AN: I am so sorry. I could pull out my bag of excuses but I'll just take the blow. To be completely honest with you all, I haven't felt like writing or editing and that is the major reason why this is coming so late. Considering the end of this chapter, I really hope I don't go on hiatus again because I'm pretty sure you'd all kill me.

"WRITING"

"SIGNING"

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The trance the music seemed to cast on me broke when I heard the applause of our little audience with a few whistles from Clint and Tony, much to their mates' amusement. Darcy took my hand and raised an eyebrow, silently asking if I would bow with her. After a few seconds of hesitation I shrugged and we both dipped down into a big bow. I kept my fake smile plastered on my face as we went to mingle with the gang before we went to eat the pizza that was waiting for us in the dining room. Of course, Clint and Natasha were the first to approach me and give me a big hug.

"That was beautiful, Ange. And don't think we didn't notice who you were really singing to." I groaned as Clint gave an eyebrow wiggle worthy of Tony.

"You need to just tell them. This pining away is getting sickening." Natasha smirked with Clint emphatically nodding at her side. My fake smile faltered and I shook my head sadly.

"I saw the way they looked at each other. I have no right to interrupt that."

"Angel, I don't know what you saw, but I saw two men that have longing written all over them. They want you just as much as you want them, but are confused as to why their attraction is so strong and visceral." I sighed, not wanting to get into this with them with other people in the room capable of reading our signs and interpreting our conversation.

"Not right now, okay. You can pester me about this later, but can I just have this moment? Please?" They both gave me identical frowns of disapproval but moved off towards the kitchen, only to be replaced by Bruce. He tugged me off to a corner, boxing me in and cutting off any escape.

"Okay, what's going on, Angel?"

"What do you mean?" I signed innocently, wincing when he gave me a disapproving frown that mirrored Natasha and Clint's.

"Something is going on between you, Steve, and Bucky. I thought it was just a crush, but from what I just saw of your conversation with Natasha and Clint this is so much more than that. What are you hiding?"

"Nothing!"

"Don't try to lie to me, Angel. You're terrible at it. I know it's really none of my business, and normally I wouldn't interfere, but I view you as a little sister and I know Tony does as well. You're important to us and I want to make sure everything is okay." He paused and gave me a stern look that I had never seen him use. "So, what is going on? Don't try to get out of telling me; everyone is already in the kitchen eating, save for those three, and Darcy, Steve, and Bucky don't know sign language. This is completely private, so you have no excuse." I bit my lip, glancing behind him to see that he was correct in saying that he was the only one that would understand. Almost everyone had already moved on into the kitchen to eat, save for Steve, Bucky, and Darcy. Darcy was chatting with the super soldiers and I got the feeling that Bruce put her up to distracting them so he could get a quiet word in with me. They seemed irritated at her constant stream of babble and kept glancing over at Bruce and I enough that Darcy should have gotten the hint, but it didn't stop her.

"I really shouldn't say anything, Bruce. Natasha and Clint are just being overbearing parents. Putting it out in the open will just cause problems."

"It's already causing a problem for you, and that is an issue to me. So, what is going on between you and our resident super soldiers?" After a few agonizing moments of consideration, I finally blew out a deep breath. I could trust Bruce. Maybe he would give me some much needed advice and support.

"I… They… I mean… Well… They're my soulmates." I finally signed quickly, ducking my head in shame. I waited through the awkward, stunned silence that came after my revelation, shifting uncomfortably. Finally I felt his work-calloused hands under my chin to lift my head back up so I could see his concerned face and his signs.

"They're right, Natasha and Clint I mean. You need to tell them. This isn't just about you, it's about them too. I understand where you're coming from, truly I do. Tony seemed happy enough without a soulmate and I felt like I was unneeded until Tony finally convinced me otherwise. They need you, just like Tony and I need each other and like you need them."

"They don't –"

"Yes, they do need you. You're only seeing this from your side, but I've seen their side as well. They are drawn to you, just like you are to them. They wait for you after lunch, sometimes for twenty minutes of more, just so they can 'run into' you in the halls. They're constantly vying for your attention at the dinner table and, if Steve is serving breakfast, you always get served right after Bucky. They've stopped what they were doing to go do something else with you, especially if it means you're all together. I see the little looks they throw at you when you're not paying attention. I see the side of this that you are somehow missing. They love you just as much as you love them. Whatever self-pitying vision you've concocted is wrong and if you don't march your butt over there right now and tell them, I will. They deserve to know." I gaped at him, surprised at his sudden forcefulness.

