Rebuild
Chapter 1
Taking a deep breath, Fang blew it in the face of his best friend.
Batting his face, Elizabeth squealed. "'ang!"
Laughing heartily, he kissed her. "What?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck, laughing also. "Hi!"
"I missed you." He stood back up, taking her with him. Max, who was on the couch, rolled her eyes.
"I'm trying to watch the news, Fang. Move."
"I'm saying hi to Elizabeth." He carried her with him into the kitchen. "I'm hungry."
"Hung'y," she echoed as she leaned against him.
"Alright then." He grabbed a box of Frosted Flakes off the top of the fridge and poured it into a bowl for them to share, leaving out the milk.
When he got back to the living room, he sat down next to Max.
"Hey, Max."
She didn't even look at him, but he knew that if she did, she would cut her eyes.
"Are you still mad? Really?"
"Yes, Fang, really. You don't get drunk, insult my family and-"
"My family too!"
"Oh, whatever."
He looked down at Elizabeth. "Ella was trying to brag about her stupid little brat and you weren't even saying nothing good about Ellie. I needed to defend her honor."
"With a bottle of Jack in your hand?"
"Jameson, but yes."
"Stupid drunk."
"Stupid hater."
"What are you? Five?"
"Eight."
"Fang."
"What?" He smiled at the baby in his lap when she ate some of the cereal. "Besides, I didn't say nothing too bad…did I?"
"You called her a slut, a-"
"Max! In front of Elizabeth?"
"You sure were saying it last night in front of everyone."
"I was drunk. You're sober. Watch your mouth."
"Mo't," Elizabeth mimicked. Fang bounced her a little.
"You know what, Fang? Do whatever you want." She jumped up from the couch and stomped off. Fang made a face before grabbing the remote and putting it on cartoons. Not for himself, of course. For Ellie.
"You like this show?" He asked her, but the toddler wasn't paying attention.
"'ang eat!" She shoveled cereal into his mouth. Fang just smiled at her, chewing his food. She was a lot easier to deal with than her mother.
Fang was laying on the bed, drinking, when Max came into the bedroom.
"Don't spill," she told him, but not acknowledging him in any other way. Fang thought about spilling the drink, but thought better of it. Why waste perfectly good whiskey?
What're ya doin'?"
"Huh?"
He repeated his question.
"Looking for clothes for work tomorrow," Max said, going through the closet. "I might have to do the laundry."
Fang burped. "I'm off!"
"Shhh. It's late. I know."
"Gonna watch Ellie."
"Yeah."
Fang sat his bottle on the dresser, almost missing it entirely. "I'mma sleep now."
"'kay."
He laid there, listen to Max come in and out of the room. At some point, he must have drifted off, because next thing he knew, she was cursing.
"Fuck that! It's not even fair. Ella- You were- He's a fucking drunk. Yes, I'm going to cuss if I wanna! Don't like it, hang up the ph- Hello?"
Fang rolled onto his side. "Trouble in paradise?"
"Shut up. Only because of you, jackass."
"Such a mouth."
"Don't even start with me." Max was laying in bed next to him, now sending out an angry text to her sister. "My idiot sister thinks that she can just call me and bad mouth you."
"You do it all the time."
"Not with other people…that's not the point!"
"Now who's loud?" Fang closed his eyes again. "Tell Ella to go suck an egg."
"You two are so petty. Fang, I get why you hate her, but the past is the past. You have to move on eventually."
"No, I don't."
"Life's short."
"Yeah, and I ain't going to waste it playing nice with that woman. I hate her."
"She's my sister."
"And? I'm your boyfriend, right?"
"Is that all?"
"Is it?"
Elizabeth started crying and Fang jumped up to go get the two year old.
"What's wrong?"
She reached out to be picked up from her bed. Fang lifted her up, rubbing her back.
"You're drunk. Give her to me."
Fang didn't turn around. "Go back to bed, Max."
"Fang-"
"She just had a bad dream. She wants me."
"How do you know?"
"She always wants me."
They both stood there, waiting for the baby to calm back down. When she did, Fang held her until she fell back asleep. Then he gently laid her back down before walking out of the room, Max following.
