Star-struck-universe - Oh, Would You Look There.

reference

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Gaz: So why do you do your paper work in the gym? Y/N, sipping iced coffee whilst watching Ghost do hip thrusts: For the aesthetic? I dunno

Same dude same.

Between Cooper's opening scene and Hancock's opening scene, I can't pick a favourite.

If they ever met that ham off would be immense.

Ghouls need the following:

A Cool Hat. (Tricorn vs Cowboy hat).

A schtick, a gimmick, a persona. (Colonial King of the Zombies vs Good Sheriff gone bad).

A Signature Gun (Sawed off Shot-gun vs Whatever Coops' cool as fuck boom stick is).

A Signature Meele Move (Bowie Knife in the gut vs The Lasso).

Tragic Backstory (Naturally, everyone has one in the wastes but you gotta up the ante for Ghouls).

A Drug Problem (What's in the vials?!)

A Sassy/Sarcastic Attitude towards their Vaultie. (It's bonding to drag your Vaultie across the wasteland in a choke-hold ok? It IS--).

A Dramatic Opening Scene. (I was won over both times, love at first sight, that's my wasteland husband right there---)

Big Dad Energy (...Ok.)

Cause I'm Yours

Summary: Soulmate AU where each set of soulmates has a song that only they know that kind of explains their love story! What happens when you and Steve start living yours?

Warnings: nothing that I can think of aside from slight angst!

Word Count: 9251

a/n: another fic idea that came to me while listening to music on the way home from work :) The song I used is Secret Love Song by Little Mix! I just ignored the parts about being in love with someone who's already in a relationship anymore lol. Also, we're ignoring the accords and everything that came after in favor of Bucky and everyone living happily together in the tower. I kind of hate this, but I spent so long writing it so here it is.

Masterlist

In pre-school, you were obsessed with the song in your head. Your parents told you it was a secret song that only you and your soulmate knew the words to. Even just the idea of having someone out there who would love you no matter what sounded magical, let alone this song that connected you.

When you started high school, you found out what the song actually meant. Not only were the words known only by you and your soulmate, but they explained your love story. Or at least, a part of it. There's no telling what aspect of- or time within- your relationship the song is about.

Given the lyrics of your song, you were immensely nervous about meeting your soulmate. So much so, in fact, you refused to tell anyone the lyrics to your song, claiming it was meant for you and your soulmate to share together.

Now, as an adult, the song almost never crossed your mind. You had gotten tired of trying to spin it in a more positive light. You have never met anyone else who had a song that was as angsty as yours. We got a love that is hopeless and it'll never be enough just don't scream happy ending. As a teen, you convinced yourself it was just a hurdle you and your soulmate would have to overcome. But with time came experience, and your life experiences definitely weighed down that opinion.

Plus, you were heading into your late twenties and still had no clue who your soulmate could even be. Almost everyone you'd gone to high school and college with already found there perfect person. So, you chose not to think about it. If you ignored it, you could pretend it didn't matter.

-

From the minute he understood soulmate songs, Steve Rogers hated them. Bucky was the only one who ever understood why. Granted, Bucky was the only one Steve ever told about not having a soulmate song. To Steve's surprise, Bucky confessed he also didn't have a soulmate song. It only made their friendship stronger to both be missing something everyone else seemed to have.

When Bucky fell from the train, Steve figured that must be why he didn't have a soulmate song. So when it came time, and he needed to crash the jet into the ocean, he didn't think twice. It was easier to believe that was why he never had a song. He was destined to die in order to save others. Nobody should be put through losing their soulmate like that. It was better that he didn't have one.

Seventy years later, he woke up. And he had a song.

-

Meeting the Avengers was definitely a life altering moment for you. The six of them had just saved New York from an alien invasion and now you were working with them. Your experience in public relations made it easy for Pepper Potts and Tony Stark to hire you to manage the public image of the team.

Thankfully, they generally made it easy for you to help them. There was a lot of mess to sweep up, but the whole team was willing to put in the work to help. You became like family to them, always willing to be on call since some of the press you had to handle were in different time zones.

Eventually, Tony offered you a room in the tower. It just made sense to avoid the commute since you spent so much time there anyway. Plus, Tony thoroughly enjoyed being able to tell you to "go to your room" once the workday ended.

That's how you ended up spending so much time with Steve Rogers. Captain America was quite the public figure in the 40s, but the media circus had grown pretty exponentially during his time in the ice. Once he managed to understand you weren't asking him to be a dancing monkey, he actually appreciated all the work you put in to make their lives easier.

Your friendship continued to grow as you spent more time together. Every movie night, you'd sit a little closer together until, eventually, you were cuddled up under the same blanket. You'd invite Steve for lunch during the week, and he'd always bring you to brunch after his Sunday morning runs.

Six months later, Steve officially asked you out. With Wanda's help, he managed to make a completely charming picnic for the two of you in a park near the Brooklyn Bridge. You couldn't remember the last time you smiled so much in a single day. Steve felt exactly the same, feeling for the first time like he was actually beginning to fit into the modern age. Everything was so perfect, you scolded yourself for not seeing the other shoe until after it dropped.

Every website or news channel you looked at had a story of Steve Rogers dating the Avengers' PR rep. Although the two of you had done nothing wrong, the entire country seemed to turn it into some big scandal. Everyone wanted to know if Captain America found his soulmate or just someone to keep his bed warm. The only reason it faded so quickly from the public eye was the emergence of the Winter Soldier.

Steve Rogers being on the run from SHIELD definitely trumped his picnic date in the eyes of the media. The entirety of the weeks events left you a mess in terms of PR, but thankfully everything worked out. Hydra was stopped, and Steve got his best friend back.

Your own relationship with Steve faltered a bit in the months after Bucky's return, but you couldn't bring yourself to be upset with Steve. The situation, sure, but not Steve. He had so much going on with trying to help Bucky remove the trigger words. It took weeks to even find someone who thought they could do it, and that ended up taking the two super soldiers across the world.

He updated the team every few days, but he was so focused on helping Bucky, he didn't actually have much time to talk. Despite the abundance of technology in Wakanda, you'd never felt less connected to Steve.

Your entire schedule was thrown off. You no longer had a go to lunch buddy or Sunday brunch plans. Movie nights got just a bit colder without the body heat from your favorite super soldier. Everything just felt a little bit off.

After seven long months, Steve and Bucky returned to the tower. Unfortunately, your relationship didn't pick up where it left off. Bucky needed time to get acclimated to his new life, and Steve was always willing to be there for him.

Again, you didn't fault Steve for his behavior. How could you? He spent nearly every waking moment trying to help Bucky feel more at home in the tower, but also in the new century they found themselves in.

Just seeing Steve in passing was enough to get your heart racing these days. When you heard the sound of his voice coming from the kitchen, it was like your body involuntarily chose to stop and listen. You were so focused on just hearing him talk that it took a few minutes to actually understand the words.

"You have a song now?" The question gave no indication of how he was feeling in the moment.

"Yeah..." Bucky sheepishly replied. "I don't know when it started. Just, showed up one day, I guess." His tone of voice got lighter with each word he spoke about the song, going so far as to sign a few words. "Be my summer in a winter day, love... You still don't have one?" Despite not knowing him that well, you could hear the hesitation in his voice when he asked the question.

