behind blue eyes [bucky barnes]

seven

"I seem to be struck by you."

Song: Paralyzer by Finger Eleven

. . . . .

"So um... what exactly happened to your shoulder?"

Maria looked through the rearview mirror at Ned Leeds, who had dared to break the most awkward silence that had even been recorded in history. Both he and Peter were staring at her, impatiently awaiting her response.

"There was a shootout," she replied nonchalantly, eyes darting to her passenger seat rider. Bucky hadn't said a word since the revelation of their bond. The last word he had said to her was "here" as he placed his jacket around her bra clad torso, seeing as he had torn her shirt to shreds. Since then neither had spoken to one another.

Maria wasn't sure what it was that she was more concerned about - the lack of conversation or the fact that Bucky Barnes was her soulmate. This wasn't what she was planning. Hell, she wasn't even looking for her soulmate anymore. And now here he was, an Avenger just like the rest of the people in her life. The best friend of Steve Rogers. The guy who was credited with numerous assassinations over half a century.

The girl couldn't deny that he was attractive. That wasn't a problem at all. A broad pair of shoulders with dark hair that rested on them. Ocean blue eyes that reminded her of the oceans off the coast of her childhood home in Malibu. A witty sense of humor that only came out on certain occasions. He towered over her small 5'3" frame and, let's not forget the fact that he was a super soldier. Attraction wasn't an issue. But the mentality was. They were both broken as far as Maria could tell. She knew very little about the feelings the man had, but he seemed to be just as messed up as she was. And now the fates had paired their lost souls together.

The best word Maria could come up with in order to articulate how she felt was shock. She was struck by the idea of actually meeting her soulmate. With the line of work that they were both in, the chances of building that relationship was slim to none. Of course, the Avengers were a special case. Most of the team members were soulmates with one another or someone in the same line of work. Peter, Wanda, Bucky, and Maria had been the only ones lacking up until now. Wanda settled for Vision, whom she loved dearly. Peter wasn't settling for anyone any time soon. And Bucky and Maria... Well, they were bound together now.

"Why are you both acting so weird," Peter asked. "Did something happen?"

"We were in a shootout," Maria reiterated, wishing she hadn't offered to pick the teens up yet another afternoon. She groaned in pain as she had to make another left turn.

"I can drive if-"

"No," Bucky and Maria both said simultaneously, disrupting Peter's offer. The last thing either of them wanted or needed was for the 16 year old kid to try and drive them around the city. Plus Maria wasn't willing to let up on the control she had if she was behind the wheel. If she can't control her life, she could at least control this.