"Don't ever talk to my sister again."
"I didn't try to. I don't understand why she had to come visit."
'Well, you don't need to understand. You just need to stop being mean to her. And by that, I mean stop talking to her all together."
Fang laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. "Be quiet. I don't want Elizabeth to wake up again. If she does, she's your problem."
"You know as well as I do you'd jump up out of bed faster than me and rush to her. You're such a creep."
"Why? Because I feel the need to take care of…Max, my head hurts. I don't feel like fighting, alright?"
He felt the bed dip as she got into bed next to him. "Whatever."
"'ang."
"Hmmm?"
"Nama."
"Yeah." He kept shaving, not even looking at the toddler as she sat on the counter next to him, happily staring into the mirror.
"Dad! I have to get to school."
"I'm coming, Ethan!" He shook his head at Elizabeth when she looked at him. "Boys. They're so noisy."
"No'y."
"Yeah." Reaching over, he patted her on the head before going back to his reflection. "Alright, Elizabeth, you ready?"
"No!"
"Yes."
She seemed to think for a moment before turning and holding her arms out to Fang to be picked up. He got her in one arm before walking out of the master bathroom, headed to the living room.
"Took you long enough."
Fang gave Ethan a once over. "What happened to your hair?"
He brightened. "I spiked it. You like it?"
Not really.
"Yeah. Let's just go, okay?" He shoved Elizabeth in shoes before leading Ethan out of the room. "Your brother walk?"
"Yeah," Ethan said as his father started to put the baby in her car seat. "Hurry."
"Ethan, stop it. What do you have to do that's so important?"
"It's Julie's birthday and I have to get her something from the vending machines before she gets there!"
Elizabeth patted Fang's face. "Et'an 'oud."
"Yes, he is." Fang laid his head against Elizabeth's. "Be good. I have to drive now."
"Dad! Stop playing with her and come on!"
He was about done with his son at the moment. "Ethan, stop. You're not going to boss me around. Sit there, be quiet, and I'll get you to school on time. Alright?"
He just crossed his arms, not saying anything. Fang mumbled something else to Elizabeth before getting into the driver's seat.
"Bye, Ethan," Fang said a few minutes later. "Say bye-bye, Ellie."
"Bye-bye."
Ignoring them both, Ethan jumped out of the car, slamming the door behind him. Fang made a face.
"He's a brat. I'm glad that you're not like that."
"'ang."
"Yeah, I know. He just gets emotional easy." Fang stopped and got them donuts before going back home.
"Max? You here?"
He walked into the bedroom and saw her still in bed. "Max?"
"What?"
"I brought donuts." He sat Elizabeth down on the bed before sitting next to her, the box of donuts on the bed in front of them. "Want some?"
"You bought a lot for just us."
"I bought you and Elizabeth each one. The rest are mine."
She made a face as she rolled over to face them. "You're going to make her fat."
"No. I'm going to make her happy." He ripped off a piece of a twist and held it out in front of the toddler. She happily ate it, giggling a little. Fang took a bite out of one, smiling also.
"Mo'," Elizabeth whined, holding her hands out. Fang ripped her off another piece. Instead of eating it, she shoved it in her mother's mouth. "Mommy."
After feeding her mother, Elizabeth was ready for her own food again and whined until Fang fed her.
"You complain a lot," Fang told her. "You know that?"
She showed him her teeth before falling over with giggles.
"You're in a good mood today," Max observed before closing her eyes. "What's up?"
"Nothing. Just don't feel all that bad this morning."
"That's good."
He nodded. "Besides, I get the whole day with El after you leave."
"Have fun."
"We will."
"No drinking."
"I'll wait until you get home…I guess…"
"You better, Fang."
"Or what?" He asked, amused.
"You know what. I told you not to drink around them."
He just shook his head at Elizabeth. "She thinks that I'm irresponsible. What do you think?"
Holding up her hands, she said, "Mo', 'ang!"
Max smiled, reaching out to run a hand down her daughter's back. "Fang, don't feed her too much."
"I'm not." He looked down at his girlfriend's daughter. "What do you want to do today, Elizabeth?"
