Chapter Text
Chapter specific warnings: swearing, mild references to unsavoury situations.
Chapter’s Theme Song: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by This Providence
-o-o-o-o-
beat me down
I’ll still be here
you cannot break me
for diamonds
do not shatter
-o-o Prologue o-o-
Tony awoke in pain.
Mind-numbing, overwhelming, all-encompassing pain.
He bit his lip so hard that it bled and, as such, all that escaped him was a wounded whimper rather than the scream trapped behind his teeth.
“Good, good, don’t scream, don’t let them know. Deep breaths now, brother. We’re going to build a shield.”
A distant part of Tony latched onto that voice and held tight. The rest of him was too busy crying out in abject misery. He felt like he was going to die.
“I know it hurts, I know, I know. Shh, shh, shh. Focus on me, focus. A shield, brother. You have to make a shield. Block it out.”
How the fuck am I supposed to do that? Tony wanted to snarl. But the voice was telling him, talking him through the process over and over and over again.
it hurt, it hurt, it hurt
Tony curled his fingers tight, the knuckles on each hand clenching down on some sort of material. The voice continued its instructions and, haltingly, Tony began to follow them.
The more of the shield he built, the more the pain began to dull and the more of the shield he was able to construct. It was hard work and Tony got the distinct sense that someone should have be helping him do this. Instead, he was doing it alone.
Typical.
Finally, the shield snapped fully into place and the pain dulled from I’m going to die to so this is what a migraine feels like.
He became abruptly aware that he was curled up in someone’s lap like a two-year-old. A hand was on his head, stroking soothingly through his hair. Another was wrapped around his back, holding him steady. Tony promised himself he’d be properly mortified later. Right this moment, he was too fucking worn-out to even bother opening his eyes.
“Good, good, well done, you did great, rest now brother, it’s okay, I’ve got you. Let it go.”
Obligingly, Tony did.