Dinner had been served at the Knowlastname household. Within the dining room, Alessio stood by Crimson as he sat at the head of the table; just beside them, little Moxxie sat somberly. He had shifted his body over the lip of the table to gain leverage over his plate. In each hand he wielded a fork and knife respectively, and ineffectively attempted to cut into the tough ribeye placed before him.
He grunted with the effort, and each failed cut only made him more crestfallen. Until, eventually, he fell back onto his seat with a soft sob, implements in hand. He looked at them uselessly, then turned his attention over to his father.
"D-dad?"
Crimson pretended not to hear him, and he took another hit off the cigar he wielded between his fingers. Moxxie saw he had gone ignored, and gripped his silverware tightly. He swallowed dryly and tried to calm himself, then spoke a little louder.
"Dad?"
"You hear somethin', Ale?"
Alessio didn't answer, although he did catch Moxxie's eye as he looked at him. The little imp then raised himself again so he could reach his plate and pushed it slightly towards Crimson. The audible scrape of ceramic on wood got his father's attention. His glare forced Moxxie to shrink back, but all the same he stuttered out.
"C-can you help me, p-please?"
Crimson regarded him with disdain as he put the cigar in his mouth. "C-c-can ya ask me like a man?" He mocked.
Moxxie pulled himself closer and his eyes bounced between the floor and his father. He attempted to ask again, but every time he uttered a syllable his voice shook and he stopped himself. Reflexively, he reached for his tail and pulled it close in an attempt to soothe him, but that only made Crimson mock him further.
"Clearly ya can't. Look at ya, for Satan's sake, gonna cry cause ya can't cut your meat? You really are your mother's son. Too bad she can't help ya, huh Moxx?"
Moxxie's eyes widened to saucers at the mention of his mother, and subsequently spilled over with long-held tears. He ducked his head shamefully into his arms and shook with sobs that racked through his body. While Alessio felt a pang of sympathy for the kid, Crimson did not share that sentiment.
"There ya go again. Cryin' ain't gonna feed ya, Moxxie. And if ya can't figure out how to do somethin' as simple as feedin' yourself, I guess you'll be goin' to bed hungry."
Whether or not he heard his jeers, Moxxie didn't make it clear. He simply put his head in his arms and wept, inconsolable. Alessio had to look away from the sight, unable to endure the imp's pain for any longer. Similarly, Crimson felt the same, albeit in a different sense.
The don rolled his eyes and stood up. "I honestly can't deal with this shit again, I need some quiet. I'll be outside Ale, stay here with Moxx."
He rounded the table without a glance his way, but as his hand touched the door he turned around to look at him as he gave one more command. "And don't help him. He's gotta learn to grow up and take care of his problems himself."
With that he stepped through the door and slammed it shut behind him. Which left Alessio alone with nothing but the soft hum of the crackling fireplace, and the muted whimpers of a lone imp child. When he heard the next slam of the front door being closed, Alessio turned his attention back on Moxxie.
He had slowly raised his head up to look around, as if to ensure his dad had truly left. When he met Alessio's gaze he jumped in his skin and looked back down at the table. When he saw his untouched plate of food, however, Alessio saw his tears begin to form again. He raised his utensils in shaky hands, only to drop them back onto his legs as he screwed his eyes shut.
Alessio hurt for the kid, and he thought for a moment to help him despite his orders. His eyes darted over to the door, however, and he gradually stood down. He couldn't say when Crimson would return from his smoke break, and if he caught him going against his command there would be hell to pay for the both of them.
As much as it hurt, he had to stand aside. At least, that's what he wanted to commit to, but then he overheard a change in Moxxie's cries. As he sobbed, the young imp started to mumble to himself.
"Momma... where are you...? Please... I need help... please help me momma..."
Over and over, he uttered his pleas like a silent prayer in the hopes she would emerge to answer them. But Alessio knew she never would. Not after what Crimson did.
Moxxie's stomach growled loudly, painfully, and he wrapped his arms around himself. Maybe he would survive one night without supper. Maybe. But Alessio didn't want to find out.
He moved over to Moxxie, almost silently, but the little imp heard him regardless as he raised his head over to him. Upon his immediate approach, his eyes widened again and he put his hands up defensively.
"N-no! I'm sorry! I'll do it, please, I-"
Alessio paid no mind to his cries as he reached out and took his hands in his. Moxxie wanted to shout, but saw no reason to in the gentleness of his hold. He blinked, almost confused, as he guided his hands back over to his steak.
Alessio thrust the hand that held the fork down so its prongs stabbed into the toughened meat. Then, his other hand guided Moxxie's knife hand back and forth over the steak until it gradually cut into it. The imp's sadness seemed to vanish in that instant, and he watched astonished as he essentially managed to cut through the troublesome dish himself. Albeit with a couple helping hands.
Eventually, a piece came free, and Alessio relinquished his grip so Moxxie could take control of his fork. He brought it to his face in amazement, then greedily shoved it in his mouth, grateful for even that small bit of sustenance. Alessio, meanwhile, darted his eyes between him and the door cautiously.
When he swallowed that first piece, he looked back up at the shark, and raised his hands for him to take. Alessio shook his head in response, and instead mimicked what he did with Moxxie to insinuate the imp should now try on his own. He gave him a saddened look, but when he saw he wouldn't budge, he turned his attention back to the remainder of his dish. This time, however, he gripped his utensils with more determination.
His left hand rose, the fork in his fist pointed down like a deadly spear, and he put all his force to puncture the meat of the steak. Then he pressed his knife against the corner where the first piece had been cut. With small grunts of exertion, he dragged the utensil back and forth. At first, no real headway had been made, and Moxxie's grunts grew more anxious as he became aware of that fact.
But then, as he continued to cut away, it began to burrow through, and Moxxie's breaths became more excited until, at last, he tore away another piece. This time, completely on his own. A feat that even made Alessio feel a swell of pride in his heart. Made even more so by the elated look Moxxie shot him at his accomplishment before he also chewed down this piece.
Satisfied that he could handle the rest on his own, and Crimson was none-the-wiser to his involvement, he moved to retake his position by the head seat. He took one step forward, then stopped as he felt something grip his leg. He turned his head, then looked down to find Moxxie hugged around him.
He tilted his head up at the shark, his eyes sparkling and lips curled in a smile. "Thank you, Alessio!"
Poor Alessio felt his heart almost skip a beat at the sight, and he placed a hand over his chest. With his other hand, he reached down and patted Moxxie on the back. He wanted to say so many things in response, all of which would've been appropriate, and some things Moxxie deserved to hear after everything that had happened.
But, as always, he kept his cool, and practically told him, "You should finish eating, Moxxie. Don't want your dinner to get too cold."
"Oh, right!" He bounded off Alessio and onto his seat, then went back to cutting his steak, happy as could be.
A soft smile played at the corner of Alessio's lip as he gave him one final glance, before he returned to his post and forced himself back into his typical stoic appearance.
I had this idea/headcanon of Alessio being a stand-in guardian for Moxxie after his mother died, and thus this story came to be. It's probably not canon but it's a sweet thought, and I like to hope he had someone who looked out for him cause we all know Crimson's ass wasn't. Can also be considered a semi-sequel to my other long story post with Alessio at the lake with Moxxie's mom. Regardless, hope y'all enjoyed (and didn't cry too much)
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