Staring into his eyes, she said, "P'ay."
"You wanna play? Huh?" He went back to his food. "I'll think about it."
Max laid there for awhile more before getting up to go get ready for work.
"Mommy?" Elizabeth frowned when her mother walked off into the bathroom. "Mommy."
"You're okay." Fang patted her on the head. "I'm done with my donuts. You don't want anymore, do you?"
Elizabeth shook her head before moving to lay down on the bed. "Nigh' nigh'?"
"No. I thought that we were going to play?" He stood up, pulling her off the bed along with him. "Come on, little girl."
"No 'ittle."
"Very little." He held cradled her in his arms like she was a newborn again. It made the toddler giggle, which she did a lot when she was with him. Fang took her into the living room, where her blocks and Ethan's action figures reigned supreme these days.
"I'm Superman," Fang made one toy declare as he picked it up and waved it in the baby's face.
"Ba'man," Elizabeth told him, taking the Caped Crusader who Fang incorrectly deemed the Man of Steel.
"Yeah, you love Superman, huh?" Fang patted her head, which he did a lot. He played with her until long after Max had left for work. In the back of his head though, he couldn't ignore the need to drink. He couldn't though. He'd have to pick up Ethan from school in an hour or so.
"Lunch time."
"Lun' mine!"
"Time. Not mine."
"Mine."
Fang led her to the kitchen where he made them some sandwiches. Well, he made her one and himself seven. Whatever.
"Got to rip up the sandwich for the little one," Fang taunted, making Elizabeth hit his leg, watching from the ground as he did so. "The little baby."
"No." She started to pout. Baby. Bah! Fang was more of a baby than her. "No."
"Yes, yes, yes." Fang started to walk back towards the living room. "Come on."
Stomping, she followed behind him to the couch, where Fang sat down, putting both their plates on the coffee table.
"Get up here."
She didn't budge. Making a face, Fang said, "Elizabeth, get up here and eat."
Still nothing.
He sighed. "Are you mad at me? Huh? Is that it? The silent treatment?"
When he still got no response, Fang reached out and lifted the toddler into his arms.
"I like spending time with you, Ellie, but if you're going to be a baby, then you can go stay in your room."
"No!" She elbowed Fang, but he didn't mind. "'ood now!"
He sat her down on the couch with a pat on the head to go with it.
Elizabeth was laughing loudly, continuing to pat her hands on her mother's boyfriend's head. She was seated on his back as he did push ups.
"You gotta do perfect form, Dad."
"Shut up, Ethan. Are you even keeping count? I told you to tell me when I hit two hundred."
"Yeah...about that."
Fang groaned before going down, staying on the ground this time. "Up, Elizabeth."
"No."
Reaching blindly behind him, he grabbed her and moved her off him so that he could roll onto his back. Looking down at him with interest, the toddler moved to stare down at his eyes.
"'ang?"
"Shhh."
Leaning down, she laid her head against his. "Hi."
"Hi."
Ethan, not one for the topic of discussion not only not to be about him, but also nonexistent, began to talk.
"Dad, you know what happened yesterday?"
"No," he mumbled as Elizabeth still looked at him.
"My art in art class got chose to be hung on the wall. Only the really good kids get their stuff up there."
"E.T., you've told me that before."
"I know. I just wanted to be sure that you remembered."
"I do."
"Good. You should remember things."
"Ethan, be quiet."
His younger half-sister giggling, moving away from Fang's face to climb onto his chest. She loved playing with Fang. Seeing this made Ethan frown.
"Dad, can't Elizabeth go to Ryan's or something?"
Making a face, Fang asked Ethan why he would ask that.
"I don't know."
Sighing, he reached out and touched Elizabeth, just to hear her laugh.
"Wanna play a game, Ethan?"
"What game?"
"Like Mario or something?"
Nodding his head, Ethan got up to get them the controllers to play Mario Kart. Fang groaned a little as he sat up, keeping Elizabeth in his lap. When Ethan gave him the remote, Elizabeth patted it once before leaning back against Fang, giggling.
"What's so funny? You always think things are funny."
