Adjusting
Chapter 12
Fang almost looked dead walking into the store. He had now been staying in the boys room for three nights and the situation didn't look like it was getting any better. Lucas cried all night last night and Fang wouldn't let me get him. He said that he needed to cry it out sometime. I would have started crying too, just from hearing my baby so upset and scared but I had work at one in the morning so I got out of there without killing Fang to get to him.
"Hey," Fang said, going over to me. I ignored him, instead just taking Lucas from his arms.
"Baby," I cooed at him. "Are you alright? Mommy missed you."
"Ma-ee," he said, leaning against me. He looked sleepy too.
"Where's Tabby?" Luther asked. Since Thanksgiving, he was very intent on spending as much time as possible.
"At school," Fang said, yawning. The week of Thanksgiving, they had no school.
"Bet Ty's happy to see Alex again," I commented.
Shrugging, Fang pulled the keys from his pocket. "I'm here so you get to leave now."
"You sure, Fang? You look tired."
"You worked all night. Leave," Luther said.
"What about Luke?" I asked, looking at Fang. "Should I take him?"
"If he's gonna sleep, it has to be in his crib."
I frowned. "Fang-"
"Then he stays with me and gets to sleep in my arms or his carrier."
I just took the keys from Fang. I don't care what he says, Luke and me are going to take a nap in my bed. Once I got home, I ate something before taking Lucas into my room and laying him down on the bed, Sasuke next to him.
"Ma-ee," he giggled as I kissed his tummy.
"I love you," I mumbled, my eyes starting to droop. Lucas laid his head near mine, falling asleep at almost the exact second I did.
Fang yawned. Luther glanced at him. "Long night?"
"Lucas cried all night."
"Why don't you just let Max-"
"Because he needs to learn to sleep in Tyler's room. When the new baby is born, we'll need it to be in our room."
"That's still awhile away."
"Yeah but-"
"And won't you guys be moving soon?"
Fang frowned. "What?"
"You guys need to move, if the next baby is a boy, right?"
"Why?"
"You won't have any room!"
Fang liked his house. He didn't want to move. "The baby's not a boy."
"Sure about that?"
"…No. But I want a girl."
"Why?"
"Tabby wants a sister and Max wants a girl too."
"So you want one because they want one?"
Fang nodded. "And I've always wanted to have a daughter with Max."
Luther frowned. "What? Why?"
"Because…I don't know. You know how they all think that every guys wants a son?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
"I just wanted a girl."
Luther rolled his eyes. "You have a daughter."
"I know. But now one that looks like Max."
"…That's creepy."
"What is?"
"That you want a daughter just so that she looks like your wife."
"At least I'm not taking my best friend's daughter and using her as my own."
Luther just blinked. "That was low."
Fang sighed. "Yeah. Sorry."
"So how's Tyler doing?"
"He's still mad. He'll get over it though."
"…You don't really think that he'd hurt Lucas, do you?"
"No. I don't think Max does either, she's just taking precautions."
"Good. I mean good that she's not really scared for Luke."
Fang stretched a little. "So how's things going with Tammie?"
Luther shrugged. "She's marrying him. What else can I do?"
"Who is it?"
"Just so guy she met."
"How long have they been dating?"
"Since like the beginning of September."
Shaking his head, Fang said, "You know, maybe you guys are like Harry and Sally."
"What?"
"The movie, When Harry Met Sally."
"What?" Luther repeated.
Fang mentally sighed. He told Max that other guys didn't watch movies like that… It was bad enough he had to watch The Notebook and made him ask Bone's opinion on it…He swears that sometimes she's just doing things to be mean to him.
"Nothing, never mind."
"Hey babies," I greeted them as all three climbed into the car, meaning Tabby had to ride in front because of Lucas.
Neither of my babies said anything but Alex, perky as ever, said, "Hi Max!"
"Hi."
"Ah," Lucas sounded off, just wanting to be part of the conversation. Alex giggled at him but his siblings didn't say anything. Guess their in bad moods…
When we got to the store, I took Tabitha inside. She was going to stay with Luther for the night. I didn't want her to, because of school the next morning but Luther said that he'd get her there. After dropping her off, I left, headed to home. With his sister gone, Tyler was in a better mood, at least.
"Max, I want a cookie," he told me as I got Lucas out of the car.