"I... No," Steve sighed. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

Everything they said after that went in one ear and out the other. You may not like your song per se, but at least you had one. You had never heard of someone not having a soulmate song before. The thought hadn't even crossed your mind. Everyone had a song...

"Y/N? Are you okay?" Suddenly, Steve and Bucky were in front of you. They must have finished whatever they were doing in the kitchen without you realizing.

"Huh? Oh, um, yeah. Just lost in thought I guess," you laughed.

"Are you sure?" Steve questioned further, looking at you with concern.

"Yeah. I'm good," you smiled, nodding your head as if that would convince him. Before you could turn to walk away, Steve lightly grabbed your hand. Bucky was convincing him to say something, but you had missed the silent glares and nudges in your efforts to pretend you weren't eavesdropping.

"Hey, are you busy later?" he smiled nervously, thumb rubbing across your wrist.

"I don't think so. My last meeting just ended, so it's just wrapping up a few loose ends, and I'm done for the weekend."

"Would you maybe want to have dinner with me?" Steve seemed to notice the shock on your face before you could even comprehend his question. "To catch up, ya know? We haven't been talking much, and I just thought maybe dinner would be nice," he rambled.

"Dinner would be great, Steve." Suddenly, the memory of the media circus that was your last date crossed your mind. Again, Steve must have seen your thoughts on your face.

"I figured we could do something small. Movie night?" Again, his smile betrayed his nerves.

"That's perfect. The usual time?" He nodded his confirmation, his slightly awkward wave goodbye making you smile.

And just like that, it was like things hadn't changed at all... sort of. You and Steve were back to your routine before your date. Movie nights, lunches, Sunday brunch. Sometimes Bucky would tagalong as well. Before long, the two of you were nearly as close as you and Steve.

If anything, seeing Steve with Bucky made you like him more. He just seemed more himself in a way, like having an anchor to his past made it that much easier for him to exist in the present. You were thinking about exactly that when Steve came knocking on your door.

"What's up?" You leaned against the open door, gesturing that he was welcome to come inside. When he took you up on that offer, you swung the door closed and followed him over to your bed. You were a little thrown off by his silence.

"Are you okay?" you asked. He looked at you briefly before averting his gaze, nervously twisting his fingers together. "Steve?" you asked, your concern showing through. You sat next to him, taking one of his fidgeting hands in your own. Your other hand brushed against his cheek, turning him to face you. "What is it?" Your heart was beating so fast, you thought you might explode.

He scoffed at himself, the self deprecation easily showing through. "I don't know why this is so hard for me," he spoke, taking your hand from his cheek in his free one. You wanted to ask what he was talking about, but you didn't want to push. You had a pretty good idea of it already, and it was terrifying.

"Steve..." you said his name with so much affection, he closed his eyes and let it wash over him.

"Y/N..." he returned the sentiment. "I... Would you like to date me?" You stared wide eyed, caught off guard by how straight to the point he was. Steve was a rambler when he spoke about his feelings. His own eyes widened, as if shocked the statement actually came from his lips.

"Dammit! I'm sorry. I had a whole thing planned." He had begun pacing back and forth in front of your bed, leaving you to watch him move back and forth." I was going to tell you how I feel, not just blurt it out. Why can't I ever get one thing-"

"Yes," you answered, cutting off his rambling with a soft smile. His eyes snapped back to yours, a disbelieving look on his face.

"Yes?" he questioned. You nodded in response, letting him come to terms with everything not going as planned, but turning out just as he'd hoped. "Yes," he finally smiled- a wide grin- before walking back to you. In no time at all, he had you wrapped in his arms, spinning around your room.

"Steve!" you shouted, unprepared for the lack of ground beneath your feet. He placed you delicately back on the bed, kissing each of your hands before rising.

"Dinner tomorrow?" Once again, you nodded at his question. "I'll pick you up at 7."

You were both smiling as he backed out of your room, only cutting off eye contact when he nearly tripped over an ottoman. "Tomorrow," you said wistfully.

"Tomorrow." Steve confirmed, his own tone matching yours.

The second you could no longer hear his footsteps retreating down the hall, you face planted into your pillow and squealed. You felt giddy. Your relationship with Steve was a long time coming and you couldn't put into words just how excited you were. Sleep did not come easily after that.

-

The next day passed in a blur. You could barely pay attention to your work as thoughts of Steve ran through your head. You were so excited to go out with him again, but your nerves grew as you remembered what happened last time you made a public appearance.

It was definitely not ideal for the PR manager to be splashed across the headlines. Even if it was only tabloids. You didn't have much time to think about it, however, because by mid-afternoon you were whisked away from your desk.

Nat and Wanda pulled you through the tower, eagerly leading you back to your room. It seems news of your date had travelled, and the two of them were beyond excited to help you get ready- despite your protests that it was a work day and four hours seemed a bit too much time.

"Nonsense. You and Steve have been towing this line for ages." Wanda grinned at you. "We won't let it go wrong because of a few work hours. Tony will understand."

You nodded, nervously biting your lip as the potential headlines flashed through your mind again. Would Tony understand his PR manager being the talk of the town? Would Pepper?

Before you could voice your concerns, Natasha was pushing you into the bathroom to try on the outfit they laid out. You were surprised to see your favorite ripped jeans waiting for you, but you put them on nonetheless. They had paired the jeans with a black shirt and a black denim jacket you had never seen before. Parts of the denim had been removed, replaced with a flowery mesh.

The second you were out of the bathroom, Nat and Wanda were pushing accessories and shoes into your hands. "I have to admit, this is not the vibe I thought you'd go for," you questioned them with a raised brow as you finished putting on your combat boots.

"Steve may or may not have given us a heads up." Wanda smirked. You looked between her and Nat, rolling your eyes that they knew where you were going when you didn't. You would have questioned them about it, but a knock on your door cut you off.

You were surprised to see it was already 7, and Steve was waiting for you on the other side of the door. You let your worries slip away, knowing they would only serve to upset your evening. With one final steadying breath, you opened the door.

You and Steve simply stared at each other, neither making a move. It was as if you were both frozen, simply taking in the other person. As Steve eyes roamed your outfit, you couldn't help but take in his own outfit.

You had to admit, he looked incredible. Seeing him in the familiar leather jacket was normal, but it never failed to make you swoon. The blue henley, however, couldn't help but spark thoughts of Bucky helping him choose what to wear. You let out a disbelieving chuckle at the idea of both of your friends dressing you.

The noise seemed to startle Steve into motion. He gestured for you to join him in the hallway, both of you ignoring the snickering coming from the two women in your room. He gently placed his hand on your lower back, the textured flowers pressing lightly into your back through the thin material of your shirt.

"You look incredible," Steve glanced at you. "I don't think I've ever seen this jacket before," he grinned, likely having the same thought you just had.

"It is new," you confirmed. "You look handsome as ever. I have to say, the blue henley really brings out your eyes." His laugh was like music to your ears.

"I'll have to tell Bucky you approve." The faint blush that dotted his cheeks had you even more giddy than before.

"I'll convey the same message to Nat and Wanda," you winked, again earning a chuckle. It was as if all the nerves had left your body and you were simply spending the evening with your best friend. All of the worrying and anxiety seemed pointless now that you were actually with him.

