Marvel One Shots

I feel you (Winteriron)

Soulmate AU where the other half of the couple feels pain in .the same place where the other is hurt.
Credits of the fanart to the artist

People are connected, in a way or the other. Someone, or something, bigger has a specific plan for everyone and if this something wants two people to be together, those two are bound to meet.
Sometimes, the connection is obvious to the eyes of everyone, sometimes it's so subtle that goes unnoticed even by the eyes of the people involved. And this is exactly the case.
For Bucky and Tony, their connection manifested in pain, which is kind of ironic. If one was hurt, the other would feel the same pain. It's romantic, in a way, sharing the same pain.
Well, for Bucky, it wasn't. One just knows when the connection happens. Everyone around him had already had sings or even had already found their soulmate, the person to spend the rest of their life with. But Bucky was already 25, leaving for war and hadn't received a sign yet. And he didn't receive one for another 25 years. During his Hydra time, in the few moments when Bucky was still Bucky, remembering every action he did as the Winter Soldier and not having received a sign that his soulmate existed, the only thing he felt was not guilt or anger, but fear that no one could love him.
But the day he knew he had a soulmate eventually came. It was 1971 and he was out on a mission for Hydra, he was sitting in the helicarrier, lightly napping when he felt like something hit his forehead. He didn't notice at the time but as soon as he snapped back to his real self, he realised how weird it was. And for some reason, he just knew that that was the sign that he had a soulmate. He did the math, the signs appeared when Bucky was approximately 50. His soulmate had been either really careful his entire life or they were really, really young.
For Tony, signs of that connection appeared right away. Of course, he was not conscious of them. But the pain little Tony felt for most of his life, was enormous. And no one could get him. He would be in class or playing with his friends and he would fell like a thousand needles performed his face or a burning sensation around his shoulder. Clearly, nothing was happening to Tony. His parents had him checked by the best doctors, but he was perfectly fine. Eventually, he grew understanding that those non-existing symptoms, were his soulmate's very real pains. And every time they happened, his blood froze in his veins thinking bout the horrors he mush live everyday.
For Bucky it was a bit different, kind of funny actually. The pain his soulmate usually felt was to him a just a tickle, and when he was himself again, he realised that his soulmate, for some reasons, was always hurting his left hand, so much that sometimes Bucky forgot that he didn't have a left arm of his own.
Bucky and Tony met, not knowing they were each other soulmates and the moment was definitely not the right time for that discovery. In the heat of the moment, they both couldn't pay attention to the coincidental situation, being too busy trying to survive.
They were in Siberia. How the situation got that much out of hand was...awful. Steve had a reputation for getting himself into fights he couldn't win. They were two super soldier against Iron Man, the Iron Man, but, however the fight ended, it was going to be a loss. Even if he prevailed, which he did, he was going to lost a friend, several friends.
Bucky was laying on the cold concrete floor of the Hydra facility, Tony had blasted his arm away. Steve was fighting, or at least he was trying to protect himself, he was more likely getting his ass kicked.
Steve stood up, stumbling, tying to gain a little bit of balance. He breathed heavily, bringing his fists in front of him.
"I can do this all day" he panted.
That was Steve catchphrase and Bucky knew that. He hated it, it usually meant nothing good and for once he could do something to help Steve in advance. He dragged himself across the floor and, as son as Tony got ready to blast Steve, he grabbed his leg. Tony turned around, kicking Bucky in the face. Before Tony's old feel the same pain Bucky felt, Steve lifted him up and threw on the floor, trying to destroy his mask, before with his fists and then with the shield. The mask finally broke, leaving Tony's bloody face free. Steve lifted the shield right above Tony's neck. Tony tried to cover his face as best as he could.
Bucky looked at the two superheroes fighting. He was in a great deal of pain, it was not only his pain he was dealing with, but also Tony's, even though none of the had already connected the dots. Bucky was scared of hat Steve could end up doing. Steve stuck he shield on Tony's reactor, whose light slowly faded away.
Bucky felt an unbearable pain going through his chest. He looked at Tony, Steve ad taken the shield away and was walking towards him to help him stand.
Steve put Bucky's arm around his neck and turned, leaving the shield fall on the floor.
"Steve - the pain in his chest was so piercing that it was difficult to talk- Steve please"
Steve looked at Bucky in the eyes. He could recognize that puppy face look everywhere and he knew that it was something serious.
"But Buck..."
Bucky stood up on his own, putting his hand on Steve's shoulder.
"It's ok Steve"
Steve looked back at Tony. He was laying on the ground in his suit. Steve patted Bucky' shoulder and nodded before walking away.
Bucky stumbled towards Tony, falling on his knees.
"Tony, Tony please answer to me"
Tony opened his eyes, briefly looked at Bucky and turned away.
"I know I'm the last person you want to talk to right now, or ever, but you need to tell me you're alright"
"I am fine" Tony answered.
Bucky sighed.
"No you're not. I feel you Tony, I feel your pain" he said caressing his hair.

Weeks passed from that day in Siberia, Bucky was back in New York with Tony, locked in his room, wondering about Tony. He had wrapped his mind around the idea of Tony being his soulmate and couldn't stop thinking that his soulmate was literally in the next room but he was more distant than ever. Hell, why would Tony ever want to have something to do with his parents' killer.
None of them had heard from Steve yet and Bucky couldn't help but wondering where Steve might be.
He had finally found his best friend again and decided to let him go because his heart told him to stay with his soulmate, who was not even close to the idea of forgiving him.
Bucky was laying on his bed in the Avengers tower, his metal arm still broken, throwing a ball in the air when he heard knocking.
"Come in"
Tony opened the door and shyly walked in. He sat on the chair next to the bed.
"So..."
"So" said Bucky, sitting up.
"You said...you said I'm your soulmate"
Bucky nodded.
"How?"
Bucky pinched his leg.
"You felt that?"
Tony nodded.
"We feel...we feel each other pain"
Tony sat on the bed next to Bucky, putting a hand on his thigh.
"I..I don't know what to say"
Tony looked at the wall in front of him, remembering all the pain he felt from time to time, relieved because he finally found the reason behind the sudden pain he used to feel.  
"I'm so sorry James, I cannot begin to imagine how horrible it was"
Bucky shook his shoulder.
"You're my soulmate" stated Ton.
"I'm your soulmate"
"How crazy is that?" Tony asked turning towards Bucky.
Bucky scooted closer to Tony, putting a hand on his face.
"Can I?"
Tony nodded and Bucky pulled him closer to himself, letting their lips meet gently,a chill ran down his back.
As their lips parted, Tony put a hand on the back of his head, putting their foreheads together. They looked into each other's eyes, smiling.
"That was... nice" Tony whispered before Bucky pulled him back into another kiss.