"So do I," I told him. I carried them into the house, the other two following me. I put Lucas on the floor in front of his blocks before going into the kitchen and getting them a pack of Chips Ahoy.
"Yeah," Tyler cheered. I rolled my eyes.
"You both get three."
"Then why do you have the box?" Alex asked.
"For me." Duh.
Lucas had stood up, using the couch for support. He was trying to get away from me.
"What are you doing, Lucas?" I asked him, laying down on the couch. He kept walking until he got to my face. He smiled, reaching out with one hand to touch my nose.
"Ma-ee!"
"Hey, baby."
He giggled, smiling at me. "Ma-ee."
"Yeah," I said, watching Tyler and Alex head out of the living room. "Where are you going, Ty?"
"To play in my room," he told me, the two of them leaving. I sighed, reaching over to pull Lucas up on my stomach. He patted my tummy, giggling. I smiled at him before turning on the TV. Lucas laid his head against mine, staring into my face.
"What are you doing, Luke? Huh?" I stared up at him, smiling. Then he drooled on my face. I hate life.
Luther dropped Fang off around six. When he opened the door, Lucas made a noise for him.
"Da-da!"
Fang closed the door before going to pick him up. He held the baby above his head, staring up at him, making Lucas wiggle.
"Hi baby," Fang muttered, still looking at him. "How are you, huh?"
"No," Lucas told him, trying to get down. He didn't like being held like that. Fang moved him so that he was laying against his shoulder before looking at me.
"Hey Max."
"Hey."
"Where's Ty and Alex?"
"Alex is already gone and Tyler is in his bedroom."
Fang bounced Lucas a little. "Tabby's staying with Luther."
"I know."
Kissing the baby's head, Fang headed into the kitchen. "What are we doing for dinner, Max?"
"I don't know. Whatever you want."
He sighed. "Well, I've been at work. Can you do nothing for your fucking self? Did you even do clothes?"
…Oops. "I had three kids here with-"
"Shut the fuck up. I'll go get us something since you're to fucking lazy."
I just closed my eyes, telling myself that he was just being this way because he's tired. But is he? "You need to stop saying that word so much, especially around Lucas."
"Shut the fuck up. I fucking say whatever the fuck I want." Fang walked back into the living room. It was cold out so he put shoes on Luke and a little hat before leaving. As soon as he was gone, Tyler came out of his room, running to me. He climbed up on my stomach like a baby. Is that good for the baby in me to have a four year old on top of it? Hmmm…
"What Ty?" I asked, sitting up so that he could just sit in my lap.
"Did Daddy yell at you?" He asked, looking up at me with worry forming in his eyes. He has Fang's eyes. I just kissed his head.
"No. He was just yelling. Sometimes he gets angry-"
"At you?"
"At everyone."
"He says bad words to you."
"He's upset."
"When I get older, Max, I'm never gonna say bad things to you," Tyler told me.
"You're not?" I mumbled, closing my eyes.
"No, never," Tyler assured, leaning against me. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"I'll take care of you," Tyler said, "like you take care of me."
"You will?"
"Yep!" He giggled. "I'll buy you a house, a dog, a cat, a bird, a fish, a toaster, a TV, a bathtub, a dryer, a washer, a-"
"Wait," I started, looking down at him, "why are you buying me a washer and dryer?"
He gave me a look like I was crazy. "So you can do my clothes, Max."
"I thought you were going to take care of me?"
"Yeah but you still have to do my clothes."
I giggled, hugging him to me. "I love you baby, so much."
Tyler smiled against my stomach. "Max, can we watch Scooby?"
I knew he just wanted something… When Fang got back, he was in a slightly better mood but that was because he had been alone with Lucas. No one can be a horrible mood after that.
"Come eat," he said gruffly, carrying the fast food bags into the kitchen. I carried Tyler in there. Fang sat Lucas down on the ground before taking Tyler from me and putting him on the ground.
"Fang-"
"You need to stop carrying him and Tabby. They're too old and you're pregnant."
"And?"
"And I don't want you carrying them. End of story." Fang sat a burger and fries down. "There Tyler."
The four year old climbed into the chair. Fang gave me my food.
"You are eating it all," he said.
"Fang-"
"I'm not in the fucking mood, Max. You're eating it."
