The Ex And The Soulmate

It didn't appear on his skin when we first touched.

 *Trigger warning. Suicide mentions, nothing graphic.*

"So tell me about you." Bucky walked over to a chair. "What do you do?"

"I'm a chef. Or at least I was. I haven't been to work in a while and it doesn't look like I'll be able to anytime soon either."

Bucky nodded. "Yeah. A little stuck here."

I shifted on my feet. "Yeah-"

"I'm sorry," he blurted out.

I paused. "What?"

"You were scratching your shoulder. The scar. I'm sorry about it.

I hadn't even realized that I was scratching it, but yeah. It for sure itches. I didn't want to let him know that, though, so I just shrugged. "It's not your fault. You didn't do this to yourself."

"It hurt you."

"It could've been worse, I suppose."

"Yeah. You still have your arm." Bucky waved his left arm. The light reflected off the metal.

I wasn't prepared for the serious conversation to suddenly turn into a joke. I practically choked on the air when I realized what he'd said.

And then burst out laughing the moment I realized he was joking. "That.. Oh god. That wasn't funny, Bucky!"

He grinned at me and my goodness. His smile was something else. "Seems like it was, doll."

Doll. I blushed. "Well, I'm glad you have a sense of humor at least. That'll make this easier."

"Can I be really honest?" Bucky took a step closer to me. He had his eyes planted on the floor.

I could tell this conversation was going right back to the serious level it was previously when we were talking about our scar. I inhaled deeply and nodded.

"What happens now? We're here, but how long? HYDRA is going to want me back and I can't let anything happen to you-"

"Bucky, stop. We're with the Avengers. They're going to get them. They'll protect us."

"THEY CAN'T! THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU! NO ONE CAN!" I couldn't stop myself from flinching at his sudden screaming, even though I understood why. "YOU THINK I DIDN'T TRY TO FIGHT THEM? DIDN'T TRY TO GET AWAY OR EVEN KILL MYSELF?" He exhaled and began pacing around the room. "I DID. OVER AND OVER. THEY'RE BIGGER THAN YOU KNOW, THAN ANYONE KNOWS!"

"Then tell them everything!" I shouted back. "Tell them what you know, tell them the weaknesses, the strengths, the secrets you've learned. Tell them so they can fight back!"

Bucky opened his mouth to reply but was stopped by people entering the room. Tony, Bruce, Steve, and Natasha all ran in together. Judging by the sight of them, they came ready for a fight, probably from the yelling.

"We're okay," I explained. "We're just trying to figure some things out."

"We heard yelling," Steve looked between the two of us. "What's going on?"

Everyone's stances relaxed except for Tony's. His eyes were planted firmly on Bucky.

"Candace thinks you're going to try to bring down HYDRA," Bucky stared back at Tony. I tried not to acknowledge the butterflies from him saying my name for the first time.

"Well, that is the plan." Natasha shrugged, walking over to the chair in the room and plopping herself down in it.

"Natasha's right. Before you freak out, Buck. We were planning on giving you two some time before we did this but... We need intel. Any and everything you two remember at all will help us. We can't let you go home unless they're gone." Steve was looking at Bucky just like Tony was, but with an entirely different expression. I could only imagine how lonely Steve must have felt waking up knowing that everyone he knew was dead and then finding out that not only is his best friend still alive, but knowing everything that happened to him while Steve was underwater...

My emotions were haywire. I was angry Bucky yelled at me, but sympathetic to how he must be feeling, how out of control his emotions must be for him. Our situation wasn't traditional at all, but he was my soulmate and I am going to do anything I possibly can to help him. Which for me includes telling a bunch of strangers, my soulmate, and my ex boyfriend, about the most traumatic thing that ever happened to me. And hope that it actually helps us somehow. And simultaneously hope that Bucky remembers something useful, but forgets everything that traumatized him.

"Tomorrow," was all Bucky said before he walked away. Given his direction I assumed he was going into our room. He obviously left because he wanted time alone, space to breathe and think I'm sure. So I'd have to figure out something to do so that I could give him that. Though, really all I want to do right now is go back to sleep.

"I already told you everything I know," I said to Steve and Tony. I told them all about it on the way here, down to the fake accent. "I don't remember anything else."

"Your nose was broken," Tony stated, his body still tense.

I nodded.

"You never said they hit you in the face. So who broke your nose, Candace?"