Chapter Text
-September 7th, 2007, Ecuador-
Jericho slept soundly in his bed until he heard a loud crash. He heard his parents yelling and screaming. This couldn't be good. His mom must've said something that pissed dad off. Not that he had any reason to be pissed off. Pretty much anything sets his dad off. Jericho and his mom were often on the receiving end of his anger. Whenever he or his mom talked to him a certain way or stood up to him, he would often beat up and force them into submission. Jericho and his mom had the scars and bruises to prove it. No matter how often Jericho would try to impress him he would always be on the receiving end of his father's anger. His father always saw him as "weak" and "pathetic". Due to his father being a high-level member of the Mexican Cartel, along with his fearsome reputation, and fear of what he might do if they left him, they are forced to deal with his constant abuse. Also, due to the police having no evidence of his illegal criminal ventures, they couldn't go to the local police, so he always emerged scot-free.
As Jericho cautiously walks to the kitchen, where the loud crash and the yelling originated from, he sees his mom and dad arguing. He hid behind the counter, watching as his parents argued. About what he couldn't tell, although considering his dad's not so legal "job", it could've been anything.
"I'm sick and tired of living like this! Do you know how hard it is to support this family when you and your little petty gang rivalries get in the way of supporting our son?!" His mom shouted, earning a vicious glare from her husband.
"Don't talk to me about family woman! My job keeps the food on the table and support this family! If that means making a few enemies to support this family, then so be it! If you can't handle a little bloody nose, then go back to our bed! That's all your good for you little puta!" His dad angrily ranted, smashing the bottle of tequila on the family table.
"Joderte!" His mom angrily replied, the word roughly translates in English as "screw you", a word that his mom often uses, even when around her son. His father's eyes flashed with anger, he always hated being disrespected by those he considers beneath him. Even his own wife, whom he considers a "whore".
SLAP!
His father slapped his mom's face hard, shouting the word "perra", which translates as "bitch". Jericho's eyes widened as he watched his father strike his mother. He had seen his father abused his mom before, but this was different. He was angrier than before, if that was even possible. He ran from the counter where he was hiding and rushed to his mom.
"Mama!" Jericho shouted in a panic, he cupped his mom's face, seeing a large bruise forming around her face where his father struck her. His father sighed in exasperation as he turned back to his wife and son.
"Go, Jericho, go!" His mom worriedly warned Jericho. In this state his father was capable of anything including hurting his own son, which Jericho knew very well.
"Shut up!" His dad angrily shouted, fury in his eyes. He walks to his wife, but Jericho stands in front of his dad, shielding him from his mother, trying to protect her from any further abuse.
"Move boy!" His dad demanded, trying to intimidate his son to move out of his way. But Jericho stood his ground, but he quivered with fear, knowing what his dad will do next.
"No, leave mama alone!" Jericho stated, earning him an icy glare from his livid father.
"What did you say, boy?" He snarled as he stared into Jericho's worried eyes.
"Leave mama alone, papa!" Jericho repeated, hoping in vain, that it would convince his father to stop, but even as young and naive as he is, he knew his father wouldn't back down.
His father huffed in annoyance, Jericho nervously swallowed, breath becoming frantic as he glared at his drunken father. His father then chuckled, unnerving, Jericho. His father shoved him out of the way, Jericho fell to the floor, and his father setting his sights back to his mother, but Jericho grabbed him from behind, removing any momentum he has between him and his mother but his father violently elbowed Jericho in the stomach, then proceeded to beat up his son. Punching him in the face and the stomach.
"No! Stop!" His mom pleaded but his father didn't listen and proceeded to punch Jericho. He then grabbed Jericho by the hair and shoved him to the corner of the wall. He continiously punched him in the face and in the nose. Jericho's nose dripped with blood and tears. His father then kneed him in the stomach and delivered a devasting punch combination. Jericho then collapsed, hitting his head on the hard wooden floor. He then kicked him while he was down, kicking him in the face and in the stomach. Jericho curved into a ball.
"P-Please, no more!" Jericho cried as tears dripped down from his eyes and blood dripped from his nose. Bruises formed around the poor kid's face, his lip busted from the pounding, and his eyes swollen from the beating.
His father responded by another kick to the boy's face, and he viciously stepped on his leg. Jericho cried in pain as his father smirked sadistically at him.
"No, Hector, please! Stop it please! You're hurting our son!" His mom cried, but his father dismissed her as if she meant nothing to him. There was nothing she could do at this point, calling the police would only provoke the cartel into retaliating and would only gain his father's wrath. Despite his dwindling success, he was still rich and powerful, and would use any method to get what he wanted, even if it means murder.
His disgruntled and disheveled father loomed over his fallen victim, looking down on his son with disgust.
"Always weak! No matter how hard I tried you always manage to be a disappointment! Your nothing, you will always be weak and pathetic!" Hector angrily ranted. Hector had always seen his abuse as a means of toughening up his son, which only fueled Jericho's hatred of him.
Hector then grabbed his son by the hem of his shirt and dragged him from the wall to the kitchen room diner, he used his left hand to swing his collection of expensive tequila across the countertop, sending the empty bottles crashing to the floor. Hector then slammed his son's head onto the countertop, pinning him with his arm. Hector snarled at his son.
"If you ever and I mean ever, interfere in our private business between me and your mother again, I will break every bone in your useless body! Do you understand?!" Hector threatened.
"Y-Yes papa! Yes!" Jericho cried; tears fell from his cheek. He had no choice but to comply to his demands. Not that it would stop him from abusing either of them anyway. Jericho knew no matter what he would still continue to beat up him and his mom, regardless.
Hector then shoved Jericho back into the wall, Jericho collapsed on the floor, he laid near the edge of the wall. Hector then punches Jericho over and over again as a last-minute lesson.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Hector kept punching and punching Jericho over and over again. Blood splatters over the corner of the wall. Jericho cries and sobs, but Hector in his usual act of cold-heartedness willfully ignores his cries and instead smirks proudly at his work. Hector huffs and stands back up. His fists covered with Jericho's blood and bruises.
"I expect this place to be cleaned up when I get back. If it isn't then I will deal with you!" Hector threatened, pointing towards his wife as she tearfully shook her head. Hector grabbed his jacket and slammed the door behind him. Jericho sobbed loudly, putting his head in his hands, crying in pain. His mom slowly approaches her beaten and battered son, he looked up at her, tears stinging his eyes. Cupping his face, she wiped the tears from his cheeks and grabs an unused handkerchief from her pocket as she tended to his wounds, gently wiping the blood from his mouth.
"Why-Why is papa like this? Why does he hurt me?" Jericho sobbed, he never understood why his father was so angry all the time. Why he always beats and belittles him for no reason.
His mom gives Jericho a hug, hoping it would make him feel better. It didn't but he appreciated the gesture. He was still hurting. His mom, unlike his dad, always loved and cared for Jericho, giving him the love and support his father never could. She was always there for him when he needed it.
"I don't know Mijo. He's just sick. But someday, someday we won't have to worry about him. One day he won't hurt any of us anymore." She said optimistically, despite the tragedy of their current lifestyle Jericho's mom had always had a sunny disposition.
She sighed, "Now, I'll take you back into your room and I'll clean this place up before your dad gets back, okay? And then I'll make some of my famous tacos." Jericho smiled and nodded.