Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Crimson stood on the balcony overlooking the utter destruction that was the ruined wedding in the backyard. A scowl on his face as he not only got tricked by that worthless fucking shark, but that all of his men were killed by one fucking broad! What did he pay those people for!? Well…at least he wasn’t paying them now.

Moxxie…every time there was a woman in that brat’s life, they ALWAYS ruined everything! He knew he should have just killed him along with his mother! His fucking mother…

“Why do you gotta torment me!?” She shouted, clutching a photo of her “It’s YOUR fault! Your FUCKING FAULT!” He threw the frame down into the carnage of the ruined wedding scene below. It shattered in the alley in the middle of the corpses.

He then turned and marched back into the master bedroom that connected to the balcony. He threw the bed sheets up from the side and he dragged out an old box. He opened it and there were several old photos inside. Crimson took out a pair of said pictures. He got angrier the longer he looked until he was snarling mad. Both of them were of Moxxie. One as a child, very young, and one right before he quit the family.

"You...have ruined...MY BUSINESS...FOR THE LAST TIME!" He shouted as he took a knife from under his suit coat and began stabbing them repeatedly. He looked and sounded like a rabid animal as his knife easily poked through the polaroids and stuck into the hardwood.

“He’s your son…” a whisper came, which caused Crimson to jump to his feet. His head flew around and he spun rapidly in place. He recognized that voice…

“Your son…”

“Supposed to guide him…”

“Protect him…”

They kept coming and there was no clear source. Then his head turned to the vanity just across the room. In the reflection he saw a horrifying figure that, based on perspective, was stood only inches from him. A drowned, bloody, and darkened figure of what was once his wife.

“No…you fuck off…FUCK OFF!” Crimson shouted in abject terror as his knife arm instinctively took a swing in front of him, but nothing was there. In the mirror, the being still stood right there. Its hands began to slowly raise to his shoulders before he pulled his gun from his vest and shot the mirror multiple times.

The door flew open and Crimson fired again on pure instinct. Only just barely missing Alessio.

“At least this isn’t the FIRST time that’s happened…” The shark commented, turning back to his boss. “What’s going on in here? I heard the shooting…” Alessio’s eyes scanned the space. There was no body or blood of any kind. Only thing out of place was the shot up mirror and Crimson’s petrified expression.

Crimson was slowly coming down from hyperventilating as his mind caught up to that it was just Alessio in the doorway. His breathing slowed until he was taking slow and deep breaths.

“I…” He swallowed nervously “I’m fine, Alessio…” he said, as he tried to return to his posture to something more composed and dignified.

“Thinking about the…wedding, again, Boss?” Alessio asked calmly

“Yeah. That’s all. Lost my cool there for a moment, nothing more.” Crimson dismissed as he took his hat off. Setting it to the side and running a hand over his hair. “At least we got rid of that worthless fucking chum.” He added, grabbing a bottle and glass from a cabinet under the end table.

“I remember when that was the ma’am’s vanity.” Alessio commented as he examined the shot up mirror from the doorway.

“Don’t!” Crimson quietly snapped, pointing at Alessio “Don’t you bring up that fuckin’ broad in my presence, right now.” He sneered. Alessio wouldn’t know what just went down in here, but he couldn’t have that bitch on his mind right now. Though he was right. “Al, I need your help.” He said, putting down the glass and marching over to the vanity, grabbing one end. “We’re taking this thing out back.” He ordered as he started to shove toward the door. The shark cocked an eyebrow, but complied. Crimson was the boss.

The two hauled the vanity out to the back off to the side of the ruined wedding area. Crimson grabbed a gas can from the shed and dumped it all over the thing. He then lit a cigarette and took a long drag off it before flicking it onto the doused vanity. It took no time to light and for the fire to engulf the old piece of furniture. The two stood and watched it burn for a while.

“Stay here and make sure this doesn’t spread out of control.” Crimson turned and went back inside the house. Maybe now he could have some fucking peace. Though how little did he know that this was nowhere near the end of this.

Chapter Text

Moxxie and Millie had just gotten home from the office. Blitzo let them have the day off after all that business at Crimson’s manor, though Millie was back on the heat over the whole thing.

