Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It wasn't the first time Crimson had woken up in blinding pain that made him question if perhaps he'd be better off dead then enduring the fate he had been dealt, but it was the first time he had woken up not remembering what had happened to him or where he even was now. It took him a few minutes to move past the haze that clouded his vision but there was no mistaking the hospital bed he was lying in. He didn't know how he got there but he knew under the circumstances whatever had happened couldn't have been good. 

With every move Crimson made that searing pain only seemed to get worse to the point he could hardly stand it. It traveled up his spine to the point he could no longer hold in the sheer agony. The sounds he made must have alerted the nursing staff as he was soon eased back down once more wasting the amount of effort it took him to sit up on his own.

“Don't move too much..” The nurse spoke gently, almost in a desperate manner as concern radiated through her voice. “You're in no condition to be exerting yourself like that.”

“What happened to me?” Crimson asked, unable even recognize his own voice with how horse he sounded. “How did I end up here?”

“We're not exactly sure..” The nurse slowly explained, much to his irritation as it was clear she wouldn't be much help to him as to figuring out what had happened to him. “Based on the injuries you sustained and the area you were discovered we're assuming you were flug from a car possibly in a wreck but we're unable to say for sure.”

“Car..” Crimson repeated almost in a whisper, memories flooding back to him in fragments. “Where—”

They were speeding down the highway, almost as if they were trying to get away from something, or maybe it was someone, he wasn't sure exactly but he could see Alessio in the front seat driving. He was saying something but he couldn't make out what. It all seemed too foggy. Then there was the gunfire, the car swerved, and the pain. 

“Alessio..” Crimson called out as loud as he could muster, almost desperately as the darkness overtook him. “Alessio. .”

Glancing around Crimson saw no signs of his right hand man. He knew Alessio would never intentionally leave his side and based on the fragments his memory could retain he knew Alessio was in that accident with him. He needed to find him. He needed to make sure he was okay. He needed Alessio. 

“Where is Alessio?” Crimson asked, practically demanding the information as his heart rate and blood pressure skyrocketed. “He was out there with me! Where is he!?”

“I don't— I don't know.” The nurse answered quickly, almost in a frenzy as the imp began to grow increasingly aggressive. “They brought you in alone. We're only going off of assumptions and—”

“I need Alessio.” Crimson argued, already having lost what little patience he had for the woman before him. “He was in the accident with me. Find him.”

However much to Crimson's dismay instead of listening, his outburst seemed to have the opposite effect of what he wanted as more staff came in not only to restrain him but to sedate him. He had no power here and the realization of that practically killed him on the inside. He was no closer to finding the answers he needed than he was when he started. 

“Alessio..” Crimson whispered out weakly, his eyes finally fluttering shut as the drugs began to take effect. 

Many things could be said about dreams but the fact Crimson's were exclusively reserved for Alessio and the thought of reuniting with him said something. He wasn't exactly sure what, but it said something. It was hours before the drugs finally began to wear off and at that point he was even more desperate to find what he wanted, Alessio.

This time when Crimson woke there was no nursing staff in sight and no amount of yelling seemed to draw anyone's attention so he was left waiting and waiting until finally someone entered his room and luckily they seemed like they had good news. However he'd soon learn that his assumptions would be very much mistaken as the man who entered his room was simply there to increase his meds and to make sure his restraints were still properly intact.

“You can't treat me like this.” Crimson stated, glaring at the man. “Tell them I wanna leave. Tell them to find Alessio and have him take me home. Tell them— Where are you going? You can't leave me like this!”

“The number in your file didn't return our calls so we've made arrangements for your son to take you.” The man explained simply, glancing back at him. “In your current condition you won't be able to care for yourself properly for quite a while and we'll explain as much when he gets here. Based on the extent of the accident the man you call Alessio is probably dead or worse off than you.”

Crimson never claimed to be a very forgiving man and as that son of a bitch left he knew he'd be making another visit to the hospital with one task in mind, putting an end to that son of a bitch. He knew Alessio was still out there somewhere, but that certainly didn't help him any now. 

“Fucking hell..” Crimson muttered to himself, finally being overcome with the medication. “Want.. Alessio..”

The sounds of senseless chatter is what finally brought Crimson out of his slumber. The sight of his son talking to the doctor and the unforgiving look on his face had him wanting nothing more than for all of this to be one awful dream. He didn't know why he was here.

“Get him away..” Crimson demanded as his son approached his bed slowly, already knowing he would be going unanswered. “Get him..’

“We'll be leaving soon.” Moxxie explained before turning away, talking to the doctor once more about the medication. “Is this everything?”

“Yes..” The doctor nodded, glancing back towards the imp. “..and please, don't bring him back.”

And with that there became two on his list. It was undoubtedly going to be a rough next few days. 