Unsurprisingly, Steve lead you to his motorcycle. You had never mentioned to him how much you loved riding with him, but you suspected he had some sort of idea. Or maybe he enjoyed it as much as you. Either way, you climbed on behind him, wrapping your arms around his narrow waist and stretching your neck to place your chin on his shoulder.

He glanced at you out of the corner of his eye, smiling at the familiar feeling. It had been far too long since the last time you rode together. You pressed a light kiss to his cheek as he pulled out of the parking garage before leaning slightly back to enjoy the feeling of the wind on your skin.

Steve took you to a tiny diner in Brooklyn, somewhere the two of you had been before. It felt so natural, you nearly forgot the outing was an actual date. It was so easy to talk with Steve, you found yourself pestering him with questions about Wakanda, answering his own questions about your time apart as well. You spent hours in the diner, just talking like you used to.

"I've missed this," he spoke suddenly as the two of you were leaving the restaurant, making your way back to Steve's bike.

"I know, they have the best french toast," you goaded, grinning even more when he rolled his eyes.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Steve spun you around, his hands on your hips pressing you slightly into his bike from his proximity. "I've missed you. Our lunches and weekly brunch. The snuggling during movie night. Just being together," he whispered, leaning closer to you with each word.

Your throat was suddenly dry, your voice raspy as you replied. "I've missed you too." As if on their own accord, your hands had wrapped themselves around Steve's neck, pulling him even closer.

You both felt the pull as you leaned in, your lips barely brushing when the sound of tires screeching across the road startled you. Steve spun you behind him, his eyes scanning for any sign of danger. He relaxed when he realized it was just a car slamming on their brakes to avoid running a stop sign and hitting another car.

He let out a deep sigh, turning back to you with an apologetic look. "It's okay," you smiled reassuringly before pressing a kiss against his cheek. "Let's go home."

Steve nodded, quickly kissing your forehead before getting on the bike and signalling for you to do the same. You were pretty sure you heard him grumbling something about people learning how to drive, but you kept your giggling silent. Of course, being pressed up against Steve on the motorcycle did little to cool you down after the near steamy moment.

The night had gotten cooler as the sun set, encouraging you to squeeze closer to Steve. You hands tucked themselves in between his shirt and his jacket. The warmth radiating from him quickly warmed up your cold fingers, leaving you to feel the way his abs tightened when your hands shifted.

The ride back to the tower ended far too quickly for your taste. You would have spent the next hours pressed to Steve's warm back if he had let you. Instead, you found yourself standing next to him in the parking garage watching as he put the helmets away.

"I'll walk you to your room?" His offer received a nod from you, eager to spend any additional amount of time with him. His hand on the small of your back felt electrifying, even more so than earlier in the evening. You relished in the touch, eager to relive the moment from earlier.

When you reached your room, you paused with your hand on the door. Biting your lip, you turned around to look at Steve. He was closer than you expected, his eyes taking in the way you tugged your lip between your teeth. Once again, your throat was dry. You couldn't stop the raspiness in your voice when you spoke.

"I had fun tonight," you whispered, not missing the way his eyes flickered to your lips again.

"Me too," he whispered in return, not wanting to break the moment. He stepped closer, your bodies nearly touching when your hand fell from the door knob as you turned completely to face him. You both leaned in at the same time, your lips meeting briefly before returning with more pressure.

Your left hand wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling him closer as your right hand pulled him in by his jacket. Steve pulled you to him as well, one hand tangled in your hair and one squeezing your hip. The two of you were as close as possible and yet it was still not close enough.

Your not sure how long you stood there, back pressed against the door to your room, but eventually the two of you needed air. Your each parted just enough to breath, your foreheads still pressed together as you tried to calm your racing heart. When you finally caught your breath, and managed to meet Steve's eye, you were certain you were about to go another round when the sound of a throat clearing jolted you apart.

Tony stood at the other end of the hallway, a smirk playing on his lips. Before either of you could tell him off, Tony held up a hand. "It's a public hallway." Tony defended himself as he walked closer.

"In the middle of the night..." you countered eyes wide in confusion. Why would he interrupt you for no reason?

"Tony, why are you here?" Steve sighed, one hand reaching to take your own as if the idea of not touching you was too much for him to handle at the moment.

"Bad news I'm afraid. I thought you'd want to see it as soon as possible." The look Tony was giving you set you on edge. Although he was answering Steve, it felt like he was talking to you.

"A mission?" Steve questioned, his thumb now rubbing circles on your hand.

"Not exactly." He produced a tablet from behind his back, gesturing for you to take it. You reached for it with your free hand, looking at Steve in confusion. The two of you looked down at the screen together, your mind running wild the second you saw the picture.

You didn't know how to feel. It wasn't anything bad per say, but it wasn't ideal for the whole world to see it. However, you liked the picture. It reminded you of the evening you just shared with Steve, and honestly, you were kind of grateful for the feeling being captured in a photo.

You were leaning slightly against Steve's bike with him standing directly in front of you. His hands had found purchase on your hips, your own wrapped around his neck. Your lips weren't quite touching, but it was obvious that's where it was headed. Or at least, where it would've been headed if not for the screeching car.

The gratefulness didn't last long as you realized the implications of Tony having the picture. "How bad is it?" You squeezed Steve's hand, finding comfort in his presence next to you. Last time this happened it was brushed under the rug by the Winter Soldier. However convenient that was for PR, it was a nightmare to live through. Something told you nothing like that would save you this time.

Tony gave you a comforting smile before responding. "From what I can tell, only the one photo was taken." you breathed a sigh of relief, although it was minor. One photo was bad enough. "Thankfully, the photographer knew he could get more money from me than any media outlet."

The meaning of his words sunk in slowly, but when it fully registered you had to lean into Steve because of the relief.

"Tony... I... Thank you," you whispered. You felt horrible for putting Tony in such a position, especially when it was your job to prevent any scandalous Avengers themed headlines. "Oh my god, it's the middle of the night! Tony, I'm so sorry! After what happened with our picnic I should've known not to-"

"Don't beat yourself up about it. Just be more careful next time." He winked at you before departing, calling out one last time before he was gone, "and have fun!"

You could feel the blush even before you made eye contact with Steve. Of course, the feeling only multiplied afterward. Steve looked just as bashful as you.

"Do you want to talk?" You gestured to your door, offering a safe haven from the "public hallway". Thankfully, Steve nodded. You watched him as he made his way into your room, awkwardly standing in the middle. You sat on your bed, gesturing for him to join you, but he declined.

"Steve? What's wrong?" you asked carefully, honestly a bit scared of the answer. He was quiet for a moment, staring at a spot on the floor. You were about to ask him again when he finally spoke.

"What should you have known not to do?" he mumbled, only increasing your confusion.

"What?" you asked, not understanding the question.

"You told Tony you should've known not to. Not to what? Not to go out with me again?" His voice was wavering, as if he was struggling to reconcile the time you had just spent together with your attitude about the picture.

"Of course not! I'm so, so glad we went out." You could feel the tears burning in your eyes. It felt dramatic, and you were annoyed by them, but it made sense. It was a lot to process. You stood to meet his eye, trying to convey just how much you believed what you were saying. "Steve, that was single handedly the best date I've ever been on. I just should've known to be more careful about what a stranger could see."

