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Bucky stared down at the string that connected him to the woman sleeping across the hall.
He still couldn't believe that she's his soulmate. Hell, he still couldn't believe that he has a soulmate, but he does.
He'd only just seen it in the void when he was searching for her, and Bob.
Bucky wasn't entirely sure what to do about it either.
He and Yelena… They didn't really…
Well, to put it simply, they didn't talk.
When they did, it was usually them talking about the Avenger's. The death of them, the last battle, Natasha, Sam, Steve. All of them. Even Clint, which was a surprise that Bucky hadn't expected. But their conversations were short, even if they were filled with longing on his part.
The string burned a bright ruby, and he pressed his thumb against it, feeling the thrum of a heartbeat.
"This is going to become a problem," sighed Bucky as he held tight to the string, breathing with the beat of Yelena's heart until his own synced up.
~~~~~~~~
Another fight, another problem, another idiot thinking they can attack New York because the Avengers are no longer here.
Newsflash, Bucky's going to kill someone.
"Bucky, help Yelena!" screams Ava as she dives into another stack of fighters to help out Bob.
Bucky turns, his eyes searching for blonde, and he finds her.
Beating the hell out of someone while standing under the falling beam from the bridge they're fighting on.
"Yelena!" yells Bucky as he takes off into a sprint, passing, jumping over, and twisting around anyone who gets in his way. "Watch out, Belova!"
But she's not listening, and there's no possible way that he's going to get to her in time. The string starts thrumming, and Bucky's hit with an epiphany.
He can still save her.
Bucky wraps the string around his fingers and tugs, just once, to get Yelena's attention.
"What the fuck?!" screeches Yelena loudly as she starts looking around.
When their eyes meet, Bucky groans before tugging harshly at the string again, watching her eyes go wide as she's flying through the air from his tug. She's coming towards him, the string becoming smaller as the distance grows shorter, but then someone tackles her mid-air.
"Bucky, what the hell was that?!" hollers Yelena as she finally kicks the person out of the way, standing up and looking at him with wide eyes again.
"Nothing! Let's just finish this, and maybe stop trying to get crushed, would ya?" calls Bucky before he turns away and catches sight of the woman that's running away.
"Bucky! Ugh! This conversation isn't over!"
Yelena's voice is quiet as Bucky realizes who he's watching run away.
It's the same woman that said she was here to make sure there wouldn't be another new group of useless heroes.
"Hey, whack-job! Where the hell do you think you're going?" calls Bucky angrily as he starts smashing his way through the crowd of idiots getting in his way.
The woman doesn't respond, just continues to take off, but Bucky is done.
So, he causes problems with a single punch to the ground with his fist, and Walker launches Ava at her as usual.
When Ava has her locked up in cuffs, Bucky sighs in relief.
"Clean up is going to absolutely suck, but at least this mess is over now. Where is Alexei?" asks Bucky as he turns towards Bob and arches a brow.
"He is around the corner, there was a little girl who left her toy in her mother's car. It shouldn't be too much longer," murmurs Bob with a sheepish smile that makes Bucky groan in annoyance. "I know, but the cops are already here. And, her hench people were actually just clones that disappeared as soon as Ava got those cuffs on her. So, the main clean-up has nothing to do with us now because there's no one else to round up, and Alexei handled the civilians with Walker."
"Then let's get this idiot handed off and get out of here before I punch someone," mutters Bucky as he shakes his head and walks over to the cops.
The urge to look for Yelena is strong, but the string is thrumming hotly against his skin.
So, he knows she's fine.
Her heartbeat is strong against his own.
That's his only distraction as they go through the tedious process of dealing with the press momentarily, giving their report to the cops, then going back to the tower for the mission reports.
By the time he's done, Bucky is practically falling asleep on his walk down the hall to his room.
He was supposed to make dinner, but he'd told them to order something instead when Ava questioned if he would even manage to make it to the kitchen without someone to lean on.
Jokes on her though because Bucky has made it to their room floor, and half-way to his room, using the stairs, by himself.
"Bucky!"
A groan leaves him before he can think it through and act like he didn't hear Yelena screech his damn name.
"You heard me, so stop moving, Bucky!" demands Yelena from behind him, sounding close, and then he catches the harsh padding of her feet.
Bucky turns around in time for Yelena to crash into him and shove him back against the wall.
"Dammit, Yelena," sighs Bucky in annoyance as he leans his head back against the wall and sighs. "What do you want? I already said I was going to bed."
"What do I want?" asks Yelena incredulously as her brows furrow, jaw dropping just slightly. She tugs him down by his shirt until their faces are closer than necessary as she hisses at him. "I want to know what the fuck is up with this string, why the hell you didn't tell me about it, and how long you've fucking known about it. So, start giving me some answers, James."
"It's the red string of fate, for soulmates. You're my soulmate, Belova," replies Bucky with an eye roll as he moves himself back to rest his head against the wall. He closes his eyes before continuing because he doesn't really want to watch her process it because he can see it happening. "I didn't tell you because I've only known for a couple of weeks, and I didn't see a reason to. You couldn't see it, so what was the point in telling you? Besides, I didn't realize that it was actually real until after we settled into the tower that first night, after everyone went to bed. It popped up in the void, and I used it to find you while finding the others along the way. I thought it was a stupid void thing until it stayed there throughout the rest of the day… until I felt your heartbeat thrumming through it as I laid down for bed. I heard you though, with Walker and Ava, and I didn't see a point in telling you about it when you don't even believe in it."