“I just can’t understand it, Moxxie.” Millie admitted, clearly frustrated. “How could THAT bastard possibly be YOUR father!? You’re the kindest, most compassionate man I’ve ever met. HIM? I wouldn’t even piss on him if he was burning alive.” She continued

“Millie, it's over, now.” Moxxie assured, a lilt of concern in his voice. “It’s not normal for something to suddenly start bothering you all over again.” Moxxie continued, his calmness contrasting Millie’s disdain. “I didn’t take after him, Millie. I…well I guess I took after Mom…” His voice hushed slightly as he brought up his late mother. He had just discarded the wedding dress he was forced into and put on some comfortable nightwear in the form of a simple T-shirt and shorts.

“Y’know…you never really spoke of your momma before.” Millie said, sitting on the edge of a bed. A mixed look of curiosity and slight unease on her brow.

“Because…” Moxxie started, his expression falling to a regretful melancholy. Leaning on the dresser and looking into the mirror mounted on it “…there’s nothing there to talk about.”

Millie examined her husband closely. She could tell when he was lying. If there was something he wouldn’t talk about, there was always a reason for it. Often an upsetting one.

“Moxxie, you don’t believe that.” She said, coming next to him and looking into his eyes through the mirror. “What happened to her, Mox…?” She asked, her voice only a whisper. “I understand if you don’t want to tell me. If it’s too much for you…” She added after a moment.

Moxxie stood there looking into the mirror for a moment before he let out a slow breath, slowly closing his eyes. He couldn’t avoid this topic forever, he knew that. He just wished there was a good time to talk about it. There simply never was, in his mind.

“Ok…” he finally said in a low voice. “The first thing I suppose I should say is it wasn’t always like that. At least as far as I remember.” Moxxie turned a bit to properly face Millie.

“It wasn’t until I was a few years old, maybe 4 or 5, that I began to really take notice of what was starting.” He began.

It was late into the evening in Knolastname family manor as Crimson, young Moxxie, and Mrs. Knolastname had began dinner.

Moxxie was trying to cut his own food for the first time. Though he was having a tough go of it. The steak he had been given was a bit tough for little hands to get enough pressure down on the knife. Crimson just watched, a disappointed look in his eyes. How could his son not even cut a simple steak, by now? After another moment, his mother would reach across the table and take his plate, carefully cutting up the steak before returning the plate with a soft smile. Moxxie was simply delighted. Crimson, however, was quite the opposite. His disappointment turning to anger at his wife. His hands hit the table as he suddenly rose, looking dead at his wife. The suddenness causing them both to look at him with surprise.

“Dearest…” Crimson began, the word coated in venom. His eyes trying to pierce right through her. “I need to speak to you. Privately.”

She looked to her son for a moment as she slowly stood and followed Crimson to the door.

“You stay right there.” He said, pointing to Moxxie, then shutting the door behind him.

Moxxie could hear their muffled voices. They sounded like they were fighting, but why? What would they be fighting over? Father told him to stay in his seat, but he simply had to know. He got down and quietly went up to the door. He slowly turned the knob and just barely cracked it enough to see through. Just in time to see Crimson bring his hand across and backhand his mother. The young Moxxie flinched lightly at the sharp sound as he saw his mother recoil to the side in response to the blow with a yelp. He wanted to shout, but he was frozen.

“Damn you, Crimson!” The normally soft spoken woman scolded. “That is your SON! You’re responsible to protect and guide him!”

Crimson brought his hand back up again, readying another strike. The two stood there adamantly as they waited to see the other’s next move. Though Crimson had lost his patience.

“Fucking bitch!” Crimson exclaimed as he cracked her again with a backhand. “I’ll teach you!”

Moxxie couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d NEVER seen them like this before! His mother growled as she stormed off to the stairs.

“Where do you think you’re going!?” Crimson questioned with a scowl

“To freshen up and head to bed!” She replied, regaining some composure. Crimson watched with the eyes of a snake as she disappeared up the stairs.

“Fine!” He finally said after her. “Get you out of my sight for a while.” He said as he suddenly went back to the door, discovering the young Moxxie stood there. Crimson looking ready to blow, now.

