Blindsided

*18 hours earlier*

Natasha had just knocked out the last guy on the floor when Tony began speaking over the comms.

“Anyone got eyes on Horns?” he asked. “I asked him to meet me on the fifth floor.”

“I haven’t seen him,” Natasha replied.

“He went to the stairs,” Clint supplied. “Saw him heading up there but I don’t think I saw him get out.”

“DD can handle himself,” Steve said, his tone dark. “I’m sure he’s fine. Let’s just wrap this up and then I’m sure he’ll turn up.”

“You’re really still pissed off at him?” Clint asked.

“I’m not pissed off. He just shouldn’t have lied, that’s all,” Steve defended.

Tony rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, Capsicle. We’ll regroup at the tower. Nat, let’s scour the premises for the Devil. I’m not leaving him behind.”

Clint eyed him from his spot on the roof, then shook his head with a sigh. On a certain level, he understood why Daredevil had kept his blindness a secret. They’d treated him like he was less and Clint hated that they’d acted like that. He hated that he had acted like that.

Their behaviour was ableist and Clint hated himself for not realising it sooner.

When Tony had requited Daredevil for a second time, Clint vowed to himself that he’d make it up to the horned vigilante.

If only they knew where he’d gone.

*

Matt woke up and immediately wished he was still unconscious. His body felt like it was on fire. His skin was hot, his blood pumping. His heart beat furiously in his chest, its thumping echoing in his ears. Something was wrong.

He tried to stay calm, tried to keep his breathing steady. He tried to zone into his surroundings but there was nothing for him to hear except his own loud heartbeat and the smell of something chemical.

He was aware that he was lying on a metal surface, with straps of something holding him down but he couldn’t figure out if he was alone.

As the time passed, he could make out a different smell. A memory flashed through his mind, knocking him back into the past.

A dark chuckle filled the empty room, its sound echoing off the stone walls and reverberating onto the metal surface Matt laid on.

Dried liquid clung to his torso, the substance breaking every time Matt braced himself for the next sound of torture.

The air warmed up and the smell of fire and electricity filled his nostrils before the sound reached his ears and Matt bit down on the leather strap in his mouth.

His world on fire flared a bright white as the electricity touched his side and his muscles froze, his body convulsing with each pulse.

The smell of burned flesh, that horribly, disgusting cologne and the chuckle that would haunt his nightmares reached his senses right before he passed out.

He snapped back to the present when his lips were pried apart. A metal device was inserted into his mouth and tied securely behind his head.

He shook his head, limbs straining against the restraints keeping him down. the Devil in his chest rumbled but it was quiet, quieter than it had ever been and it terrified him.

“Looks like the Devil’s awake again,” the voice that haunted his nightmares spoke up and Matt clenched his fists, biting down hard on the metal in his mouth as anger flared up.

“Ah, now don’t be like that.” Matt didn’t need his senses to know the man was pouting. “I’ve missed you, you know. I quite admired your efforts and I was so very close to breaking you until you got snatched away from us.”

A hand rested on his arm, tracing a faded scar slowly. “But you are back now. And I intend to complete my mission without any more interruptions.”

The hand disappeared and Matt let a low growl escape. The man simply laughed.

“Do not be afraid, Mr Daredevil. As I said before, it is nothing personal. You are simply the best candidate for this experiment. I have heard great things about your abilities that I intend to put to great use. But first, I must break you out of your old habits. It is time to let the Devil run free, don’t you think?”

After that, everything blurred together into a string of pain, burning skin and the smell of blood and charred skin.

At that point, he was too far gone to remember anything else that happened.