"Oh..." He glanced at you, seeing the sincerity in your eyes. You could tell your answer has sparked some thoughts for Steve, so you waited for him with a patient smile. "So a secret relationship?"

You smiled nervously. A secret relationship was never something you thought you'd be part of, but for Steve it would be worth it. "Just a secret from the public, not from the team."

He nodded at your words, seeming deep in thought. It was nerve wracking to watch him ponder the idea of having a relationship with you. The longer you waited, the more your anxiety built. Maybe your job just made this too difficult for him. Starting a relationship is already so stressful, having to add the secret part on top of that just makes it that much harder.

"I've never been one for PDA anyway." Steve's words tore you from your negative thoughts. The two of you stared at each other, smiling like children when Steve spoke again. "So, would you like to be my secret girlfriend?" Despite you just saying Steve took you on the best date of your life, he still looked nervous to ask you.

"I would love to be your secret girlfriend, so long as you want to be my secret boyfriend?" you replied, an eager smile on your face.

Steve forewent a verbal reply, choosing to answer your question with a kiss. He poured all of his emotions into it, holding you as close as he could.

You returned the kiss with just as much excitement. It wasn't until the two of you needed to breathe that you separated.

"In case it was unclear, that was a yes." Steve joked, his cheeks betraying his blush.

"Oh good, otherwise you really would've been sending the wrong message," you joked back. Your smile only grew when he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you're trouble." Steve pressed a quick kiss to your lips before backing away.

"Yeah, but you already knew that," you said with a smirk. Steve simply laughed in response. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course. We have our weekly lunches to uphold." Steve kissed you one more time before leaving.

You called a quick goodnight as you shut the door, nearly squealing when you were sure he was out of earshot. Tonight may have had a minor issue, but it was still one of the best nights of your life. After all the problems you and Steve have faced with being separated, finally being able to be together was all you wanted.

How hard could a secret relationship be?

-

You and Steve kept to your normal routine of eating lunch together and going out on Sundays. It was frustrating not even being able to hold his hand, but the fun outweighed the annoyance. Stealing kisses when nobody was around or texting each other dirty things made the beginning of your relationship interesting.

Plus, you could always spend time together in the residential area of the tower. You still had movie nights, albeit with some kisses thrown in, but you spent even more time with Steve. Whether it was making dinner together, or forcing Sam and Bucky to play a board game with you, the two of you could almost always be found together after work hours. The lack of affectionate time spent outside of the tower didn't bother you because you could spend so much time together inside.

Your life, although not what you pictured, felt perfectly balanced. You didn't realize just how easily that balance could be upended until Tony took over your surprise party for Steve's birthday.

"Y/N, how excited are you for tomorrow?" Wanda burst into your room, two dress bags in her hands.

"I'm excited, Wan. I still think Steve would prefer something small, but small isn't really in Tony's wheelhouse. I should've planned the whole thing and surprised both of them." You both laughed, knowing Tony was never one to turn down a party.

"I need your help." Wanda showed the two dresses she bought, one a long emerald v-neck with long sleeves, the other a black leather mini dress with cap sleeves. "Which one?"

You pictured her in both dresses, imaging the hair style and accessories she'd wear with each. "I like the green."

"Me too! I think Vis will like that one more too." Wanda spoke quickly as she zipped the bags back up. If she wasn't so quick to say "thanks for the help! I have to go find my accessories now" and leave, she might've noticed the shift in your mood. She might've noticed the tie you picked out for Steve sitting on your dresser. She might've noticed when you realized you couldn't actually go to your boyfriend's surprise party with your boyfriend because of one key detail. Secret.

-

After Wanda left, you only gave yourself five minutes to be upset. You and Steve agreed to keep your relationship private from the public for a reason. It wouldn't do to dwell on what can't happen. For you and Steve to tell the public you were together, he would have to admit he didn't have a soulmate song, and you would have to admit you were ignoring yours.

Ever since he came out of the ice, Steve Roger's soulmate has been the question people ask. Was it Peggy? If not Peggy, was it someone else from his time? Would he ever know who it was?

You know the truth. It's clear why Steve never talks about it. Especially if Bucky has a song and didn't used to. Talking about it would only serve to hurt him. You didn't mind ignoring your soulmate song. The familiar lyric of hopeless love was all it took to cast it from your mind.

So instead, you focused on Steve. You were ready for the party 3 hours before it began, not hesitating to help set up any decorations or equipment that still needed setting up. You were there to greet everyone who arrived before Steve, scolding Tony when guests arrived before him.

You were there when Steve walked in with Bucky. His eyes seemed to scan the room, stopping only when they found you. Turns out you didn't need to give him a tie. He already picked one out in the perfect shade of blue to compliment his eyes. The exact shade of blue you chose to wear for that very reason.

His eyes roamed your body, only being drawn away when the entire room shouted "surprise!" His reaction appeared to happen in slow motion, the confusion slowly giving way to understanding and appreciation.

He was making his way toward you, greeting and thanking anyone who stopped him to talk. At this rate, it would take the entire party for him to find you. Just before you could walk to him, a group of agents cornered him.

They were young, fit, excited about the world agents. The questions came faster than Steve could answer. You both knew it would be too suspicious for him to abandon the conversation simply to greet you. Instead, you gave him an encouraging smile and turned toward the bar.

Three drinks in, Steve found you.

"Hi," you greeted him with a warm smile, but he could see the disappointment in your eyes. You could see the regret in his, speaking up before he got the chance. "Don't you dare apologize. We signed up for this."

He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "We did. I guess I'll just have to wait until we're alone to tell you how beautiful you are." His words caused a giddy smile to erupt on your face. Even after months of being together, Steve never failed to give you butterflies.

"Are you enjoying your party?" you asked, eager to change the subject for fear of doing something reckless.

"I am, it's wonderful." It was clear he believed the words, but you could tell it wasn't what he wanted to say. One look from you and he was spilling the truth. "If I'm honest something smaller would've been fine."

You sighed, having expected just the same. If it was a smaller party, you and Steve could have attended together. "That's what I told Tony, but you know how he gets. Bigger is better, and his friends deserve the best." You both laughed, enjoying the brief moment together.

"Dance with me?" Steve interrupts the silence. Seeing the look on your face, he continues, "Just one dance? Nobody will say anything about one dance with the birthday boy."

Rolling your eyes, you can't stop yourself from smiling. "Fine, one-" Before you can even finish the statement, Steve is whisking you to the dance floor. Just as you made it to the edge of the dance floor, the music shifted. The modern party music was left behind for some classic 40s.

You couldn't help but laugh as you and Steve spun around the dance floor, the words to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy echoing in your ears. By the time the song was fading out, you were nearly out of breath. The combination of Steve swinging you around the room and the never ending laughter had you in stitches.

"And here I thought you couldn't dance?" you teased, laughing even more when Steve had the audacity to look shocked.

"I have no idea what you mean. One more?" he asked. You knew you were toast. You couldn't say no to those eyes.

"You're lucky it's your birthday," you huffed, already putting your hand back on his shoulder in preparation for the next song. Steve gripped your waist as the familiar opening lyrics to Dream a Little Dream of Me sounded through the room. It wasn't the slowest song in the world, but everyone was taking advantage of the break to just sway together.

