Helluva Boss: Ink Edition

Aftermath Of Adoption

Crimson: *echoed* This is what happens to those who cross me.

Little Moxxie stared down at the black, lapping water, terror overflowing through him like a dam inside had been broken. Various items from various faceless dead strangers floated about, consumed by the waves like they'd never existed. He'd just pushed..... Her off the boat, he just knew it. He shrieked in terror, slamming his little head onto the damp floor of the boat, just to not see it again.

It was too horrible. Cold water squeezed through the cracks of the boat, mixing in with his tears. Then, Crimson grabbed him by one of his horns and yanked him up.

Crimson: Fuckin' look at it! You're not gonna get anything from this lesson if you don't look, right kid?

His voice started out loud and angry, but it gradually faded off into a condescending sneer, his golden tooth somehow glinted with that menacing smile, despite there being no light.

Something different happened just then. Claws from the waters burst up and dragged Moxxie down by the throat. He struggled like mad, kicking and lashing, but the claws refused to let go. The further he got dragged down, the older he became, until he was locked into his current age. No longer a horrified child, but a broken man.

Guilt.

Guilt, guilt, guilt...

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Moxxie awoke with a start, drenched with sweat and hyperventilating. He clutched at his chest, willing for the tears to stop flowing, but they wouldn't. Everything was blurry and dark, his skin felt like it was on fire. But somebody's hand rested on his back right then, cool and soothing, stroking up and down.

???: It's alright, baby.

A low, lilting Wrath-accented voice soothed. He remembered her voice being a little higher in pitch, but it had to be her, right? It sorta sounded like her.

Moxxie: D... Dol-

???: That's it. It's me, Millie. You're okay, baby.

Everything came back to Moxxie, and he could see clearly once more. Millie wrapped her gentle arms around Moxxie's trembling body, kissing his hair. He choked on a sob, swallowing it down and hoping to Satan all that happened a week ago was just a dream. He melted into her warm embrace, weeping with everything in him. The most frustrating part about this was he thought he was past this. He'd buried the guilt, the nightmares, internalized Chaz's "what the fuck was that"'s and Crimson's "some people are trying to fuckin' sleep"'s whenever he woke up screaming back when he still lived in Greed.

As he finally managed to calm down, Moxxie saw that he was in his bedroom in the Hotel, Millie by his side as they laid in bed with a worried expression as Bendy came into the room, wearing his standard pajamas and nightcap.

Bendy: Everything okay? I thought I heard crying.

Millie: Everything's fine, hon. Mox just had another nightmare.... A bad one.

Bendy: Again? That's like the 6th one this week.

Moxxie: You.... You don't have to worry, Bendy. Besides, you have so much on your plate already. What with taking Vivian to her school's father-daughter dance.

Bendy: Mox, I'm your husband. It's my job to worry, and I'm saying this is getting serious. I think you should talk this out with somebody.

Moxxie: You mean Charlie?

Bendy: Not exactly. I was thinking more... familiar, if you know what I mean. But first......

The Ink Demon then proceeds to pick up Moxxie, holding him like a cat in his arms as he blushes.