This is My World, Baby Boy

Chapter 4

Authors Note: The actor for Fangs, Drew Ray Tanner is 27 years old. In the show, Fangs is introduced in season 2. In season 2 Jughead says he is in the sophomore year. Which I took some creative liberty on and said they are in the same grade. Making them both 15 - 16. For the sake of this story, Toni, Sweet Pea and Cheryl are 17 but are sophomores. Jughead, Fangs, Betty, Archie, Veronica, and Reggie are all 16. Just wanted to state that because of course, the characters in the show appear older even though they should be teenagers.

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Fangs walked down the hallways of the school he considered his very own hell hole. It had been announced that Southside High was closing down and tomorrow some of the students would transferring here. 

That didn't mean much to him other than Jughead would be back which would be nice but he wasn't sure if things would be the same with the rumours that jughead was a serpent now.

Apparently he had joined some time in November soon after being dumped by betty which now seemed to be on again? Fangs couldn't wrap his head around how many times they had slit and gotten back together. He lost himself in though not realizing that someone was approaching him.

Cheryl walked up to him "I'm in the mood for some hell raising and with the Southside scum ruining my only sanctuary, I think we should give them hell."  

His eyebrows shot up. "And you're asking me why? Isn't your lap dog Reggie around somewhere." 

"Listen, pea brain. You are the only one in this school other than hobo, who btw doesn't even go here anymore, that's close to the Southside. You gotta know something" She rolled her eyes like it was the most obvious thing.

"You know what Red. Fuck you. I'm not gonna be your lap dog for whatever fucked up scheme you're planning. Leave them alone, is their presence really that much of an annoyance to you?" Fangs sneered at her.

She simple scoffed "Your loss." Walking away to find Reggie. 

Fangs shook his head but to be completely honest he wasn't surprised. There was no way any Northsiders were going to accept anyone from the Southside.

Fangs went home that day wondering if he dressed like a Northsider instead of in an unmarked leather Jackets like some Serpent wannabe. "Pfft- Yeah right like I'll ever pass as a Northsider."

Regardless of his self-loathing thoughts, dressing like a northside, for the time being, would make him appear to fit in. He can't be the bad boy if there are actual gang members in his school and he's just another wannabe. 

The thought hit him when his mind wandered. Jughead wasn't around. Jughead wasn't his dad, Fangs could do whatever he wanted. He wasn't some child that needed protecting. He needed the money and if he was with the Serpents they could help him. Jughead said they were like family. 

Paying his mothers bills hadn't been easy and if he could get some sort of support, maybe he could continue to make it another day.  

"Hey ma, I'm home!" He yelled through the seemingly empty house. Fangs didn't think too much into it when she didn't reply. Taking off his bag and placing it on the ground. He flopped onto the couch, running his hands through his pushed back hair. 

His home was supposed to be the place where he was able to take off his mask, Let down his walls a little. Instead, they built up higher. Letting his mother see that she got to him was never an option.

It had been a whole 10 minutes and his mother has not yet responded or given him a sign that she was aware of his presence. His stomach dropped 'What if she was having one of her episodes and I wasn't here?' He thought as panic set in quickly. In less than a minute he was upstairs in her room. 

'S- She's not here'

Frantically he searched throughout the house. 

"Oh god, where is she?" His breathing was quickening.

The sound of the front door caused him to snap his neck in the direction of the door un-naturally quick. 

"Oh hello dear" His mother smiled as she set down the tote bag full of groceries. He stared at her completely dumbfounded. 

She had left the house? And gotten groceries? Had the new medicine helped?

"Ma. Uh- How are you feeling?" He said taking slow steps closer to her as if she would suddenly change her demeanor and jump at him.

She smiled up at him. "I feel great dear. Thought I would help around the house and get some food seeing as we are running quite low." 

He was dumbstruck. The new medication must have been working. He might have a chance to finally get his mother back. A smile forming on his face and hope shown in his eyes. Maybe things were turning around. 

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He may have spoken too soon. 

It was 1 in the morning. He was up late studying barely able to keep his eye's open. The banging on his bedroom door caused him to jolt up.

"Mom!? W-what is it?" Rubbing his eyes he went to open the bedroom door.

Her eyes were wild, the look an animal gets when its cornered.  Oh god, he was gonna get it. 

"YOU! WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY SON" Tear were welling in the woman's eyes.

Fangs frowned and wondered if the medicine was just a placebo. He had paid so much for such a little amount of it. 

"Mom, it's me. Fangs your son..." He knew what was coming next.

"NO! You're not MY SON!! He wanted a son name Fangs. No no no! MY SON, His name was-" She pulled at her hair glaring daggers at her own hands.

"You are not my son. They must have taken my son." She spewed delusional ramblings about how her son was gone. How he must have been taken and replaced with this replacement while gesturing at Fangs. 

"Ma..." 

"DONT FUCKING CALL ME THAT YOU IMPOSTER!" Her nails were clawing at his skin in seconds. Shoving her sixteen-year-old son to the bedroom floor. Punch after punch he took every single hit without a single complaint. 

This happened so often he learned to stay quiet and it would end quicker. She stormed out of his room mumbling about finding her son.  

Fangs shakily brought himself off the ground. His arms and chest ached. She had scratched through the material of his shirt leaving long laceration marks on his chest and shoulders. 

He took slow shaking breaths deciding to look for his mother before taking care of himself. He found her passed out on her bed. Almost as if she hadn't just attacked him like some kinds of feral animal.

Another night of tending to his wounds. He stared at his chest in the mirror. There was heavy discoloration from bruises new and old littering his tan skin. This was his life. This was what he deserved. What kind of mother does this to her own child. His mother that's who. His rage quickly changed to self-loathing. 

Why wouldn't something like this happen to him? It wasn't like he deserved any better.  The rage bubbled up in his stomach and before he knew it, he had punched the bathroom door, Wood splitting on contact with his fist. Blood quickly began pooling at the wound. 

"Motherfucker!" He ran his hand under the water not caring about the burning or how his skin felt like it was on fire. He hated this feeling. Bandaging any of his bleeding scratches as well as his fist.