His Soulmate | Bucky Barnes ✔

Chapter Twenty Five

The floors were empty of people as I wandered around the corridors, only finding Bruce in the kitchen at the end of my search. "Where is everyone?"

Bruce hummed softly in thought before turning to me. "Tony, Shuri and Peter are in the labs. Nat's sparring with Sam, Thor is coming over this evening but he has stuff to do before then. And Clint's doing some recon work for Fury."

"I didn't think you'd actually know." I smiled at him, impressed, before helping myself to the juice from the fridge. "It smells nice in here, are you baking?"

I could see Bruce's tired eyes lighten a little when he nodded, and he pushed his glasses from his nose onto his head. "I've got birthday cake in the oven. These are some cookies for the party too." The look of confusion on my face must have been obvious as Bruce's lips tilted into a small smile. "It's my birthday."

"What!" I shot my eyes up to his, "I didn't know! I didn't get you anything! I'm so sorry Bruce."

He shrugged my apology off with a quiet laugh. "I don't like doing stuff for it, but Tony insisted on wanting to celebrate, hence the party. I figured parties need cake."

"You don't have to make your own though." I eyed the bowl, the chocolate mix enticing me. Bruce extended his arm, and pushed the bowl to me, producing a spoon from a drawer near his hip.

"I like baking, it's like a science."

"And you do like science." I grinned at him as he tipped the biscuit dough onto the work top, his hands slowly kneading it into a ball. "Can I stay with you for a bit?"

He twisted his head over his shoulder, and I caught the question in his eyes as he studied me. "Of course. Everything okay?"

I nodded quickly, eating the left over cake batter with a smile on my face. Everything was okay, except for the nagging at my mind and the occasional twist in my gut that something was going to go wrong. I wasn't one to sabotage myself, but HYDRA killed mum... and they already have ties to Bucky, which put me at risk. No one had really mentioned them recently, and I had slowly been building the courage to stand in front of the group and ask for a plan. Today was going to be the day I confronted them, but it would be unfair to cause tension on Bruce's birthday.

"Who's coming to the party?" I broke into the silence, sliding off the seat at the island I'd taken, and positioning myself near his side. I stole a handful of the chocolate chips he'd opened.

He shot me a playful glare, only softening when I held my cupped palm out in offering. "Tony, Steve, Nat, Thor, Clint and Laura."

"I thought you said Clint was on a recon mission?"

Bruce nodded, "it's a simple one. He should be finished in time."

I nodded slowly, "who else?"

"Wanda and Vision, and a few of the scientists I share my labs with, though you've not met them yet. I think Scott and Hope were hoping to come too."

"So, everyone affiliated with the Avengers, SHIELD, or science?"

He chuckled, softly shaking his head. "Pretty much."

"Sounds like fun."

"It should be, I'm only in charge of these few bits. Tony offered his caterers to do the main buffet, and they're a lot more talented than me at baking."

"I'll make some drinks if you want? Tony's collection is better than the bars, I can work tonight."

Bruce shook his head, "no. It's my birthday, and so you are not working. I can't stop you making your own but it wouldn't be fair, not while everyone else was having fun."