You shifted your grip, placing both hands behind his neck. It took everything in you to not rest your head on his shoulder. Instead, you looked into his eyes, hoping you could convey everything you wanted to say with just your eyes.

You could feel the distance between you decreasing as the song continued, but you didn't have the willpower to do anything about it. You wanted to be close to him, and he wanted you close. It wasn't until the song tapered out and Bucky was asking to cut in that you realized just how close you were to blowing your secret.

"Happy birthday Steve," you whispered, chancing one more look at his face. His expression mirrored your own. A sense of longing mixed with resignation. There was nothing you could say as Bucky whisked you back onto the dance floor as an upbeat song you didn't recognize began to play.

-

Eventually, the party died down, leaving only residents of the tower in the room. Steve dragged you back onto the dance floor, swaying with you despite the upbeat melody. He held you close, and you relished the feeling. For the first time in years, a lyric from your soulmate song popped into your head.

Why can't I kiss you on the dancefloor?

You quickly brushed the thought aside. There was no use thinking about it when you knew Steve didn't have one. You're happy with Steve. There's no point focusing on what will only cause you both pain.

You stayed on the dance floor for a few more songs until you heard the tell tale signs of trouble brewing. Tony was dragging the karaoke machine over to the lounge area, ranting about how nobody has been using it.

"I spent $1,000 on this, and we are going to use it dammit!" he ranted. Even mildly drunk, Tony could set up a simple karaoke machine. You could hear everyone telling Tony that $1,000 is nothing to him, but he wasn't hearing it. "Everyone is singing! That includes you two!" Without lifting your head from Steve's chest you knew he was talking about you.

"Come on, let's just appease him," you said to Steve, pulling him over to the lounge. You graciously accepted the drink Nat handed you. "I'm gonna need this if Tony really forces us all to sing."

And force you to sing he did. Tony started things off with a rousing rendition of Back in Black surprising absolutely nobody with his choice of song.

Thor was so eager to participate in another "Midgardian activity" he let Tony choose his song. You all laughed and drank as he belted out the words to Bonnie Tyler's Holding out for a Hero.

Thor set a dangerous precedent, giving Tony the idea that he could choose everyone's songs. Wanda sang Baby One More Time, Bruce We Didn't Start the Fire. Clint joyfully sang Fancy Like, having Nat record it so he could send it to his kids. Sam somehow managed to convince Tony to let him sing Marvin Gaye. Nat forcefully moved Tony out of the way, choosing abcdefu to keep the party going.

Everyone was drinking and laughing, actually enjoying themselves now that the rest of the guests had left. Bucky glared the whole time he sang, but he and Steve managed to stutter their way through Alive by One Direction and Cold as Ice by Foreigner, respectively.

By the time it was your turn, everyone was wasted. It wasn't often the whole team got to relax like this, so it was nice to see everyone cutting loose. Tony pulled you up to the machine, overestimating the force required or underestimating his strength. Either way, the two of you crashed into the karaoke machine, knocking it over the railing.

You briefly looked over the edge, wincing at the various pieces that machine was now in. Tony, in his drunken state, looked devastated. You assumed he was upset about the broken machine, but he quickly showed what was upsetting him.

"You still have to sing!" Your eyes widened at his volume, but you didn't have much time to protest. Suddenly the whole room was agreeing, various statements about how "it's only fair" or "everyone else did."

"Okay, okay!" you shouted over everyone else. "I'll do it." You were far too drunk to regret any of your decisions, so you just started singing the first song that popped into your head. Everyone else was too busy cheering, they didn't realize none of them actually knew the song. Well, none but one.

When you hold me in the street And you kiss me on the dancefloor I wish that it could be like that Why can't it be like that? Cause I'm yours

We keep behind closed doors Every time I see you I die a little more Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls It'll never be enough

It's obvious you're meant for me Every piece of you, it just fits perfectly

You didn't notice as the mood died down, to caught up in pouring your heart out to even realize you were singing your soulmate song. Everyone was enjoying the song, albeit they assumed you chose it because of your secret relationship with Steve.

Why can't you hold me in the street? Why can't I kiss you on the dancefloor? I wish that it could be like that Why can't it be like that? Cause I'm yours

Why can't I say that I'm in love? I wanna shout it from the rooftops I wish that it could be like that Why can't we be like that? Cause I'm yours

You finished the song to more cheering, although Steve remained motionless. Even after it was over, you didn't realize what had happened. You were so relieved to have let go of the feelings you were holding in that you did the one thing you swore you would never do.

"I've never heard that song before, Y/N! Who sings it?" Wanda asked, jolting you back into reality. Everyone was looking at you expectantly, but you didn't have an answer. You didn't want to tell them it was your soulmate song. You already killed the mood with the song, no reason to dampen it even further by admitting the truth.

"I don't remember!" You knew you sounded crazy, but you were hopeful the alcohol would make everyone forget. "I'm pretty tired, so I'm gonna head to bed. Happy Birthday!" You pressed a kiss to Steve's cheek on the way out, unable to even look him in the eye. He simply stared as you left, having a hard time believing what he just heard.

-

You had fallen asleep as soon as you laid down, and when you woke up last night felt like a dream- or more accurately, a nightmare. Your only hope was to pretend like it never happened and pray everyone else was too drunk to remember. Unfortunately, your bubble of hope was popped almost immediately after you woke up.

"Y/N!" Wanda excitedly ran to you when you entered the kitchen, "please tell me you know who sings that song!" You panicked as everyone turned toward you.

"What song?" you questioned, looking confused as you took a seat. If hope wouldn't do, pretending you forgot was your best bet.

"The one you sang last night," Nat answered for her, eyeing you suspiciously.

"Oh, um... who sings that song..." You pretended to be thinking, all the while considering moving to Albania and starting a new life. You glanced at Steve, but couldn't keep your eyes on him.

"Do you at least know what it's called?" Wanda smiled hopefully, only adding to your guilt.

"Secret Love Song," you answered with no hesitation, eyes widening when you realized she was going to google it. In high school, during your "it's only an obstacle we'll have to work through" phase, you started calling it your secret love song.

"That's weird. I can't find it online." Wanda pouted just as the subtlest of smirks formed on Nat's lips. You couldn't take it. There was no way to hide this from them. Of course it's not online, only two people in the world know the song- and it doesn't even really have a name! You dropped your face into your hands, mumbling under your breath in an effort to avoid the embarrassment this would cause.

"Oh my god!" Thor suddenly exclaimed, feeling as though he figured something out. "You wrote it, didn't you? You are very talented Lady Y/N!"

Your head snapped in his direction, wondering how good of an out that would be. It was clear from everyone else's expressions they knew the truth, though. "I didn't write it, but thank you for believing in me Thor." With a deep sigh, you rose from your seat at the island. "It's my soulmate song."

It was clear nobody knew what to say, so you saved them the trouble. "I know it's pretty sad for a soulmate song, but I got over it a long time ago. No need to feel bad for me." You shuffled toward the exit, still talking so nobody could express their sorrow for you. "I'm just gonna go... do something."

With a wave of your hand, you practically ran from the room. You knew they would want to talk to you about it, but you didn't have it in you. Of course these people are practically your family, but that would only make their pity feel even worse.