I sat down at the table. Fang put Lucas in his high chair, setting some chicken nuggets on his plate. Fang ripped them up before kissing Lucas's head. Lucas made a noise, patting his daddy's cheek. He wanted Fang to pick him up. Fang just sat down at the table and started eating.
It was a silent dinner. After we ate, Tyler went to go take a bath and Fang took Lucas up to the attic with him. I decided I might as well start the clothes. I put them in the washer before going up to the attic. Fang was playing with his action figures.
"Hey," I whispered, laying down on the couch. Lucas was sitting next to his dad, playing also. Fang had given him so more plushies, though Sasuke never left Lucas's hand. He was touching the others though, liking the feel. Fang didn't even look at me.
"I'm off tomorrow, from both jobs."
"I'm not."
"Sucks for you."
I closed my eyes. "Lucas's birthday is coming up."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"So is that…other day."
I knew he was talking about the day Kevin…yeah. So I just closed my eyes, planning on going to sleep. And I did. Oops.
"She's sleeping," Fang told Tyler.
"But I need her to tell me goodnight," Tyler complained.
"No you don't," Fang said, laying down on the sleeping bag. Lucas, who was sitting in his crib was whining a little but not full blown crying. He was too tired for that.
"Yes!"
"Tyler just shut up and go to sleep."
The four year old glared at his father, cuddling under his blankets. Fang sighed, hating the sound of Lucas whining.
"Lucas," Fang whispered. The baby made a noise. "What's wrong, huh? Daddy's right here. You know that, right?"
"Ma-ee," Lucas said, making a noise after. He just wanted his mommy. It was dark and scary in this room and Daddy wouldn't hold him. Mommy would hold him. Where was she?
"She's sleeping baby," Fang told the baby. "Go to sleep, Lucas. You need to sleep."
"Ah!" Lucas screamed, still upset. Fang sighed, finally getting up. He picked up Lucas before lying back down on the sleeping bag.
"What are you doing?" Tyler asked.
"Lucas is sleeping with me," Fang told him, laying him on one side of him. "Come here."
Tyler got out of bed. "What?"
"Lay down."
It was hard to fit with all three of them so Fang laid Lucas on his chest, letting his other son cuddle against him.
"Why are we all sleeping in the sleeping bag?"
"Because, buddy, it's cold and you both need to sleep. Falling asleep together makes you closer."
Tyler yawned. "What 'bout Max?"
"What about her?"
"Isn't she cold?"
Fang frowned. He had left his wife in the attic to sleep on the couch. She would be all right, right? He could have carried her down stairs but he felt lazy and pissed off today.
"She's fine," Fang said.
"All by herself?"
"Max likes being alone."
Tyler paused for a second. "Don't say bad words to Max. They make her sad."
"What?"
"You're mean to Max. I love Max. Leave her alone."
"Tyler-"
"Just be nice," Tyler muttered against his father's side. "She's your wife."
Fang glanced down at him. "What do you know about a wife?"
"I know that you have to be nice, feed her, and give her kisses but those are nasty so you don't really have to if you don't wanna."
Fang closed his eyes. "Who told you about a wife?"
"Bone."
"He did?"
"Uh-huh."
"Why?"
"So I can watch out for Tabby and Max. And Tammie too when she's married. You gots to watch out for the girls."
"You do?"
"Yep. They don't know what they're doin'."
"Ty, that's not a good thing to say. Girls can do what boys can."
"No! Girls are special and deli-cat."
Fang frowned. "You mean delicate?"
"That's what I said."
Rolling his eyes, Fang ran a hand down Lucas's back. "You don't need to look out for Max. I do that."
"No," said Tyler. "I've got to."
"Why?"
"I'm her son. I have to take care of her."
"Bone told you that too?"
"Yes."
Fang yawned. "Night buddy."
"I'm not," Tyler stopped to yawn, "sleepy."
"You're not?"
He got no response.
"Ty?"
Fang looked down at the baby and saw that he was sleeping. Fang smiled before following suit.
I woke up in the dark. Oh God, where am I? I sat up fast and tried to roll over but, unfortunately, I wasn't on a bed.
"Max!" Fang called up from down stairs. So I was in the attic. "You alright baby?"
"Why is it so dark?"
"You were sleeping. I turned off the light."
