James "Bucky" Barnes was a lot of things.
A soldier.
A freind.
A ladies man.
(That last one wasn't a title he gave himself.)
In fact, James "Bucky" Barnes was the kind of man who waited on true love. Each girl he took to dinner, each girl he took the chance on and called "his girl", James "Bucky" Barnes was considering them a possibility. A possibility to his soulmate.
His romantic soulmark was his most treasured possession. The words that his soulmate, would use to tell him that they loved him.
Bucky treasured his platonic too, but Bucky had alresdy met his platonic soulmate. He didn't have to lie awake at night and wonder who they were. His platonic soulmate was in the next room over.
(Though often, Steve ended up in his bed becasue of the need for touch that the mark insisted upon.)
Steve Rogers. He was an entirely different story himself. A bright eyed runt from Brooklyn, Bucky had stumbled upon him when the kid had picked himself a fight. The other guy was twice his size, but Steve had only walked away with a bloody nose because Bucky had intervened.
It was different for platonic soulmates. It was simply the first words you said to them. No waiting amd wondering. Most had two. Three marks in total.
Each came with a little spot, a soulmark, and underneath the words. The first wonrds they would say( platonic) or the way they would "i love you"(romantic). But there was no cheating. No reading someone's words and saying them. You just knew when your soulmate said them. But it was taboo to look upon someone else's mark. Even worse to touch them.
Bucky had received his when he turned 13 (not an uncommon age). Three little blurry marks. He had one on his wrist, slightly darker in color (a romantic), on his right shoulder, pale in color (a platonic) and one on his shoulder blade (another platonic). Hour after hour he would run his fingers over the little shapes and wonder if his soulmates could feel it.
And then he met Steve. Bucky had heard the rumors. Wondered what it was like to seal the bond.
Nothing could have prepared him. They accepted readily(there was little waiting- it could be dangerous to wait) and Bucky had never felt more alive as the bond coursed through him. The little mark on his shoulder slowly took shape into a red, white, and blue shield, a sketchbook, and the Eiffel Tower.
Of course. Bucky mused. Steve is strong, would do anything to protect. He loves to sketch, and he wants to
Go to Paris one day. These were all things Bucky had learned about Steve in the past twelve hours.
Underneath, the bold, blue words gleamed like always. "I can handle the brute by myself, thanks."
On Steve's shoulder, a red star on a white wolf, guitar, and extravagant plate of food topped the words "Need some help with this bully?", writeen in swirly silver calligraphy.
(Bucky didn't understand the wolf, but he loved the guitar and singing, and he wanted to open a restaurant one day.)
The soul bond was thrilling, but the stories were true. There was no seperating those first few weeks. They were joined at the hip. Did everything together. Slowly, they stretched their time, and by the time they had reach twenty one, they could withstand up to a month.
So Bucky joined the army.
"You can't join the army! What if you die?" Steve had argued.
"But I wont." Bucky had replied firmly. "I'll be back by dinner time every night."
Steve shook his head, reatreating to his bedroom.
(He had joined Bucky later that night in bed, so Bucky knew he was forgiven.)
And so Bucky waited. Waited on his romantic soulmate, his other platonic, and his destiny.
OoOoO
Bucky sighed. Setting down the pencil on the table, he crumpled the sheaf of paper.
Across the table, Steve raised an eyebrow. "I told you this requires patience."
Making a face, Bucky shook his head. "You didn't tell me my hand would cramp up"
Steve looked up in concern. "Does it hurt?" He asked worriedly.
Bucky shrugged. "Not bad-"
Steve was already at his side, gently pressing a hand to Bucky's soulmark.
Bucky let out an audibly sigh of relief. "I think I'm done with drawing."
Steve tsk'd. "How unfortunate I couldn't revert you. Oh well." He walked around the table and opened the refridorator. "What's for dinner?"
Bucky tilted his head. "We have those salmon steaks. We don't have any rice though."
"I can go." Steve said offhandishly.
"No, I'll go. Don't worry about it." Bucky replied.
Steve turned to him, annoyed. "Why can't I go?" He asked, a frustrated tone entering his voice.
"Do you want to go?" Bucky questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Steve raised his hands. "No- well yes- well no. Do you want to?"
Bucky nodded earnestly. "Yes. It'll
Be good for a walk." He stretched his hands over his head, letting ojt a loud sigh.
Steve eyed him. "Are you sure?"
Bucky smiled in appreciation. "I'm sure. I'll be back soon."
Steve yawned. "Gonna ride the bike?"
Bucky threw on his coat. "Nah, I'll walk. Lay down for a bit, Steve. You look lime hoh need it."
Steve groaned.
Bucky laughed and shut the door behind him.