Maximizing your efforts to avoid the impending conversations, you packed a bag and messaged Tony that you needed to cash in some days off. Just a week and you'd be back. The team could manage not to cause any major PR problems for that long, right? Your only real problem was Steve.

You knew it wouldn't be fair to him to just leave, but the idea of talking to him after singing your soulmate song while knowing he doesn't have one sounds like the eighth circle of hell. You could write him a note, but it felt too impersonal. You struggled with your decision, ultimately deciding to pack the car and then figure out what to do. Of course, nothing works out like it's planned.

You opened your door to leave, but froze in place at the sight of the man who has your heart. Steve's fist was raised as if he was about to knock. You both stared, neither knowing just what to say in the moment. Then, Steve's eyes shifted from your face to the duffle bag over your shoulder.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his face adorably scrunched in confusion.

"Oh, um... I need a few days off. I'll be back next weekend," you muttered, looking anywhere but his face.

"Were you going to say goodbye?" He sounded so hurt, it only made you feel even more guilty.

"I... I don't know. I was going to put this in the car and then decide," you feebly replied gesturing to the bag. "Steve, I'm so sorry." You still refused to look him in the eye, too afraid of the sadness you might see in his baby blues.

"I'm so, so sorry. I feel horrible. I never meant to do that to you. I... I overheard you talking to Bucky before you asked me to dinner. I know you don't have a soulmate." You could tell just by the way his stance shifted that he had something to say, but you barreled through with your ramblings. "I have never told anyone the lyrics to my song before. You can probably see why." You words were accompanied by a resigned laughter.

"To sing that song and remind you that there's someone out there who's meant for me- even if it might be a difficult relationship- knowing you don't have a song was so awful of me. I should've known better. I know we were drinking, but that's no excuse." Try as you might, you couldn't stop the tears you felt building. Your throat burned. Your vision went blurry. "I... I'm sorry."

You closed your eyes, trying to calm your breathing. The sound of your blood pumping in your veins echoed in your ears. You had no idea if Steve was even still standing in front of you.

"Y/N..." He took your hands in his, surprising you enough that your eyes flew open. "I do have a song," he said softly. He looked just as upset as you, albeit his tears were merely welling in his eyes at this point.

"Wha- what? But... but you told Bucky..." you sputtered, the confusion you were feeling increased as Steve slowly slid the bag off your shoulder. He guided you further into your own room, gently encouraging you to sit on your bed. He kneeled in front of you, wiping your tears as they fell.

"I told Bucky I didn't have a song because his was so happy. I didn't want to weigh down his mood with my song." He moved to hold your hands in his, gently rubbing his thumbs over the backs of your hands.

"You have a sad song too?" You hated to admit it, but somewhere deep inside of you, a flicker of hope started growing. He nodded, drawing a small notebook from his pocket. You watched as he opened to a specific page and handed you the book.

"This is from last year. I... I wanted to take you out because there was this new movie showing, and I just knew you would love it. But I couldn't. We're only a couple in the confines of this tower, and even that can be interrupted. So I saw it with Bucky and I wrote down all the parts I thought would make you laugh."

Your tears renewed themselves, although this time from the overwhelming love you were feeling. He flipped the page slowly, showing another entry.

"This one is from when that new tapas restaurant opened around your birthday. I wanted to take you there and celebrate. So, I dragged Bucky out with me and wrote down all the things I thought you would want to try."

He flipped through the pages, various date activities he wanted to do with you outlined in the book. They ranged from all day activities like ice skating and looking at the holiday decorations to little things like being able to hold your hand when you got coffee together. Eventually, he landed on the last page of the book.

"This one is from a few days ago. Tony said he was having a fourth of July party, and I wanted nothing more than to ask you what color you were wearing so we could match. So we could actually do something together around other people." He shook his head as a light laugh escaped his lips. "I guess the matching part worked out anyway." You nodded your reply, too overwhelmed with emotion to speak.

"When Bucky stole you away on the dancefloor at the party... all I could think about was my song. I spent the rest of the night wondering if you were thinking the same thing... and then you sang it right to me."

You were still crying, far too emotional to even try to contain the tears, but now your smile was shining through. A smile that definitely told Steve how exstatic you were at hearing his confession.

"I tried to tell you last night, but you fell asleep so quickly. And this morning I didn't want to just blurt it out over breakfast. And then you admitted it to everyone, and I was trying to leave to come tell you, but they kept saying you probably wanted space! It took me this long to realize I could just tell them I was going for a run and come up here instead-"

You cut off his rambling with a kiss. Steve, who was still kneeling in front of you, fell backward with the force of your embrace, pulling you down to the floor with him. The two of you were laughing and crying and kissing and far too engrossed in each other to realize the rest of the team had come to check on you after Tony asked what your message was about.

"I love you," you whispered between kisses, still laying on top of Steve on the floor.

"I love you too... soulmate," Steve whispered right back. Everyone else backed away as Nat slowly pulled the door shut. The two of you deserved your privacy.

"Soulmate... that's so much better than secret boyfriend," you beamed. You couldn't hold your smile back long enough to kiss Steve, so you buried your face between his neck and his shoulder.

"Definitely better than secret girlfriend," he confirmed, a slight nervousness to his voice. You pushed away from him to ask, but the words were already escaping him. "Does that mean we're secret soulmates now?"

You couldn't help but laugh, a mixture of joy and love escaping as you rapidly shook your head no. "No! It was only a secret because the whole world would crucify us for being together if we weren't soulmates. I mean, there will still be a story, but it will definitely be positive now. We could come right out and tell everyone, or just go about our lives and let them figure it out. Oh! We could-"

It was Steve's turn to cut you off with a kiss. He held you close, not really needing to do much as gravity was still holding you to him. "Let's not talk about work right now. I just want to be with you without all of this weighing us down." You agreed, pressing a quick kiss before surprising him by getting up. "Where are you going?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I didn't eat breakfast." You grabbed your bag from where Steve dropped it, removing the essential things you would need for the day. "Would my soulmate like to accompany me to a breakfast... " you paused dramatically, "in public... with hand holding?"

Steve jumped up from the ground, spinning you around in a very similar fashion to the day he asked you to date him. "I would love nothing more."

Everything: @averyhotchner @jesuswasnotawhiteman @strawberryspence @andrwgxrfield @jswessie187 @ellobruv @alohastitch0626

Marvel:

@leyannrae @livstilinski @oceaniamaddness @justreadingficsdontmindme @ladydmalfoy @freyathehuntress

Y’all don’t wanna know what I would let this man do to me.

The Riddle

Pairing: Bucky x F Reader 

Summary: [SOULMATE AU] Things you lose start to appear at your soulmates side – most of the time if they’re in need of it. Easy, right? It would be if the existence of Soulmates were still common knowledge. And so you and Bucky can’t figure out who plays this prank on you and why the both of you lose stuff all the time. 

Word Count: ~3.2k 

Warnings: swearing, blood and stabbing of someone (it’s a bad guy), knives and the use of it, kind of matchmaking Avengers 

A/N: I wrote this soulmate prompt once for a HP character, but I really do like it, so I felt the need to give Bucky a soulmate 

The coffee machine was brewing your drink loudly and you turned towards the fridge to get something to eat. Once you decided on something and placed it on the counter, turned around to get your drink – your mug was gone. “Huh?” A glance around the kitchen made you realise that your mug had been stolen from no other than Bucky Barnes. 