“I thought I told you to stay at your seat!” He yelled at the poor boy, grabbing his collar and lifting Moxxie to eye level. “Now YOU’RE gonna go against me, huh!?” He continued, giving Moxxie a shake.

The young man was horrified by this point as tears welled up.

“Go finish your dinner!” He commanded, settling the boy down and giving him a push. One that almost knocked Moxxie over, but he managed to scramble and keep his footing. Though he did so more out of fear that it would incur further anger from his father.

Moxxie had moved to the bed as he told the story, sitting on the edge as Millie still stood over him. The tears from his past forming again in his eyes.

“I just…I couldn’t understand why he would suddenly do that. Mom had done that for me countless times, but it just…set him off.” Moxxie’s voice hitched lightly as he spoke. His head hung as his hands were slowly rubbing together in no particular fashion.

“Hitting your own wife like that over nothin’…” Millie said softly, her eyebrows furrowing “I can’t think of anyone lower than someone like that.” She sat down next to him “Mox, I’m so sorry you had to experience that…” She added, her face loosening more to sympathy than frustration. Her concern for her husband outweighing her disgust for Crimson.

“It didn’t stop there, naturally.” Moxxie continued, wiping his cheeks, though the streams immediately returned. “They took me to a fair out on the edge of town. Mom let me shoot dummy targets, but Crimson wanted me to shoot a real person they tied up.” He resumed. “Thinking back on it, it was probably somebody Crimson wanted whacked, anyway, but still. Mom took me away from that. That was really the beginning of the end.”

Moxxie and his mother had just returned home when Crimson’s car tore into the courtyard.

“Sweety, go get ready for bed. Mommy will be up, shortly.” She quickly told the young Moxxie as she looked back to Crimson’s vehicle. She tried to maintain her soothing calmness, but the young Moxxie could feel the urgency in her voice and it shot a wave of anxiety through his body. Still, Moxxie nodded quietly and quickly went inside and up the stairs.

Crimson was practically fuming as he stepped out of the car.

“You!” He barked as he approached his wife. “You keep babying that kid and he’ll never be ready for his future!” He reproached

“You keep trying to force him into your life and he’ll resent you! Who knows what he’ll turn into!?” She said, slowly retreating into the house.

“He’ll become the best hitman this family, this whole RING, has ever seen! Three bullseyes in under a second!” He retorted “Do you have ANY idea how much money he could bring us with those skills!?”

“Oh that’s all you’ve ever cared about is money! What about him!? His wellbeing!?” She defended “I just can’t believe you, Crimson. He’s just a BOY!” She turned to try and go up the stairs.

“DON’T you dare walk away from me AGAIN!” He growled through gritted teeth as he grabbed her wrist.

“And don’t YOU dare touch me!” She fired back, pulling her arm away as she continued up the stairs. Crimson had it, now, with her.

Moxxie could hear the trouble coming his way and quickly hid under the bed. He didn’t want to believe this was real. It had to be a really bad dream!

His mother opened the door and didn’t see Moxxie in bed. She quickly deduced that he must be hiding. It was certainly for the best as Crimson burst into the room behind her.

“I will NOT let you keep covering for that little brat! He’s got responsibilities to this business and you won’t get in the way of that!” He scolded, his face was a snarl of wrath as he spoke.

“You mean your business of blood!” She managed to retort before Crimson grabbed her by the chest of her dress. He slapped her again and again as he berated her.

“This business is everything! It’s kept us in good living for generations! I am going to protect that!” He just kept on and on as Moxxie hid under the bed. Listening to his mother’s cries. Tears welling up in his eyes as he desperately wanted to cry, but was kept at bay by the terror in his heart. It seemed like forever before it stopped, even if it was only a few moments. Moxxie’s mom fled the room crying out. All he could do was sit there and watch Crimson’s feet. They turned in place. He was searching. Soon he knelt down by the bed and caught his son. Those piercing yellow eyes bore right through the young Moxxie’s very being. He couldn’t hope to resist as Crimson reached under the bed and dragged him out, tossing him onto the bed.

