A Touch of Ruin (BxB)

3 - Where The Poison Is

A TOUCH OF RUIN....

~~~

I'm going to murder him. Slow and painful. But first, I'm going to kick his ass.
I march into the house, the screen door slamming shut behind me. "Liam!" I think I'm taking about two steps at a time to reach his room. I bang on his bedroom door, it rattles on its old hinges.
"Liam, get your ass out here!"

"Keep it down. What if Caleb was here asleep?" "Oh, he isn't? Well, good! That means he's better off with the other parent!"

"What is your problem, man?" "You are my problem. Your drinking and substance-abusing habits, are my problem!"
Liam looks surprised, visibly sweating from the insinuation. "W-what- h-how..?"
"How? How? That's all you can ask is how?!" Emilio grabs him by the collar and slams him up against the bedroom door.

"I gave you that money to buy food and diapers for your toddler son. Not to buy narcotics, you piece of shit!" He lets go of him. "I'm sorry, man! It's been hard with the baby and all. I'm not cut out for all of this—"

"Cry me a fucking river, Liam. Apologize to your son, when he grows up with a junkie for a father, or better yet a bastard child. You're not cut out for this? Well, you should have thought about that before you put your dick in some girl." He pokes his finger hard into his chest.

"Adrianna is not just some girl. She—" "Is going to have you paying child support and you can't do that without a job.
I am not going to be supporting someone else's child. So here's what's going to happen, Liam,"

Emilio steps back and crosses his arms. Taking in the sad sight that is his stepbrother.

"You're going to get a job. You're going to stop all of the drugs and the drinking. Sure I get it, it's hard. Have a drink every once in a while. But not when your son is in your care."

There was a moment of silence after Liam nodded and continued to stare at the ground. Then suddenly he murmured;

"Caleb." "Hmm?" "His name is, Caleb."
Emilio stares quizzically at him. "You keep calling him 'my son', you never say his name."

"Ah...well," I don't keep up with it so..
"Get your shit together Liam. You no longer have the luxury of being just a teen. Teen dad sure." He clips.

"Yeah, I know. I'm trying my best. But with dad and all..." Ah yes, his father. The bastard is like a poisonous cancer. A snakey son of a bitch.

"Well, I'm going to get ready for work." "You working at the bar tonight?" "You know it!"

~~~

Work was fairly smooth so far. He gets along decently with his fellow male coworkers. The owner says that male bartenders are preferred since lonely rich girls mostly frequent this bar.
That they need someone to make them feel special. A few girls would hit on Emilio, but he never gave in or paid them any mind. He'd receive some teasing from his boss, Jade.

Jade is cool. A good-looking Thai man well-off in his late thirties. He was a caring individual to his employees, a good man with a good heart. He tries to help out the more struggling ones when he can. Everyone gets along well with him. Emilio would even consider him a friend. Jade is happily engaged to his fiancé, who he becomes an oversized puppy when around. A stark contrast to his tough exterior. The closest he'd get to a father figure.

"Aren't you a little too young to be working around alcohol?" Asks a familiar voice, snapping Emilio out of his daydream.

He was quick to jump back into the charming bartender façade until he saw who it was.