His Soulmate | Bucky Barnes ✔

Chapter Thirty One

"What are you doing?"

Bucky jumped and stumbled back a little as I walked into his sitting room. He had a string of lights wrapped around one arm, with one end of them attached to his bookshelf.

He grinned at me, a little sheepishly before answering. "I liked them on the tree, figured I would put some in here too."

"You like fairy lights?"

He nodded, then turned around to continue hooking them around various pieces of furniture. "I didn't... I don't have a lot of things that are mine."

I perched on the arm of the sofa and watched as he walked around the room. I'd noticed he didn't have a huge amount of belongings, but I'd never questioned it before.

"Back when I was young it was due to money. I wasn't poor, but we sure as hell weren't rich. We had enough to get by, and... well, it was a different time." He finished positioning them, then walked back over to the switch on the floor by the television. "After Steve found me I struggled having things that were mine. I didn't have anything. HYDRA messed with my head in more ways than one. Soldiers didn't need possessions; they would only be distractions."

I felt my heart drop, like it did every time he spoke about HYDRA. I knew he was healing, and I knew my arrival had helped him a huge deal, but he was still suffering.

"But now I want things." The switch flicked on, and the lights twinkled in the evening light. He jumped up and pulled the curtains shut, then turned to face me. "I want to have things that make me happy. I want to have things that make me smile every time I look at them. I want things because I can have things."

He opened his arms wide and flicked his fingers in a gesture for me to approach him. I willingly did so, and let him wrap me up in his arms. He trailed his right hand along my arm, causing my hairs to stick up through the fluffy jumper I'd pulled on over the top of my pyjamas. His fingers found mine, as his vibranium arm dropped to sit on my waist.

"What else do you like?"

We started moving slowly around the room, Bucky gently leading us around the small table near the sofa. The small lights cast shadows across Bucky's features as he furrowed his brows in thought.

"I like those cookies we bought."

I felt my lips twitch into a smile as he mused. "We'll get some more next time we go shopping."

"Thank you." His lips lifted in a gentle smile, and I trailed my fingers over his shoulder, loving the feel of the soft zipped jumper he was wearing.

"I like these jumpers."

He nodded, "me too. I have three."

I tilted my head back, "I've only seen you wear one?"

His eyebrow lifted, a hint of amusement lightening his usual look of seriousness. "You have one of them."

"I do?" I did a mental check of the various jumpers and pyjamas I'd stolen from Bucky over the past few months. I drew a blank on the matching hoodie, and shook my head at him.

"The night of your bad nightmare you came to my room. The next morning I gave it to you."

My eyes widened as he stopped speaking, and I suddenly realised which jumper it was. I remembered how he'd made us drinks after we'd woken up next to each other, before wrapping the soft jumper around my shoulders. Wade had found me in my rooms and accused me of doing a walk of shame, and before I'd gone for my shower I'd carefully hung it up in my wardrobe. I hadn't worn it again as I didn't want to ruin it in any way, but kept it safe as a reminder of how happy I'd been in the arms of my soulmate that morning.