“Time for bed, Moxxie.” He ordered “Get under those covers!” He barked

Moxxie quickly obliged as he scrambled under the blanket. Only leaving his head exposed as he couldn’t look away from Crimson. The imposing mobster loomed over the boy for a short while. His eyes slitted like a predator looking for weakness in its prey before he left. The young boy could only then pull the blanket over his head as he began to cry.

Back in the present, those cries came back to forefront as Moxxie had begun to sob silently. Covering his face.

“Moxxie, please, you don’t have to keep going if it hurts that much.” Millie’s voice was laced with distress as she could only watch as Moxxie re-lived those nightmares all over again. Though her voice seemed to bring him back down to reality as he slowly regained some of his composure and with a couple of shaky breaths, he calmed himself down.

“N-…” He let in a quick sniff “No, Millie…I-I need to keep going.” He said as he looked to her “I have to face this again. I’ve never spoken of it to anyone. I’m realizing that was the biggest mistake of this whole thing.” He rebuked “It’s…it’s weighed so heavily on me for so long…”

The two sat in silence for a moment. Millie then nodded lightly as she put a hand on Moxxie’s back.

“Ok…just…take a breath if you need to, Moxxie.” Millie advised, gently rubbing his back. Moxxie took her advice and stopped to breathe. Shaky with quick sniffs sprinkled throughout eventually gave way to smooth, deep breathing.

“Ok…I’m ready.” He finally said, his voice much more deliberate and purposeful. “That night was the last time I ever saw Mom in any good graces.” Moxxie began again, looking straight ahead into space.

The next morning came. The young Moxxie slowly revealed himself from the covers after crying himself to sleep the previous night. Maybe it was over. Oh, but it was only just beginning. When he went over to his closet to change out of his pajamas, he heard screaming outside his window. He got up on a little stool that was set up for him to look outside, though he only exposed as much as he needed to to see. What he saw he couldn’t have even imagined in his nightmares. He saw Crimson and 2 of his goons dragging a kicking and screaming mother to the shed. He never knew exactly what went on in there, but the last couple people he saw go in there didn’t come back out…

Inside the shed, the wife was tied to a chair before the goons were ordered out and the doors shut. Now it was just the two of them. Crimson looked down on that wife of his with disdain.

“You know where we are, dearest?” Crimsons asked, that word soaked in poison again. “This is the place where people who’ve crossed me too many times go to…vanish.” He continued. “You’ve defied me far too many times. The only reason I put up with it was because it would look real bad if my own wife up and disappeared for no good reason. Unfortunately for you, that patience has run out.” Crimson’s voice was a simmering anger that spoke only just above a whisper.

“Please…please whatever you do to me, just don’t hurt my sweet boy…” The wife begged, tears in her eyes.

“So now you want to beg. Beg for that ‘sweet boy?’ The boy I was trying to get ready for his future, you mean?” Crimson replied, slowly circling around. “That boy I could have turned into something REAL special? That boy that was gonna live the high life for all his days when I got him prepared?” He held off for a moment before he grabbed her by the shoulder and punched her. A right hook to the cheek that bruised heavily almost immediately. “I don’t want to FUCKING HEAR IT!” He yelled, letting his anger go for a moment. “You had chance after chance to back off! No more.” He began to wail on the poor woman. Face, torso, arms, he didn’t leave anything untouched.

“Please stop!” She begged and cried between pained howls as her body bruised and skin began to split and bleed. Her mouth running with the black ichor that ran through demonic veins.

Crimson was tired of her voice. He looked and saw an oil covered rag that he grabbed and stuffed deep into her mouth where she couldn’t hope to just spit it out. The taste of blood and grease made her want to vomit. Then HE brought out the knife. It wasn’t a big blade, but it didn’t need to be. Meant for bleeding, folks, not killing. He let the woman see it. The fear growing in her desperate eyes. He then cut open her dress to expose the skin underneath. He wondered where to start. He was completely lost in the madness, by now. Her muffled cries and blood mixed tears fell dead on him as he brought the blade close and slashed across the top of her wrist. A muffled scream to join the spilling of blood. He did it again. Again. One after the other as the marks trailed up her arm. Then he suddenly stopped. Of course it wasn’t to spare her anything. In fact he could see she was starting to doze off. Shock, pain, and blood loss, he figured. Needed her to have time to come back around. No point in cutting up someone who couldn’t feel it. Her arm was completely coated in blood.