"The stairs?"
"I just closed them," I heard him say. A second later, Fang pulled the staircase down for me. "There, all better."
I gratefully walked down the stairs. When I got to the bottom, I pushed Fang. "You jerk! You left me up there."
He rolled his eyes. "Lydia's here."
I frowned. "What?"
"Yeah. She wants to talk to you. I told her to go away but she said that she would just wait until you woke up."
Groaning, I walked into the living room. Lucas was on the floor, chewing on his toy. Tyler was sitting on the couch, as far away from his mother as possible.
"Max," Tyler reach out for me. I just looked at Lydia. I had to be pleasant to her, seeing as she was their bio mom.
"You wanted to talk?" I asked.
Lydia stood up. "Yes. Let's go outside."
Fang frowned, sitting down in the chair. "Just hurry up. Max needs to eat and I have to make her food before she leaves for work."
"Does he do everything for you?"
I ignored her question, leading her to the backyard. Tank was at us immediately. After making sure I was safe with Lydia, he laid down on the ground, rolling onto his back, expecting his guest to rub his stomach. She didn't.
"Why did you tell my children to call you mom?"
I frowned. "What?"
"You heard me."
:"I never said that. And as far as I know, they still call me Max."
"Yeah, well last time I was here-"
"I do remember Tabitha saying something a long time ago about not wanting to call you mom. I told her that it was her decision, no one else's. Besides that, I don't know and don't care."
"Oh, you don't care that you're turning my kids against me."
I held in all the things I wanted to say. "Look, Lydia, you honestly never come up in a conversation and the only time you cross my mind is if one of the babies mention you. So if I'm trying to turn them against you, it's news to me."
She huffed. "Well if you think that you're a better mom than me, then be it. I just'll stop coming around."
Good. I couldn't say that though. "Tabitha likes you, she loves you. Don't do this to her. And Tyler cares about you too, when it comes down to it. You can't keep doing this to them."
"Doing what? I'm honestly gone this time. Don't expect me to come back."
I stared at her for a second. I knew that Tabitha needed a mother and that Lydia leaving would hurt her but do you really need two moms? "Then go."
She blinked. Then she flew back inside. I followed.
"I'm never coming back here!" She yelled, walking through the kitchen. She stormed through the living room and looked at Tyler. "You want her? You've got her."
Tyler hid his face in Bear. I went and picked Tyler up, letting him put his face in my shoulder.
"You need to leave," Fang said, standing up. Lucas, not liking the yelling, crawled over to Fang, reaching up for him. When he got scared, he knew his daddy would make it better.
"Oh I am."
Fang went over to the door and opened it. "Then go."
She took in a deep breath before walking out of the door. Fang closed it and locked it, leaning his hand on the doorknob for a second before turning to come over to me. He took Tyler from me.
"I told you not to carry him," Fang said, before carrying Tyler into the kitchen. I sighed, looking at Lucas. He was crawling as fast as he could, trying to catch up with Fang. I picked him up, taking him into the kitchen with me.
Fang had sat Tyler on the counter and started to get out stuff to make pancakes. That's when I realized something.
"Tyler is late for school."
Fang shook his head. "He's not going today. He wasn't feeling well when he woke up."
"Are you okay now?" I asked him.
He shook his head. "My tummy hurts."
"Why didn't one of you wake me up?"
Fang just kept making the food. I rolled my eyes.
"Fang, are you listening to me?"
"Yes, Max."
"Well I'd like some sort of response."
"Shut up."
"F-"
"Just shut up, alright?"
I looked at Tyler, giving him a kiss on the head. "I love you."
"I love you too, Max."
I was suddenly reminded of something. "Fang, what about Tabitha?"
"What about her?"
"She'll flip if she gets to school and Ty isn't there."
Fang put two pancakes on the table. "Eat."
"What about-"
"I called Luther and told him that Tyler was sick and Tabby didn't have to go either."
I sat down at the table. "Are you hungry Tyler?"
"No."
"Go get back in bed, buddy," Fang said. "I'll be there in a second."
After Tyler was gone, I asked, "Aren't you going to eat?"
"I already ate," Fang told me, picking up Lucas. "Max, what did Lydia say to you?"
I sighed. "For some reason she thought that I had told the kids to call me mom. I didn't though."
