we'll run the ropes and do some drills involving that, get some cardio in". Isaac nodded, sweaty, sore and in need of a break.
~~~~~~~~~
The two continued through the afternoon, doing various practice involving running at the ropes, dodging "punches", jumping drills, and some handling for finishing moves. Isaac's mind was racing, and exhausted. He was keeping up physically pretty decently, but the mental strain of remembering what to do, where to angle yourself, and how much pressure to apply on certain moves were taking it out of him.
Now, pretty much done for the day, Isaac was curled up against a turnbuckle, resting with his water bottle, fiddling his thumbs together not making eye contact with Jerry. The former, noticing his somewhat subdued behavior decided to speak up, "Hey Isaac, I know you may be having some reservations about this whole plan, but I wanted to tell you that I think that you are making really good progress for your first time back in the ring in years. I have seen many more guys that do waayyy worse when they have been in the game for far longer than you. I think especially over this weekend we can really put some elbow grease into your training, and I think soon we will be able to film a demo tape soon!".
This caught Isaac's focus , and he shifted on the floor, awkwardly fiddling with his water bottle after receiving complements and such high support. He shyly met Jerry's eyes, a light dusting of a blush reaching his cheeks at the newfound praise and attention. Isaac wasn't used to people talking highly of him. Normally he hears people say so many critical things of him, especially during dental school. The newfound outlet of praise fueled Isaac.
"Thank you Jerry, I was really nervous going into this, but if you really think I can actually do this, I am totally down. I'll put in even more effort tomorrow, things can only go up from here, right?" Isaac smiled up at Jerry. Jerry met Isaac's smile and patted his head, "Of course baby, I can't wait to work even more on this later this weekend". The pair headed toward Isaac's apartment for a well deserved night off filled with cooking for two and writing up training plans for the rest of the weekend.