“You could have just asked me if I would made you one,” you said. No reaction. “Barnes!” you repeated louder and the man in question finally looked up from his phone. 

“What?” he asked and you almost fell for his confused look. 

“You could have asked for a coffee, you didn’t have to steal mine,” you said and pointed at the mug in front of him. 

“I didn’t steal,” he started but stopped once he saw the ridiculous mug that was yours. He even asked you what it meant once he noticed the mug with the cat that held out their middle fingers and said fluff you, you fluffin fluff. “How?” he asked instead. 

You put a boring mug under the coffee machine and switched the mugs once it was full. “Next time just ask,” you said before you left the room. 

“I’m so sorry! I will bring in my paperwork tomorrow, I had it right there and then,” you started your excuse when you reached the office. 

“Your report has already been handed in,” the accountant said with a bored voice. 

“What do you mean it’s already here?” She tipped the top of a folder to show you it was already there. 

“Mr. Barnes brought it in with his own. He’s a gentleman, right? And handsome too,” she didn’t sound as bored as before and even winked at you. You just nodded and with a last glance on the folder left the office. How did he even get it? You finished writing it and then went to the bathroom. He must have taken it before you came back. It was kind of nice of him – if he had even told you that he would take it and you didn’t have to walk all that way. 

“Thanks for taking my folder too,” you said once you spotted the Winter Soldier with his head in the cupboard. The was a noise and you could have sworn you had startled him and he just hit his head. 

“Yeah, no problem,” he said and let out a sigh. 

“What are you searching for?” you asked and grabbed yourself a water. 

“I could have sworn there had been Oreos stored here.” 

“Yeah, Sam ate them. As always. You have to be quicker than that,” you answered after taking a sip of your cool drink. 

“I noticed,” he grumbled and tried to get his long hair behind his ears, but it always fell forward again. Just to your left laid the scrunchie that Barnes always carried around in the tower. It was pink with unicorns on it and not even Sam teased him about it, because you all had been there when he got it. 

You had been outside, it was a windy day and Tony held a speech that you weren’t listening to. You saw Bucky struggling with his hair as it always flew in his face and once it flew in his open mouth a young girl came forward. She walked up to the barrier and pointed at Bucky. You nudged his side until he noticed and walked towards the girl. The both of them talked shortly and then you saw her handing a bright pink scrunchie – and the once feared Winter Solider putting it in his hair. The glee on the girl's face caused Bucky to smile brightly too and it made you and your friends smile too. 

Just before Bucky accepted his hair tie, he looked confused at his wrist, but you shrugged and walked to another cupboard and took out your hidden package of Oreos before handing them to him too. “You owe me,” you said and left a confused Bucky. 

On your shelf in your bedroom was an empty space which caused your eyebrow to rose as you couldn’t explain why the item wasn’t there. It wasn’t new or anything, you had owed it for a few years. 

The plush tiger was a remembrance of your first visit to a zoo. You were so amazed by the tigers and lions that you got a plushie that used to be your companion for a few years. Afraid that it would break one day it wandered from your bed to your shelf. Until now that is. It didn’t fall down and you didn't take it. Why wasn't it there though? The search took you a while and you were frustrated when you couldn’t find it. You even asked around, but everyone promised they hadn’t taken it. You had to continue with your days, but the lost tiger was still on the back of your mind. 

On your way to the training ground, you stopped when you heard the familiar voices of Bucky and Sam. Whoever thought it was a good idea to send these two on a mission was clearly mental as you could hear their bickering over the grass. 

“Hey guys. How was – What is that, James?” you suddenly stopped your question, your expression saying that you weren’t joking around anymore and Bucky looked more than confused as you were calling him James. 

“What?” he asked confused, but you had already crossed the three steps towards him and opened the duffel bag that was hanging over his shoulder. A small piece of a tiger's tail had found its way out of the bag and you suddenly held the plushie that was missing in your hand. “Why is he with you? Do you think it's funny to just take stuff from other people? I’ve searched for it for days!” 

Bucky looked puzzled at you. “I didn’t take it. It was suddenly there on my bed on the second night,” he defended himself and somehow you believed him. Which only meant one thing. 

“These pranks need to stop, Sam. It isn’t funny anymore!” 

Sam looked as bewildered at you. “Why are you telling me? I didn’t do anything,” he defended himself, but he had been smiling before that so you didn’t believe him.  

“I need to get to training,” you said with your plushie under your arm. “I’m watching you,” you made the motion with your fingers before you walked further to your appointment. A smell invaded your nose, you took a sniff on your tiger and sure it smelled like... Bucky. Did he actually sleep with it? 

“Hey Buck, we want to grab something to eat. You want to come with us?” Steve asked him when you walked past him with Sam and Natasha on your way towards the diner you all liked so much. 

“No, thanks. Can you bring me something though?” Bucky didn’t look up and you could hear the faint noise of a page being turned over. 

“What are you reading that has you so invested?” Sam asked and tried to get a glimpse at the cover of the book that kept Buckys whole attention. 

“Oh, it’s a thriller and I’m almost at the end and we’ll figure out who the murderer is. Although it has been pretty clear from the beginning. Sloppy work. There was a murder in a house with all the relatives there and,” he said and finally looked up. 

“What’s the name of the book? I just read something like that but lost it in the train before I could finish it,” you asked. 

“Why were you even in the train in the first place?” Natasha asked, but you didn’t answer her as Bucky held up the book and you could see the cover. 

“That’s exactly the book I’ve been reading. Where are you? Did they already find the weapon? I bet it was placed under a loose floorboard.” 

“No way! There is a secret passage in the house that not everybody knows off. You can see small hints here and there. The wind that let the tapestry move although the windows were closed?” 

You took a seat next to the man. “No, but they mentioned the floor one too many times. It must have been there,” you said and the two of you started to share your thoughts on the books. You didn’t even notice that the others bid you goodbye and when they came back they found the two of you hunched over the same book while both of you were reading the last pages together. Steve just left the food next to you and you and Bucky thanked him before you continued reading. Steve shared a grin with Sam and they left you alone again. 

“This room is safe,” you exclaimed when Steve closed the door and you had checked behind the shelves. “Which is good, because I’m out of ammo and I lost the only knife I had.” You patted down the pants to see if you didn’t forget something, but no, you were out of weapons. 

Steve and you had been separated from the rest of the group. “Let me see,” Steve started but stopped once he heard a movement. His stopping made you aware of something behind you and then went to throw your elbow behind you, you noticed a weight in your hand that hadn’t been there before. Your instinct told you to grab it harder and it was that that saved your life. Your eyes didn’t know where to focus. On the man now in front of you or the knife in your hand with a red colour dripping from it. 

“Are you okay?” Steve asked and was at your side a few seconds later. “I thought it was safe?” 

“I was,” you said slowly. Steve took the knife carefully from your grip. “This is Bucky’s,” he murmured. He had seen it in his best friend's hands so often he would always recognise it. “When did he give it to you?” 

“I thought so too,” you stammered. 

“And I thought you were out of knives?” He bent down and checked the pulse of the guy on the floor. 