"I'll talk to them about it."
"No, I will. It has to do with me so it's my job."
Fang shrugged before walking out of the room.
"School?" Bone asked as Luther came in with Tabitha.
"Nope. Ty got sick so I didn't take her," said Luther as he walked over to the counter.
"Look what Luther bought me," Tabitha bragged, walking over to Bone. "I got a jacket and lion toy and a kitty doll and-"
"When did you get rich?" Bone asked Luther.
"I just took her shopping, that's all."
Tabitha headed to the back, to play with her toys probably. Bone looked at his friend.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Tabitha."
"What?"
Bone didn't feel like talking today. "Why are you doing stuff for her?"
"Tabby? I always have."
Shaking his head, Bone said, "Not like this. Everyday."
"Huh?"
"You're trying to spend everyday with her."
"And?"
"It's weird."
"You're weird."
"How?"
"You try and spend everyday you can with Max."
"I love her."
":And I love Tabitha."
"Still…you're turning into a creep."
"Me?" Luther asked in disbelief. "Out of the two of us I'm the creep? Really? Honestly?"
"Yes!"
"How?"
Bone frowned. "You know."
"No Bone, I don't know."
"You always have a four year old girl with you…"
Luther frowned before finally catching on. "Bone you little-"
"Not me! It's Justin."
"Who?"
"Tammie's fiancé."
"What?"
Bone sighed. "I met him, the other day when I was working alone. He asked where you were because he wanted to meet you too and I told him that you were with Tabitha. He commented on how Tammie said that you spend a lot of time with her."
"And?"
"Well I said yeah and he said that it's weird, you know, a man spending time with a kid that ain't his. I don't have an issue with it, I know that you just love her, but-"
"That faggots' opinion isn't any of my concern. He's an ass."
"Why? Because he's gonna marry your ex? You can't really have thought she'd never get married again."
"I wasn't talking about that! How dare he judge Tabitha and my relationship? She's my baby."
Bone sighed, allowing the heavy silence to fall over them again. He wished that Max were there…
"Hey Ty," I greeted, coming to sit on his bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Bad."
I kissed his head. "I'm sorry Tyler."
He sniffled, trying to pull me down. "Lay down with me, Max."
I sighed, doing so. Tyler cuddled against me, letting me run a hand down his back. "Baby, why did you tell Lydia that you wanted to call me mommy?"
Tyler frowned. "You are my mommy."
"Ty-"
"Why can't I call her Lydia and you Mommy instead?"
"Because…it hurts her feelings."
"I don't like her. I love you." Tyler lifted up his head to kiss my cheek. "I want you to be my mommy."
"Tyler-"
"Please? Why does Lucas get to call you mommy? I was your baby first!"
God. I closed my eyes, thinking. "What if you call me something else?"
"No. I want to call you mommy."
"What about something better than mommy?"
"Like what?"
"Well I don't know! You pick."
He laid his head next to mine. "Um…Mama."
"What?"
He giggled. "I'll call Lydia Mommy if I get to call you Mama."
"Fine."
He smiled and, for a moment, he was happy. Then he threw up on me. Great…
Fang kissed Tyler's head before looking at me. "Let's let him sleep."
"Yeah."
Fang grabbed one of my hands, leading me out of our bedroom. Lucas was on the floor in the hallway, chewing on Sasuke. I picked him up as Fang closed the bedroom door.
"When are we going to pick up Tabby?" I asked.
"I don't know."
"Should we just let her stay with Luther again?"
"I think he works late tonight. So do you."
"Oh," I said frowning. I wanted to stay with Tyler tonight. I think I can take better care of him… Fang noticed my look and sighed.
"What if I go in for you? Tabby can stay with me and Luther at the store."
"Okay," I agreed. "That's fine with me."
"Good." Fang kissed my head and then Lucas's. "I'm…sorry."
"About what?"
"Yelling at you last night, leaving you in that attic, Lydia…everything."
"It's okay, Fang. Especially Lydia. She's not your job."
"Yeah but you're my wife. I'm not going to let her yell at you like that."
"Well, according to her, she's never coming her again."
Fang sighed. "Did you talk to Ty?"
"Yeah. He said that he wants to call me Mama."
"Are you going to let him?"
"Yeah, of course."