"You… you wouldn't dare." His mouth thinned into a hard, disapproving line.

"I would and I will if you don't do this yourself, Angel. It's scientifically proven that once you find your soulmate or, in your case, soulmates, you will only be truly happy when you're with them. You might even pine away by denying the bond and, now that I know what this is all about, I can honestly say you're showing alarming signs of it already. Have you even noticed that you've been eating less and less and losing weight? There are bags under your eyes, so I would guess you're not sleeping properly either. I'm not going to watch you make yourself sick over this when you can easily be happy with them. I can only assume that they aren't showing signs of pining because that have each other to tide them over. Now, I am going to grab Darcy and eat and you are going to go and tell Steve and Bucky. Are we clear?" I nodded meekly, still shocked that my shy, introverted friend could become so demanding. He eyed me for another moment before shaking his head and making his way over to Darcy, grabbing her wrist and dragging her out of the room, leaving me alone with my soldiers. My eyes must have been comically wide as they made their way over to me, bemusement marring their perfect features. They brought over my pad of paper and pencil with them, placing them into my noticeably shaking hands.

"Angel, what was that all about? What's wrong?" I chewed on my lower lip and refused to look at them. Could I really tell them after an entire month of practically lying to them? Would they be mad? Or, worse, would they reject me? "Sweetheart?" Steve jerked me out of my nervous thoughts, his warm hand cupping my cheek and raising my head so my eyes met his worried ones. Bucky grabbed my shaking hands and steadied them, frowning.

"What did Bruce say to you, doll?" I'll rough him up if I need to, Hulk or not." He growled and I gave him a weak smile before shaking my head in the negative.

"Then what did he say that's got you so upset? Talk to us, sweetheart." I noticed that the more worried that Steve became, the more he called me by my pet name. It was so wrong that I liked it.

"I don't know if I can." I finally wrote, my nerves suppressing my fear of Bruce telling them. The men in front of me frowned down at my words.

"What do you mean? You can tell us anything. We… care about you very much."

"You'll be mad at me." I wrote in small lettering. Bucky and Steve gave each other a look that I couldn't read before they dragged me into a hug, making me into a sandwich between them.

"Even if you told us something that might anger us, we could never stay mad at you, Angel." I snuggled into their bodies, savoring their warmth before wiggling to free my arms so I could respond.

"Promise you won't hate me?"

"We could never hate you, sweetheart." Steve ran his hands lightly up and down my arms, trying to comfort me. He had the gentlest touch. I looked up at both of them only to find them already looking down at me, giving me soft, encouraging smiles that made hope bloom in my chest. Maybe Bruce was right. Maybe I could tell them and everything would be fine.

"Come on, doll. Just tell us. I get the feeling that this has been sitting on your chest for a while." I smiled slightly, realizing that they already knew me so well. Okay, I could do this. For them and for me. I backed my way out of the sandwich so I could write without having to jostle them. My hands began to shake again as I wrote the words that would change everything between the three of us. They waited patiently in front of me as I stared the words down, sending up a silent prayer that this wouldn't blow up in my face. I took a deep breath and readied myself for their reactions…

When the alarm began blaring from the speakers, calling for the Avengers to assemble.

Bucky and Steve glanced up at the flashing red lights and then back down at me apologetically.

"Sorry, Angel. Duty calls. We'll finish this when we get back, okay?" I nodded silently, not wanting to even try to convey how hard it had been for me to work up the courage to talk about it now. Would I even be able to do it again? It hardly mattered now. I watched as they walked away, already in their "Avenger" mode, my admission already a thousand miles away from their minds. As everyone cleared out of the room, either to go avenging or helps said Avengers suit up, I was left alone; still in the corner of the room. I felt a silent tear trickle down my cheek and before I knew it, the dam had broken and I was a horrible, sobbing mess. I had been so close, yet so far. I think this was even worse than me just not telling them.

As I crumpled to the ground, rolling into a little ball, my notepad lay forgotten on the floor with my unread confession.

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AN: So close yet so far away. Now the action is going to heat up. I hope I haven't been boring anyone!