Not always. When Fang took her to go pick up Ethan earlier, she had been cranky. She cried the whole time, the only thing that Fang hated about her. Crying. It was annoying.
"P'ay?"
"I'm playing with Ethan."
"P'ay?"
"I just told you-"
"Dad, you're not even paying attention!"
"Stop yelling, Ethan. And yes I am. I'm just trying to tell Elizabeth something."
She sat there for another minute before wiggling around. "'ang."
"Fine." He sat her on the ground. "Go play by yourself."
Standing up, she walked over to the couch and climbed up there to be with her big brother. He just frowned at her. Today was not a good day for sibling love.
"B'uce!" She started to bounce when her big brother walked through the front door. He didn't even look at her.
"I need a car tonight."
"Take your mom's. She gets home soon."
"I need it now."
Fang didn't look away from the TV. "For what?"
"I have a date."
"Right now?"
"I want to go get it washed."
"Hmmm…Which girl is it?"
"Gee, I don't know, maybe my girlfriend."
"Maybe? You should be more aware of stuff like that," Ethan told him with full sincerity. Bruce made a face at him.
"So can I have your truck or what?"
"I guess so." Fang reached into his pockets and pulled out his keys. "When's the date?"
"Seven."
"It's five."
"I just want to be ready, okay?"
"Can I come?" Ethan asked. "To wash the car? I'll put the quarters in the machine, help you-"
"No."
Fang shook his head. "Take him or no car."
"Dad-"
"Or take Elizabeth."
Bruce went over and picked up his younger sister, took the keys, and left. Ethan made a face.
"Sometimes, Dad, I think that he doesn't like me."
Sometimes? Fang shook his head slightly.
"You know, Ethan, I think he's just jealous."
"Everyone is. You're a hero and I'm a hero in training. Of course they're jealous."
"Yeah, of course."
"Max, would you chill?"
"He should be home by now," she mumbled, peaking through the blinds, as if that would hurry Bruce up.
"His curfew isn't for another-"
"Still."
Fang drank some more Jameson. "You worry too much. I mean, you don't really think that he hasn't-"
"He hasn't."
"If you're so sure. I mean, Max, he is after all, my son."
"Last time I checked, we haven't done that in a month."
"Clearly, you've been keeping count. You want me, huh, baby?"
"No, not really."
"Eh, you'll come around. Either that or someone will."
"Stop messing around."
"I wish I was messing around."
"Fang."
"What? I want to have sex, Max."
"Shut up." She went and sat down next to him on the couch. "This isn't a conversation for the living room. The kids might hear you."
Fang just kept drinking. "The more I think of it, the more I realize that you lied to me."
"What?"
"I was promised sex at least once a week."
"When was that promised?"
"It was implied."
"Is that what it was?" She leaned against his arm. "You know that you're not really mad at me."
"I know nothing."
"I don't disagree."
Wrapping an arm around her, he rubbed her shoulder a little. "Brighten up, Max."
"Why?"
"Ethan won't ever get a girlfriend. He'd freak her out too much. You can baby him for as long as you like."
She sighed. "I don't really mind Bruce's girlfriend, I guess. I just…I don't know."
"Welp, I'm bored." Fang stood shakily before steadying himself. "I'll be in the bedroom."
"'kay."
When Fang got there, he stripped down to boxers before collapsing on the bed. Today had been a long day. Tomorrow was work. Fun.
He was mostly asleep, partially dead, when Max came into the room.
"Bruce get home okay?" He mumbled against his pillow, not caring if it came out weird or incomprehensible.
"Yeah. Neck covered in hickies, but yeah."
Fang smiled. "I remember when you used to give me-"
"Not tonight."
"No walk down memory lane?"
"No."
"Not even a stroll?"
"Drink and shut up."
"All out. Don't feel like getting up to get more. Max-"
"No. I'm in bed and staying that way."
Fang shook his head slightly. "You would benefit. From drinking, I mean. Or at least smoking. Something. You're always so uptight."
"Thanks, Fang. You know, if you're really planning on getting me to screw you, you'd think you'd be nicer to me."
"Ha, Max. Outsmarted you."
"How?"
"I don't think."
"…Don't talk to me anymore, Fang."