Open Wounds - A Bucky Barnes Soulmate AU

Chapter Three

Six years later

Bucky didn't remember he had a soulmate for a long time.

Didn't make the connection between the odd bruise and scar and a soulmate. His brain was so scrambled, so disjointed, he was lucky if he could string two thoughts together. It wasn't until after Shuri recalibrated him that his thoughts could turn to a mate. It wasn't until then that he began to remember.

There was the time they woke him up and he had bruises all along his ribs. Or when he bore the scars from three gunshot wounds that weren't his own. Scars that had healed far faster than they should have. Then there were the scattered conversations amongst the agents and scientists. But anytime the Winter Soldier showed too much interest in a possible soulmate, they'd erase him and start over. Make him forget they existed until the next time a wayward scar or conversation caught his attention.

That was the part that bothered him the most. Hydra knew. They knew his soulmate was out there somewhere and it was too much to hope that they wouldn't use that to their advantage. He was surprised they hadn't already. Maybe they already knew where his soulmate was and they were biding their time. Making him suffer from the anticipation. Or maybe Hydra had already captured them and were planning the best way to use his mate against him.

Now that he remembered they existed, he needed to find his mate. The problem was, he had no idea how to go about doing that. He was going to have to ask for help and Bucky hated asking for help. Especially since Stark was probably his best option and they still hadn't worked out all their issues.

But his soulmate was more important than any of that. When he ended up with a side full of bruises along with a couple of scars he feared were knife wounds when he hadn't done anything more strenuous than go for a jog, he had Jarvis call a meeting of whoever was currently in the tower. He tapped metal fingers against the table while he waited for everyone else to file into the conference room.

Bruce and Tony were the first to arrive. "This better be important. I was in the middle of something," Tony grumbled and Bruce nudged him with an elbow before offering Bucky a small smile.

Bucky ignored the billionaire and shifted his attention to Steve as he walked in. He took one of the open chairs near his best friend. Natasha and Clint were close behind.

"That is all of the team present at this time, Mr. Barnes," Jarvis announced.

Buck gave a nod of his head. "Thanks." He clasped his hands together on the table and kept his attention on them as he leaned forward.

When he remained silent, Steve cleared his throat. "What's going on, Buck?"

Muscles worked in Bucky's jaw as he clenched his teeth. Finally, he glanced at the others in the room. "I need your help."

Tony snorted. "This ought to be good." He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

Once again, Bucky ignored the other man. It was the best way to deal with him. Besides, the super soldier had earned every bit of grief Tony wanted to give him.

"I have a soulmate."

Steve straightened in his chair. "Are you sure?"

Buck nodded. "That was one of the things Hydra tried to remove from my brain completely but I started getting memories back after Shuri fixed me. Plus, there's been some bruises. Scars. Some rather nasty ones today."

"What sort of bruises and scars?" Natasha asked.

"Does it matter?" he asked.

"Just answer the question, Barnes," Clint snapped earning raised eyebrows around the room.