They didnt know where they were. All they saw was darkness.
And all he felt was pain.
There would be moments his mentor would be able to comfort him as they lay on the cold hard ground, stuck in a dark room.
He couldnt even see his mentors face.
He longed to see the smirks that would line his face, his caring eyes. He just wanted to be able to see him, but he supposed being able to feel and hear him would be enough.
He didnt even know how long they've been there. It could have been weeks but it felt like a lifetime.
Today, however, was a particularly bad day.
His ears were ringing and he could barely stand. His fists clenching the sides of his shirt weakly, his mouth open as a trail of blood escaped his chapped and damaged lips. His clothes were sticking to him in sweat and blood, his hair damp from a previous form of torture he couldnt bare to think about.
"Mr- Mr. Stark...?" His raspy and hoarse voice was so quiet but it bounced off the cement walls.
"Kid? Oh my god..." He whispered as he reached his sides. He put his arms around his body, lifting the boy onto his chest.
He couldnt see the boy but he could feel the blood gushing out of his wounds, feel his damp hair tickling his chin. He could feel the boys breaths come in short and shallow, and he could hear a deep scratch in his throat within every breath.
"Youre gonna be okay, kid. I got you." His voice was low and desperate. Almost as if he was reassuring himself.
The boys hearing was beginning to get muffled and far away, almost as if he were under water.
Drowning.
A form of torture they would use on him. The excruciating pain of his lungs begging for air as his mouth opened only causing him to swallow more water. Then the feeling of harsh, cold hands gripping onto his shoulders, the feeling of the freezing air nipping on his skin.
"Mr. Stark...I-" he gave a weak and painful cough, the feeling of a warm liquid dripping down his lips being noted into the boys skull.
He took in a gulp of air, a hoarse wheeze forcing its way out of his throat. "I wont make it...even with my healing factor." He breathed in a whisper, not having the strength to speak louder.
"No, kid, no. Dont say that, please dont say that." The mans voice was near to hysterical as he felt the familiar burn behind his eyes.
"Dont cry..." The boy mumbled having heard the sadness and desperation behind his words.
"You know that I'll always-" he cut himself off with a dry cough. "I'll always be with you, dad." His voice held so much meaning though they sounded tired.
The words coming out of the boys mouth set a warm feeling inside of his chest, though with that it made the sadness grow. Like someone was pressing weights on top of him.
"I love you..." He mumbled quietly, as he felt his eyelids slowly closing over his tired eyes. The man could only feel the way the boy went limp in his arms.
"I love you too." He whispered as he felt the boy give a small intake of breath and gave out slow and shallow ones.
He felt the rise of his chest as he inhaled.
He felt the slow deflate of his chest as he exhaled.
Then he felt nothing.
