Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel comics or characters or movies, and am making no money off of this fic.
AN: Written for the October 26th Whumptober prompt: broken ribs.
########
Hide in the Light by luvsanime02
########
Tony Stark's not used to getting hurt quite this badly anymore. Bruised and battered, yes. Hungover? He's stopped remembering what it feels like to wake up completely sober. This is the first time in a really long while, though, that Tony's woken up to that tight feeling in his chest that says he's dealing with at least a couple of broken ribs.
Groaning, Tony turns his head to the side. He expects to see the bland wall of a hospital, not the dark grey of a cell.
...What's going on?
Obviously, he's not in a safe place, but really, what is this? A foreign terrorist cell? Domestic? HYDRA? Why are these the only options that Tony's even considering seriously? This isn't good. He's in even worse trouble than he thought.
There's nothing holding him down, but Tony honestly doesn't want to move just yet. He settles for staring up at the grey ceiling and running a hand gently over his ribs.
Ouch. Yep, there they are. He's cracked at least two of them on his lower right side, and hopes that none of his organs are damaged, too. Well, he's not dead just yet, and when he tentatively sits up, pressing against his ribs to keep them from shifting, nothing else seems to be hurt too badly. Sure, his ribs are in excruciating pain, but that's not so bad.
Tony quickly lies back down, because the pain's making him woozy and he needs to stay awake. He listens, has been listening ever since he woke up, but he doesn't hear anyone else nearby. Well, that rules out Barton being here too, unless he's still unconscious.
Deciding that it can't hurt any, since anyone watching him from behind a camera knows that Tony's awake already, he clears his throat. "Hello?" he calls out. "Is anyone else here?"
Nothing. Damn, and Tony was really hoping that Romanoff was also here. He's never had the pleasure before, but assumes that she's not a bad person to get imprisoned with. At least in terms of getting back out alive.
Guess there's nothing for Tony to do but-
What was that noise? Tony looks around, but he can't quite pinpoint where it's coming from. Still, there's something, faint but getting louder by the second. A weird kind of shuffling noise. Tony has no idea what's making that noise, but it sounds like an animal? Maybe they have a guard dog?
Something moves along the edge of his eyesight, and Tony turns his head, but there's nothing that he can see except shadows. It feels like something's still watching him, though. Waiting. Tony carefully sits up again, wincing at the renewed stabs of pain in his chest, and peers into the corners of the room.
There's that shuffling sound again, even closer now, but Tony still can't see anything. Something's getting closer to him, though. Tony can feel it, and he can hear it, and it seems like any second now, it's going to touch him, and something's really wrong here-
Bright lights flick on, blinding him, and Tony's eyes squeeze shut against the sudden pain. There's an alarming hissing noise, and then quiet. Tony squints, trying to see.
A familiar static crackle, like over an intercom. "Oh, so sorry about that, Mr. Stark," a voice says. "We didn't realize it was loose again, you see. But don't worry, you're perfectly safe now. It hates the light."
Tony takes a moment to process that and forces his eyes open more, shielding them with a hand against the sheer brightness. "What is that thing?" he asks, almost afraid to hear the answer.
"I'm sure that I don't know," the voice answers, sounding bored. "The more pertinent question for you, Mr. Stark, would probably be to ask what that thing used to be. And why you're a guest in our facility."
Tony's ribs are suddenly the least of his worries as a cold finger of dread slices down his back.