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"He's not gonna like this..." Coldfire sighed, weighing his options on whether to tell his father what he encountered during his mission or not.
The mission itself went fantastic; he was able to steal the experimental weapon stabilizer being developed in Moscow. It's something like an orb meant to be the core of a laser defense system for meteors. But... he wasn't expecting to have a run-in with the Winter Soldier when he stole it.
The Winter Soldier... Former pride and glory of HYDRA now gone rogue and apparently... Coldfire's soulmate. As soon as they began exchanging punches, the mark on his left wrist glowed and gained color. A former dark gray star transformed into a beaming crimson red surrounded by a silver flame.
It made them both stop fighting but not without a few warning shots from the Soldier after he dashed off with the stabilizer.
This was bad. Very bad!
See, Coldfire was created rather than being born with Red Skull technically being his father, but animal DNA was used to keep his body from degrading while keeping the benefits of the serum. This resulted in Coldfire gaining a few animalistic features, but he retains a largely human appearance if the ears and tail can be hidden. However Red Skull wanted an unmarked child. And he has two.
The only reason why Coldfire is alive now is because his Handler had hidden the marks using a hologram that hides them from all eyes.
He knows that he can't mention the marks he lied for so long to keep, but he does have to tell him about the Soldier.
The agents M.O.D.O.K. keeps decided to take a look at the stabilizer while he was lamenting his situation, and in doing so, activated it. The orb glowed in a pulsing blue as it came to life. Coldfire shouted in German at the agents and quickly deactivated the orb.
"I see your mission was a success, Coldfire," Red Skull's voice made him go ramrod still and his tail slightly poofed from the surprise before he regained his composure and turned around.
New members already? Odd, he thought to himself seeing two new people he wasn't familiar with beside his father.
He smirked and held up the orb, "It was."
Red Skull held a neutral expression, but he was used to it. The man only smiles when he does something bad. He then looked to the two men who... oddly smelled very similar to the scent examples of Stark and Captain Rogers.
"I forget that you've never met Reaper or Crossbones, Coldfire. They'll be joining the Cabal since they captured Tony Stark and gave us his armor."
"Is that why they reek of Stark and Captain Roger's scent?" He wrinkled his nose for an emphasized effect.
It wasn't exactly true... he kind of likes the smell from Crossbones. It feels familiar and warms his body from the previous tension he felt when his father first came in.
The comment made the other men bristle, "Watch your mouth, kitten."
The atmosphere drastically changed and everyone felt it. However Red Skull wasn't affected by it, he just facepalmed right as Coldfire surged forward and connected a punch that sent Reaper flying into the wall behind him. When Coldfire began to growl and stalk forward, Red Skull stepped between them.
"Stand down, Coldfire." He commanded in a tone that leaves no room for argument. The tone that always gains his attention even if he's about to rage.
Once he backed off and eased on his snarling, Red Skull gave the rare pat to his head, "You're getting better at controlling your temper." The compliment was then followed by an order, "Now deliver the stabilizer to M.O.D.O.K. He will need it for Stark's armor."
Coldfire gave a two fingered salute and brushed past them. Again, much like in Moscow, the physical touch activated his other soulmark. He stopped momentarily in shock, but thankfully Red Skull was already speaking to him about another possible assignment and to see him later for details. Coldfire nodded numbly trying to hide his shock of the touch from the ruthless man.
If the equally hidden shock on Crossbones was any indication, then he was the one who activated the mark and he did for the man also.
He walked away in a brisk pace to get away as soon as possible before it got awkward.
It wouldn't be until after that day that Coldfire would realize that his other soulmate is Captain America. Oh, how his father will cause a ripple in the universe if he ever finds this out.
The air felt heavy in Steve's room when he sat down on his bed. Everything went from bad to worse when he looked at the files S.H.I.E.L.D. had on Coldfire.
There really wasn't much, just his name and what scientists guess he is, but just from how Red Skull addressed the hybrid told Steve that he was close to the villain somehow.
And then he looked at the mark on his wrist. His other soulmark that gained color as soon as Coldfire touched him. A head of a lion with a goat on one side and a dragon on the other surrounded by fire of an icy hue. He could only guess the creature is the symbol of a chimera. It seems only fitting that it represents Coldfire.
As much as he wants to know Coldfire better, it isn't easy. It won't be easy.
Then again since when was Steve's life ever easy?