Fang shook his head. "I can't stand Lydia, at all."
"No one can."
Fang laughed a little. "Think that we'll luck out and she'll never show up again?"
"Would that really be luck?"
"Yeah, duh Max."
"But Tabby loves her."
"She loves you more."
"I don't know…"
"Well I do. Without her around, life will be ten times better."
I still felt uneasy about upsetting Lydia. I didn't want to lose the twins or have them live with her. That would kill me, Fang, Luther…everyone. I sighed, following Fang into the living room.
"Hi Daddy."
Fang picked Tabitha up, giving her a kiss on the head. Seeing that Fang was here, Bone stood up.
"Bye Bone," Tabitha called. Bone stopped at the door before turning around to go give her a kiss.
"I love you," he whispered to her before leaving. Fang went and sat down on the stool next to Luther.
"Tyler feeling better?" Luther asked.
"No."
Tabitha leaned into her father. "Do I have to go to school tomorrow?"
"No."
She smiled, closing her eyes. "I missed you."
"I missed you too. Did you have fun with Luther?"
"Yeah." She looked up into her dad's eyes. "Is Ty sick again? Does he got to go to the ho-spit-all?"
"No baby. Not that kind of sick."
"Good."
"Yeah, very good."
Luther looked over at Fang. "What do you want to do for dinner?"
"I don't know. Burgers."
Luther sighed. "I'll go around seven."
Fang nodded a little before looking down at his daughter. "So what did you do today?"
"Nothing."
"Really?"
"Luther bought me stuff," she told him.
"He did?"
"Yeah."
Fang closed his eyes, running a hand down her back. "Tommy's coming to town in a few weeks."
"Really?"
"Yep."
Tabitha giggled. "I bets he got me a gift for Christmas."
"I bet his did too," Fang agreed, having to force himself to stay awake. Boy what he wouldn't give to be the one at home and Max be stuck up here. That reminded him of the fact that Tyler being sick meant that the room merging was going to be put on hold. He frowned, holding Tabitha closer to him. He was now worried about the baby. Maybe it was just him being overly tired but his mind was starting to wonder about the child steadily growing inside of Max. What were they going to do if it was a boy? He hadn't even thought of that. They would have to move at some point anyways but right now he was still dealing with the bills from Tyler's surgeries. God. After this pregnancy, he decided, Max was for sure going on birth control…
I was on the couch, resting, when the door opened. I just assumed Fang had gotten into a fight with Luther or something so I didn't even open my eyes. When the hands I felt on my body weren't Fang's, however, I flung them open.
"Bone!"
He kept his hand on my stomach, staring at it for a moment before looking at me. "You need to eat more."
"Oh, Mr. Skin and Bones is gonna tell me to eat more? Please."
Bone just blinked. "Ate?"
"What?"
"You."
"No, I haven't eaten yet."
Sighing, he headed into the kitchen. After a minute, he called out, "Pizza."
"What? We have no food?"
"No. Store."
"I'll go tomorrow."
Bone walked back into the room and handed me his cell. "Order."
I rolled my eyes before ordering us pizza. Lucas, who was on the floor playing with blocks, giggled as Bone got down on the floor with him. The twenty-nine year old kiss the baby's head before looking at me.
"Sex?"
I choked on my own spit. "What?"
"Baby. What do you want?"
God, why does he always do that? "A girl."
Bone shook his head. "Boy."
"You don't get a choice."
"No. I know that it is."
"How?"
He shrugged before laying on his back, letting Lucas come over and run his hands down his boney stomach. Lucas pushed up Bone's shirt enough so that he could see his stomach, from which his ribs protruded. Lucas clapped his hands, as if he had found a treasure. He ran his hands down the bones, giggling at the feeling. Bone just laid there, emotionless as ever.
"You should go to a doctor. It's not good to be that thin."
"Coming from you? I must be worried."
"Long sentence. You must be tired."
Bone frowned at me. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing.."
"How's Ty?"
"Sick."
"Still not feeling better."
"No."
Bone closed his eyes. "Paying?"
"You are."
"Me?"
"Yes. You're the one that wanted pizza. Plus, I'm a working mother and you're a single guy. You should always pay."
"Lucky."
"I'm lucky? How."
"That I love you."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, so lucky."
"Why's Bone here?"