Bucky skipped down the stairs. He waved the Missus Kell as he passed, giving the elderly lady a brilliant smile. The store was only a few blocks from their neighbor hood, and Bucky had not trouble as he crossed the streets.
"Hey jack." He called easily as he pushed open the door. The room was alit with dim candles.
"Ah, Jim. What can I do for you?"
"Justa small bag of rice."
Jack pulled a bag from under the counter. "85."
Bucky shook the coins from the little coin purse he had. "It's going up."
"Wars causing more of a demand. Reckon we'll be at a dollar in a month." Jack replied.
Bucky let out a low whistle. "We'll hope not."
Jack chuckled, handing him the bag. "Have a good night, Jim."
"Same to you." Bucky picked up the bag with a soft grunt, pushing open the door with his foot.
He padded down the street. The sun was setting in front of him, the sky bursting with brilliant color.
"Don't-" whack. "Touch-" whack. "Me!"
Bucky blinked and stopped in his tracks. He peered down a dark alleyway and could just make out two shapes. He dropped the rice and darted down the ally.
Bucky skidded to a stop at the sight.
A Young Woman, who appeared to be in her early twenties, stood over a large and burly man. The man lay sprawled in an uncomfortable position and seemed to be unconscious.
Bucky let a strangled sound slip.
The woman turned to him, mouth agape. "Oh- shit."
Surprise fired in buckys mind. Aside from her foul language, the woman's clothes were a drop.
She wore tight fitting pants that flared at the bottom. It was a black material and looked soft to touch- sharp looking. He saw little of her shirt, as she had a long trench coat on. Her shoes were heels, but taller and more unruly looking than he had seen.
"Um, hi." The woman squeaked sheepishly, pulling her trench coat around her tighter.
Bucky snapped to life. "Hello. I came to help… but you don't seem to need any. What happened, doll?"
The woman snorted. "The big ugly brute kept saying rather crude things. When I refused his advances, he attacked." She shrugged. "I fought back." Her nose scrunched up cutely. "You will not be calling me that."
Bucky smiled. "Forgive me. What is your name?"
The woman regarded him curiously. "Piper. And you?"
"James Bunchanan Barnes, at your service. You can call me Bucky."
A look of recognition flashed in her face.
Bucky tilted his head. "You said you fought him yourself?"
The woman jumped. "Oh- uh yes. Just hit him hard enough in the head that he fell under."
She avoided his gaze and Bucky wondered what the accent was under her voice. "Can I walk you home?" He asked.
"Oh. I'll be okay, thank you." She replied, fidgeting with a button on her coat.
"At least let me supply you dinner."
Piper heasistated. "If it's not trouble."
"It's not." He promised. "We have extra."
"We?" She questioned, as she took the hand he extended.
"Me and my soulmate." He claified. "My platonic." Bucky added.
Piper seemed to relax. "How nice. How long?"
"Five years. We met at 15 and 17." Bucky smiled softly.
"You're twenty two?" She asked increndlously.
Bucky frowned. "Yes. How old are you?"
"Twenty four." She replied smugly. It was her turn to frown. "You seem older."
"War does thst." Bucky replied.
Piper nodded distractedly.
"We're here." Bucky said, pulling her gently towards the stairs. She followed behind him, examining the building as they made their way to his door.
"27." Piper murmured absentmindedly.
"I'm home!" Bucky called loudly as he hung up his coat.
Steve smiled as he stepped out of the room, but it faltered slightly when he saw Piper. "Who's this?"
"Piper." Bucky smiled.
Steve smiled at Piper. "Can I take your coat, miss Piper?"
Pipers eyes widened. "I'll keep it on thank you."
The glass in Steve's hand slipped and shattered on the ground.
Bucky stepped back an regarded them closely. "I seem to be missing something here.
Wordlessly, Piper reached down and pulled up her pant to her mid calf.
Blue, bold handwriting under a blob of blur.
Can I take your coat, Miss Piper?"
Steve did the same to reveal crimped and neat red handwriting.
I'll keep it on, thank you.
Bucky sucked in a breath. That neat and red handwriting… he shook his head. "Platonic soulmates." He breathed.
Piper nodded in affirmanatiom. "I think so."
Steve laughed. He stuck out a hand to Piper. "Pleasure to meet you, miss."
She shook it heartily. "Same to you. Just Piper please."
"Steve. Steve Rogers." Steve replied.
Bucky barely caught the look of recognition this time.
"What a night." Bucky voiced aloud. He pursed his lips. "I have to make dinner now."
Steve looked him up and down. "Where's the rice?"
Bucky paused. "Oh man." He groaned.
Steve shook his head. "It's ok. I realized we had some." He crossed the room and pulled a bag of rice from from the closet pantry. "Good thing you went. You met my soulmate."