“He didn’t. It just... appeared,” you said still not so sure about what had just happened. The rest of the mission was more of a blur and you were aware that Steve shielded your most of the time until you were safe in the jet. The next thing you knew was that you were sitting in a chair that lacked some kind of comfort and you could hear Steve’s voice in the background. 

“Hey, you okay? Are you hurt?” This time it was Buckys voice that you were hearing and he was squatted down in front of you. 

In response you only held out your hand which was still holding the weapon. You heard some rustling and before he could ask how you’d get it you told him it had just appeared out of nowhere. “I don’t understand it!” 

“Me neither, but we’ll figure it out. You’re in shock, but I need to know if you’re hurt,” his voice soothed you. 

“I think I’m okay,” you mumbled. 

“Okay, that’s good.” Bucky took the knife from your hands and you heard a clang as if he discarded it without a care, before he took the seat next to you. Your hands didn’t know what to do and so he put his hand in yours and your fingers fumbled with the metal in his hand. 

The Whiteboard looked like a mess. The green pencil in your hand just made a bow towards Bucky’s name when he scribbled hat with his blue marker. 

“What hat? Bucky, are you blushing?” you asked confused and put the cap on your pen so it wouldn’t dry out. 

“Your hat turned up with me,” he mumbled. 

“What hat?” you asked even more confused. 

“Your birthday hat. You know the pink one Natasha made you? The cowboy hat with Birthday Princess on it?” You nodded and pressed you lips together so you wouldn’t snicker. “It turned up while I was showering.” 

There was no stopping you now. Your laugh was loud and you were joined by Sam and even Steve who were also in the room trying to solve the riddle that left you sleepless for a few nights since the mission. 

“Did it appear on your head or elsewhere?” Sam asked between laughs and you’ve never seen Buckys head getting more red. 

“Yes, it did appear on my head!” Bucky proclaimed and the arrow he made aggressively towards his name and the squeaking noise made you shut your eyes as if you wouldn’t hear it anymore. 

“Okay, okay. Back to the topic.” You tipped the marker against your lips. “Well, you know how you were searching for your red Henley?” you asked. 

“No way!” Bucky exclaimed and the red left his face slowly. “You’re the thief? I thought it was Sam the whole time!” 

“I’m no thief!” you exclaimed while Sam complained that you always thought he was the one stealing stuff. “It just laid on my bed when I was really cold and I might have kept it because it’s really comfortable. I know why you keep it,” you admitted.  

Suddenly the door opened and Tony came in. “Hey Cap, our time advisor is here,” he announced and you could see Wong standing behind him who waved. 

“Oh, you’re doing a soulmate chart? Looks like fun,” he said and followed Tony who walked towards another conference room. Bucky and you shared a look before you pushed yourself past Steve and run out of the room. 

“A what?” you exclaimed and run up to Wong who stopped walking once he heard your voice. 

“Huh?” he asked confused. 

“What did you say in the room?” you asked again and were aware of Bucky suddenly standing next to you. 

“The soulmate chart?” He asked and the look in both of your faces made him to continue. ”You know the person you’re destined with? Share a deep connection with? Not ringing any bells?” He sighed and opened a small portal and conjured a book out of it. “I will lend it to you, but I need it back!” he held it out of reach until you and Bucky promised to be very careful with the old book. 

“How comes we have never heard about it?” you asked once Bucky had taken the book. 

“People stopped believing in magic, fairy tales and stuff like that. They turned a blind eye and you would be surprised how many things are forgotten now. That doesn’t make them less real,” he sighed and looked at the time. “I hope they have good snacks,” he finally said and followed into the room where Tony had already went in a few minutes ago. 

Bucky cleared his throat. “Well, we better check this out then.” 

Almost three days you spent with Bucky in the conference room. Old mugs and plates were stashed at one side of the table and you and Bucky occupied the other side with one person at the whiteboard scribbling down what the other person told them. 

“Okay, enough!” Sam walked into the room and you and Bucky looked at him in shock. Except for the two of you you hadn’t really talked to the others. “You go shower, you stink. And dress in something other than sweats and a hoodie. You’ll finally have a dinner with us.” 

“I showered this morning,” you protested, but Sam made loud noises so he wouldn’t hear you. 

“Go,” he said again. 

“Fine,” you huffed. “But only because I’m hungry.” 

“You too, Barnes,” Sam said again and you didn’t stay to watch if Bucky followed Sam's order. 

It didn’t take long for you to find your way to the dining room. You were wearing something comfortable, but at least no sweats, so Sam couldn’t complain. You were stunned when you saw Bucky sitting in a fitting black shirt at the table with plates for two, roses and candles on them. He shrugged as if to tell you he didn’t know either. Suddenly two hands grabbed your shoulders and pushed you towards the table. 

“The two of you are missing the point with your whole research. Soulmates aren’t science. It’s a person who you have a deep connection with. And how will the two of you know about that if the only thing you do is stare at a book? You had three days to figure it out your way, now you’ll try mine. You have the room to yourself – but please remember that FRIDAY is everywhere – and Wanda made you dinner, that will be served shortly. Please thank me later because Steve was very persisted to help and wanted to cook, so please thank him for the good choices of drinks. Enjoy your evening,” Sam had pushed you into the chair and left the room. 

“What is happening?” you asked confused. 

“I have no clue!” Bucky and you stared at each other in an uncomfortable silence. 

“Okay, I’ll bite,” you said after a while. “Tell me something that no one else knows.” 

It took a while before he replied. “I don’t like plums.” 

“Huh?” 

He shrugged. “You eat some once and suddenly everyone assumes it’s your favourite thing. And suddenly all you get is plums – jam, pie, even shower gel. I like them fine, but not all the time.” 

“You know that Sam and I were shopping for ages until he found the plum jam, he was so sure you liked so much when he pulled your name for Christmas?” you snorted and Steve walked into the room to bring your drinks and some salad. 

“You cleaned up fine,” you told him. 

“Eyes up here,” Steve said totally serious and pointed at Bucky, which caused you to lose it all and Bucky to start howling in laughter. “Okay, I don’t know why I said that,” Steve finally admitted and laughed also. 

“Why can’t we just all eat together?” you asked and looked at Bucky who nodded. 

“Yeah, Steve this is awkward. Just gather everyone hiding in the kitchen and we eat together.” 

“So, you don’t want to go on a date together?” Steve asked defeated. 

“Oh, I want to. But like on our own terms?” Bucky asked more in your direction. 

“Yup, I could take you out tomorrow,” you smirked at him. 

“Sounds good, doll,” Bucky agreed and Steve seemed more relieved. “So should I tell the others?” Steve asked, but Sam and Wanda stood already in the entry with plates in their hand. 

“Just ourselves, my ass,” you huffed. You shared a glance with Bucky before the others filled the table and the talks started. 

“Want to get out of here? We could get some ice-cream,” you suggested to Bucky when the rest of the team was in the middle of a heated discussion where Sam was almost in Natashas face. 

“Yeah okay, but please no...”  

“...plum,” you ended the sentence for him and accepted his outstretched hand and the two of you left the room quietly. “I know that now. So, maybe plain old vanilla?” you offered instead. 

“Come on, that might be Steve’s favourite flavour, but I’m not that boring.” He looked almost offended, but you saw the twinkle in his eyes. 

“Well see about that,” you teased and followed him outside. 

Just because I can:

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