I ignored the question, mainly because I wasn't sure, and kissed Tyler's head. He had just thrown up, luckily making it to the bathroom first. "Go back to sleep, baby."
"Is he spending that night?"
"No."
"Daddy doesn't like him here."
"I know. Go to sleep."
"Will you sleep with me?"
I sighed, getting into the bed with him. I held him until he feel asleep. I gave him another kiss before going into the living room. Lucas had fallen asleep on the floor and Bone was eating. I yawned, grabbing a slice of pizza.
"Why are you here Bone?"
"Miss."
"You missed me?"
He nodded.
"Bone, really. Why?"
He shrugged. "I don't feel like fucking tonight."
I frowned. "Really?"
He nodded. "I'm tired. I just wanted to be around you."
"Hmmm."
Bone looked at Lucas. "He's sleeping."
"I'll put him to bed in a second."
"Stay."
"Luke?"
"No. Me. Tonight."
"Bone, no."
"I want to cuddle."
I groaned. "Bone, I said no. Besides, Tyler is sleeping in the bed tonight."
"And?"
"There is no way I would ever…Tyler would…you need to leave. Now."
"No. Cuddle on the couch."
"We are not."
"Why?"
"Because it's weird."
"No. You're warm, I'm cold. I want to be warm."
"Then go home and turn up the heat."
"No."
"Bone, I swear, I will call Fang."
"Why are you being like this? Huh?"
Because things are finally going great with Fang. I'm not going to let Bone and his weirdness ruin that. "I'm not being anything."
He frowned, standing up, leaving his piece of pizza.
"Bone-" I tried but he just walked right out the door. Ugh.
Luther had just put Tabitha to bed when Bone showed up. Fang was restocking and didn't even look up when the door opened. Bone almost tripped and fell in his drunken stupor but caught himself. Luther was walking out of the back and saw him.
"Hey, you don't look so good."
Bone glared at Luther. "Where's…him?"
"What?" Luther shook his head. "You are way too gone to have been driving."
"Fang. I wanna see him," Bone slurred out, stumbling over to the counter.
"See me about what?" Fang asked, standing.
"Max. You're a bad, bad person," Bone said, wagging his finger and his friend. "How dare you! Max is my love. I can cuddle if I want to!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Carrie would have wanted me to! How dare you bring her up! You bad, bad man."
Luther frowned. "Bone, sit down. Sober up here, alright?"
"No! Take me to Fang!"
"I'm right here, stupid."
"Fang, don't antagonize him."
"I'm not. But if he's gonna come in here talking about my wife-"
'Wife? Ha! You don't deserve her, I don't deserve her, Luther don't deserve her. You know who deserves her? No one! You know why?"
"No, now sit-"
"She's special. You don't deserve her. I don't deserve her, Luther-"
"You've already said-"
"No one deserves her!" Bone huffed. "So small."
"What is?"
"Fang stop asking him-"
"Carol. She's so small. Like a puppy…No one deserves puppies!"
"Great," Luther grumbled as his friend finally fell to the floor. Bone laid down and closed his eyes.
"I don't deserve her, you don't deserve her, Fang don't deserve her." Bone yawned. "Poor Max. I'm sleepy. I want to cuddle with Max…and Carol…and Carrie. I miss 'em. All of 'em."
"Shhh," Luther mumbled, getting onto his knees. "Bone, did you go to the cemetery today? Is that why you got drunk?"
"Nope." Bone opened his eyes to look at his friend. "Saw Max. Said she didn't wanna cuddle. Because of Fang! He doesn't deserve her! I don't deserve her, puppies don't deserve her!"
Fang rolled his eyes. "What a sorry excuse of a person."
"Shut up," Luther muttered. "Go do inventory."
"Already have today."
"Then go check on Tabitha. You're no help out here."
Bone yawned again. "No one deserves Max. I miss her. Where is she?"
"With Tyler and Lucas," Luther said.
"Good. Good, good person. Unlike Fang. Bad, bad man! He doesn't' deserve her."
"I know, I know. Neither do the rest of us."
Bone nodded. "Yeah…I'm sleepy."
"The sleepy buddy."
He laughed a little. "I see 'em in my dreams. Carol's so small. Like a puppy."
"Yeah," Luther agreed. "Just like a puppy."