Chapter Text

It should be noted that it was hell to transfer Crimson from the bed he was in to the car, as the man refused to cooperate with the nurses, let alone listen to his son, who didn't want him in the first place. In the end, Crimson was sedated a second time, which allowed him to be moved without the risk of harm to Moxxie or the staff. It was around a half hour into the drive towards Moxxie’s apartment when the sedative started to wear off for the second time. It was clear that this one had been less severe than the first. Moxxie threw Crimson an uncertain look when he tried to open the doors to the vehicle. He wasn't sure if Crimson would make an escape attempt while in such a state, but he knew better than to trust the idea that he wouldn't. He made sure the doors remained locked as he drove. It was an uncomfortable ride.

“I want you to know that this situation where you live with me won't be a forever kind of deal. I had no choice in the matter, but once you recover or we find Alessio, then you're out the door and we're back to no contact.” Moxxie noted as he tried not to address the tension between them, unable to miss how the man remained focused on the road. “I trust that won't be an issue for you?”

“I think the sooner that happens, the better.” Crimson muttered as he leaned back in his seat, looking out the window as the two drove deeper into the city where he lived. “We should almost be there.”

“You know where I live?” Moxxie questioned as if this was news to him, not missing the look he was handed in return. “Of course you know where I live. I ask to be left alone, and that leads to this weird stalker situation between us.”

“It's not that hard to look up a residence online.” Crimson responded almost like the idea bored him, not needing a verbal response to know the idea continued to irritate his son. “Alessio was interested.”

The remainder of the drive was radio silent between them, but once the two arrived, Moxxie didn't hesitate to head around to the other side to assist Crimson out of the car. He knew how unstable the man was, and the sedative couldn't have helped that fact. It was an action that Crimson did not appreciate, and instead he swatted the other man's hands from him as he insisted that he could do it on his own. It irritated Moxxie as he knew Crimson couldn't, but instead of forcing help onto the man, he stepped back and watched him struggle instead. If he wanted assistance, then he would have to ask for it. He didn't even want his father to be there.

It shouldn't come as a shock that Millie differed from Moxxie when it came to his father, as she hadn't had the chance to know him like he had. She knew what her husband had told him and the one interaction the two had shared where she massacred several of his men over the whole bride fiasco. Moxxie knew how Millie felt about family, and as much as Crimson was an awful individual, he was still Moxxie's father. Millie didn't hesitate to come down to assist when she heard them arrive, and to Moxxie's shock at Crimson allowed her to assist him moments after he had refused him. It made no sense and served to irritate him further. Crimson was even nice to Millie, which served to be another shock.

“I heard about the accident.” Millie noted as she tried to make conversation with the older man, not missing how weaker he seemed in comparison to their last interaction. “I know this situation isn't what one would consider ideal, but it's nice to have you here.”

“Moxxie’s mother was from Wrath. I know a lie when I hear one, even when it is hidden behind that fake politeness all Wrathians seem to have.” Crimson reasoned as he sensed the intention behind the remark, putting a hand on the wall to brace himself in case the woman decided to abandon her act of assistance. “I'll leave as soon as I can contact Alessio. I assure you of that.”

“Wonderful.” Millie muttered as she abandoned the mock kindness she had held, keeping her hands on the man as she continued to assist him to their apartment. “Mox, can you retrieve the extra blankets from the closet?”

From there Crimson was escorted into the apartment, which was much smaller in comparison to what Crimson was used to with his own home. He almost wanted to make a comment about it, but based on the treatment he had received so far, he decided not to. The apartment was so small that it did not have a guest room, and due to that, Crime was allotted the couch to sleep on until he recovered. It was an act of kindness he accepted without so much as an unkind word, even though it was made more than a little clear to him that he was unwanted. He assumed it was better than the floor. It wasn't so much said in direct words, but Moxxie made it clear that he existed in their home more out of an obligation than because he was his father and cared about him. In fact, he made it almost too clear that he didn't care and would have much preferred it if he had died in the accident, but he couldn't be that fortunate. Crimson didn't respond to that, and instead he took what he was allowed to have, which confused Moxxie, as the father he knew would have beat his ass if he made such comments towards him. It didn't make sense.

“His behavior is weird. He never would have let me talk to him like this before, or at least not for more than a few seconds. He would have beaten me.” Moxxie whispered as he watched as his father tried to make himself comfortable in his home, not missing how calm he seemed overall. “He never tolerated disrespect. It didn't matter how hurt he was.”

“Moxxie, calm down.” Millie encouraged as she took notice of how stressed her husband seemed, also unable to miss the difference in overall behavior from the other man. “It could be the medication.”

“Yeah, the medication.. that makes sense.” Moxxie reasoned as he considered the idea, shaking his head as he tried to calm himself. “It's been stressful today.”

“We should head to bed.” Millie noted as she took her husband's hand into her own, offering a smile as reassurance. “You'll feel better tomorrow.”