Mrs. Knowlastname’s vision was a haze. Nothing had any definition. All she could think about was her poor Moxxie. How he was going to be left all alone with this monster. She cried silently for him. She didn’t care what Crimson did to her. She knew she did everything she could to protect her baby. Now she was going to be gone. Who would protect him now?

When she recovered some of her consciousness, the slashing continued. Now on the other arm. Though he took less time on this one and slashed vertically instead of horizontally. Letting all the blood seep out. Crimson just watched her struggle with consciousness as she wasn’t thrashing around from the cuts, anymore. Just quiet yelps. He wondered where all that fire went, now? Then he waited again for her to come back around for one more go at her torso.

He put multiple small stabs into her stomach. Though not deep enough to reach her organs. Now she was dripping everywhere. Puddles formed under the chair as what was left of her once bright dress was turned almost wholly black with her blood. Crimson took out the small handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiped the sweat from his forehead. That was enough for now. Needed her alive and awake for the next part this evening.

It was after that that Moxxie saw the doors open and a sweating Crimson come out. Only Crimson came out. The boy quickly left the stool and hastily dressed himself. He tried to look as proper as he could in the short time and hurried downstairs. He couldn’t do anything that gave away that he knew what happened! Who knew what father would do!

It was a quiet day in the house, then. Lonely, even. With only the ever present gaze of Crimson to keep Moxxie company. Dinner was no easier. Only the two of them were there. Moxxie, who struggled to cut his steak, once again. Crimson, who would just growl at him.

After dinner, Crimson dragged Moxxie along with him in a truck out to the bay. They stacked alot of things in the boat. Including something moving. As they rode out into the water, it began to cry a muffled cry. It thrashed with unheard pleas. It haunted Moxxie to see. There was clearly someone under there, but he would never know who. Just that they were terrified beyond belief.

When they were out of sight of land, due to the fog, Crimson set a cinder block on the side of the boat. He urged Moxxie to push it. Moxxie looked at the crying sack and tried to back away, but he pushed back into it and hit his nose on it. Then…

"I...pushed...." Moxxie finally said in only a whisper. His eyes haunted by the memory. A thousand yard stare was all he was left with. Millie was fully able to connect the dots.

"Moxxie....Moxxie! Moxxie!" She repeated his name in a fright. Getting up and standing in front of him "Look at me, Moxxie! Look! At! Me!" She pleaded to him with her hands on his shoulders. His eyes slowly meeting hers. "Moxxie, I understand what you think you did, but it's NOT your fault. You can't blame yourself for that." She was practically begging him to believe her. “Crimson forced you, Moxxie, please!”

"Millie...I...I pushed." He just repeated. His voice was all but lost as he tried to speak. "I pushed...I pushed. I pushed. I pu-...pus-..." He broke down as that was all he could think about. That he pushed. Millie clung to him tightly as he just became a blubbering mess. He remained there for some time until he, eventually, calmed down. Aided by the soothing voice of Millie who did what she could to ease him. Gentle humming, kind words whispered to him, and a solid anchor in her physical presence. Though his breathing was still shaking and uneven, he slowly freed himself from the tight grasp.

"I'm...I-I'm ok, now, Millie." He said quietly, looking into her eyes. There was still pain.

"Are you sure, honey...?" Millie asked, sincerely. A hand gently placed on his cheek.

"Yes...yes I'm...I'm sure." He said as he started to get control of his breathing. "This...I needed this. To speak about it. Tell it to...someone. Anyone. It's...taken something off my mind. A weight that I didn't realize was there." He placed a hand on his face as he continued to slowly return to reality. "It was so...heavy."

"I understand, Moxxie." Millie assured him. "I'm right here, you know that." He added

"I know..." He said, the hand moving over top of the one Millie had on his cheek. "I know. You always will be. That's all I need to keep me going." A smile finally began to form across his face. "I love you, Millie."

"I love you, too, Moxxie. Always."