"Do you?" asks Yelena softly as she tilts her head to the side, curious while pressing closer to him.
"Do I what?" Bucky turns the question around as he arches a brow at her.
He's got an inkling of what she intends to ask him, but he's not going to make it easy for her.
No matter how much he wants to cave because or how adorable her glare is.
In his defense, she's fucking adorable.
"Do you believe in Soulmates, Barnes?" Her lips curve into a proper pout as she pulls back enough to cross her arms over her chest before pressing forward again, like she doesn't want to give him any leeway out of this conversation.
Jokes on her though, Bucky isn't going any-damn-where.
"I didn't. Not really. I believed in finding my person, but I didn't believe in soulmates until I saw this goddamn string when I thought I lost you to the void. So, I didn't, but I do now," replies Bucky softly, reverently, as he looks at her, eyes locked on hers, watching the emotions pour through her.
It's beautiful.
Watching the way her eyes just slightly widen before narrowing back into place.
The way the corner of her lips curve up for a single moment before settling back down.
The way she silently, but sharply, inhales.
It's a gorgeous sight.
Seeing her be herself in those split moments before she shuts herself down again.
"Really?" asks Yelena quietly, like she's not sure if she can believe him, take him at his word. Her brows crinkle together, and her head tilts to the side, but she seems hopeful. "You don't think it's a mistake? That I'm a mistake? Unlovable?"
"Yelena Belova," says Bucky sharply, maybe sharper than he should have. But his heart aches at her words, her questions that show just how deeply these worries are ingrained into her soul. "You are not a mistake, nothing about this is a mistake, and if I ever hear you call yourself unlovable again, I'm telling Bob. You are lovable, Yelena, we all are. Hell, you know everything I've done. Do you think I'm unlovable?"
"How can you be unlovable when I love you?" whispers Yelena as she looks at him, fear criss-crossing through her eyes as she visibly withdraws into herself.
His face goes slack though because her words.
She just…
"You love me?" asks Bucky breathlessly, feeling like his heart is about to beat right out of his chest as he stares at her in pure shock.
"Of course, I do," says Yelena quietly, reassurance dripping through her words.
"I— How? It's been— We've— Are you sure?" asks Bucky as he looks at her, trying not to let himself believe what she's saying until he gets confirmation because while they knew each other in the past, had their moments, he only figured out he was in love with her after running into her for the third time at the cemetery.
"I wasn't, not at first, not until the Void, but I am now. I didn't get it, at first, the feelings you sent through me. But I do now. So, yeah, James, I'm sure," replies Yelena seriously as she lifts her hands up to cup his face in them.
They're soft, lightly calloused, but soft.
"That— I can't believe that you love me too," breathes Bucky as he leans into her touch, suddenly feeling unsteady in this conversation. "I didn't think it would be requited. I didn't think there was a chance."
Hope is swelling unstoppably in his chest, and he's actually aching to give into it and kiss her.
"There's been a chance, for a while now, James," murmurs Yelena as she leans up to let their noses brush gently together, hesitant and parting, like she's stopping herself from doing what she wants. "I love you, James Bucky Barnes."
"I love you too, Yelena Belova," murmurs Bucky as he tilts his head just right so their lips just barely brush on his words, the distance great enough that he's not kissing her, but small enough that it's an aching closeness.
"Please tell me I can kiss you, James," Her voice is higher pitched, eyes closed, and he just leans in and presses their lips together.
It's soft, sweet, and so perfect that Bucky feels like he might be dreaming because nothing in life has been this good in a long time. But her hands slide back until she can curl her fingers in his hair and tug lightly as her lips part to capture his bottom one, and he knows. This is real, so real, and exactly what it's supposed to be.
He lets his hands finally touch, gripping her hips tightly for a moment before sliding down to pick her up by her thighs as her tongue slips in his mouth. Breathless isn't a feeling he knows well, but as their heads tilt, their tongues lap at each other, and she brings a hand forward to grip his neck… Bucky feels breathless.
Soulmates.
He and Yelena are soulmates, and she loves him back, and everything is exactly how it's meant to be now.
Bucky carries her to his room, and they don't part once, not even when he fumbles with the stupid door knob because she tugging at his hair while biting at his bottom lip until he groans deep in his chest.
"Tell me you're mine, for good, be my дорогая, Yelena, my girlfriend, my love. Tell me," gasps Bucky against her mouth as he lays her on his bed and climbs between her legs, their lips parting only on his words before reconnecting.
"You're mine, James, for good. My boyfriend, my love, my everything. Now come here and kiss me some more before we talk about our first date and how to tell the team," huffs Yelena as she tugs him closer until he lays over her like she wants.
"My дорогая," murmurs Bucky into her lips as he kisses her deeper, his hands gripping her thighs as she wraps them tight around him again, ankles crossing against his back. "Love you, дорогая."
"Love you too, James," whispers Yelena as she buries her face in his neck while he rolls them so she's on top of him, her legs uncrossing just in time to avoid the awkward smushed effect that would've had on her ankles.
They curl together just like that, with her on top of him, face buried in his neck, and they talk quietly about their first date. It didn't take long for them to decide to go to the cemetery before doing dinner at their favorite cafe.