It didn't take much more than that for Moxxie and Millie to head to bed, and from there Crimson was on his own. He had been allowed the couch to sleep on and a blanket and pillow. He didn't even have a spare set of clothes, which made it that much clearer how unwanted he was. It was better at the hospital, as at least there he was not in as much pain due to the medication. He wasn't certain if his son had retrieved the medication from the pharmacy or not, but at this point he knew it would be worse on him if he asked. It took Crimson several tries to make his bed as best he could, and then finding a comfortable position to sleep in was a hell of its own. He wasn't sure what time it was when he fell asleep, but he knew it was the thoughts of Alessio and the idea that he would come take him home that brought him the most comfort.

One would assume that when Moxxie made the decision to take his father out of an environment that was made to care for him, he would take over his care and make sure he was fine, but that would be incorrect, as Crimson was more or less made to fend for himself over the next few days. It was an awful scene to witness, and Crimson was hesitant to ask for assistance even when he needed it. Moxxie had left some clothes for him one morning, which was a relief, but when it came to meals or other necessities, it was a take-what-was-allowed kind of situation. Dinner would be left on the table once Moxxie and Millie had finished, but breakfast and lunch Crimson didn't receive unless he was able to stand on his own to cook for himself, which he was not able to do. It was kind of cruel to see, but Moxxie claimed he deserved it, and Millie didn't know the man enough to care. The real issue came with Crimson's wounds, as those remained uncared for and uncleaned. Crimson remained lost in what had occurred in the accident, and he chose to ignore his injuries, as it was easier for him. It wasn't the best move to make on his end as it caused further issues for him.

It shouldn't come as a shock based on that information that Crimson's wounds started to worsen at a rapid rate due to the fact he refused to care for them. It was when it became clear that some of the wounds had become infected and that Moxxie and Millie made the choice to step in, if not simply out of pity for the man. It was a conversation that has remained rather one-sided, as Moxxie addressed his concerns over what the two had noticed and offered his assistance if there was a reason Crimson couldn't tend to himself, but Crimson claimed he was fine and that he didn't need him. It didn't come out in the same harsh tone Moxxie was used to, but that could have been due to the fever. It still made Moxxie back down no less as he wished the worst onto the other man. He knew his stubbornness would kill him sooner or later, and it would be deserved. He offered to help him.

“I think his stubbornness might actually be the death of him this time around. I tried, but if he doesn't want my help, then that's on him.” Moxxie mentioned as he sat down at the table next to his wife, not bothering to hide his overall irritation over the situation. “He's always been like this.”

“How the hell did he survive this long?” Millie questioned as she took notice of how bad the situation had become, unable to hide her concern. “If the infection continues to worsen, he could lose his ability to walk.”

“Alessio took care of him. He was his right-hand man for a reason. He never took shit from him.” Moxxie noted as he reflected on what he could remember about the two men, continuing to watch his father as he threw the blanket off himself. “Alessio was the only one he ever listened to. It's weird to think about, but he knew him.”

There was this moment as Moxxie recalled how Alessio used to behave towards Crimson where he realized that Alessio handled Crimson in a certain manner when he was hurt. He never asked if he could treat his wounds. He went for it and talked to Crimson as a distraction. It made him calmer. He never asked because he must have known this is how it would turn out. It was that realization that caused Moxxie to act in the same manner. He didn't ask. He went for it, and before Crimson could snap at him, he started to talk to him about Alessio. It was clear the fever had done wonders for him.

“You were in an accident, and based on what was said, I assume Alessio was there too.” Moxxie noted as he recalled what the doctors had told him, focusing his attention on the task at hand as he continued. “What happened to him?”

“Accident.. Accident..” Crimson muttered as the fever made itself clear, unable to make himself sound as close as he wanted as he recalled what he could remember. “Crashed.. Gunfire... I was thrown from the vehicle.. didn't find him.. wasn't at the hospital.”

“You two were in a car accident that involved others, and there was gunfire, and he wasn't there at the hospital with you.” Moxxie reiterated as his movements slowed, unable to help the realization that crossed his mind. “Alessio could be dead—”

“He's alive!” Crimson snapped in a much harsher tone that reminded the other man of the father he was more familiar with, taking a breath before he defended his claim. “He has to be alive, and he'll find me.”

“I'm sure he is.” Moxxie responded as he decided it was best to pretend he believed that too, unable to miss how much the idea that the shark could be dead hurt his father. “You should.. You should rest.”

Moxxie has almost no doubt based on what was said that Alessio was dead, and it was clear that was a fact that Crimson couldn't handle at this current moment. He was sick and hurt. Moxxie didn't hesitate to share what he assumed to be true with Millie, and she sided with him when it came to the shark's status. It sounded like Alessio had died in the accident. It would explain why he wasn't there at the hospital with him. They knew Crimson would have to face that sooner or later, but it made them wonder how long he would continue to believe that Alessio was still somehow alive out there. Moxxie watched as his father curled up on the couch almost as if he was trying to protect himself like Alessio once would have protected him.