Bucky woke up on his eighteenth birthday with a tattoo wrapped around his wrist, it read the words I'm so sorry. He wasn't as concerned as he should be, he was overjoyed that he had a soulmate. He couldn't wait to prove Rumlow wrong.
He dresses, pulling a shirt over his scrawny frame. He tugs on his battered white converses that he'd drawn on with sharpies, and the grabs his phone. He looks at his reflection and smiles slightly. Finally, for once Rumlow would be wrong, he thinks. He races out into the pouring rain and crosses the street to get into Sam's taxi.
"Hey James." Sam grins, as Bucky slides into the seat. They'd formed a kind of routine after a few weeks of the same thing and so Sam was always there when Bucky was ready.
"Morning Sam." He chirps while Sam starts the engine.
"You get your tattoo?" Sam asks glancing over at him before focusing on the road again.
"Yep. I can't wait to see Rumlow's reaction." He replies. He notices Sam frown.
"Be careful James." Sam warns.
"You don't think I can handle myself?" He pouts and Sam sighs.
"No, I'm more afraid of what Rumlow can do to you." Sam replies glancing at him again.
Bucky frowns, "I can take care of myself." He huffs.
He was wrong, Rumlow had grabbed his wrist when he'd mentioned he got his tattoo and hadn't said anything until after their shift when he cornered him in an alley began throwing punches. Bucky was on the ground before he could throw any punches of his own. Finally he left Bucky alone in the alley. He steps out of the alley cringing at how much he hurt, he was suddenly knocked over and he almost panicks thinking Rumlow was back.
"I'm so sorry!" The guy apologizes helping him to his feet. Bucky looks up at him.
"Oh." He whispers. This was his soulmate, he knew it. "I'm Bucky." He says, Steve smiles slightly.
"I'm Steve and you're bleeding, my house is less than a block away." He explains. Bucky nods.
"Okay." Bucky let's Steve help him to his feet.
"How old are you Bucky?" Steve asks after he'd gotten cleaned up and Steve had lent him some of his clothes.
"Eighteen." Bucky chirps, Steve laughs slightly.
"You're pretty energetic. I bet you have lots of friends right?" Steve hums. Bucky looks down.
"No." Bucky says quietly. Steve looks surprised.
"Hmm. So why did Rumlow beat you up?" Steve asks, Bucky had explained what happened earlier.
"He doesn't like me. Then the whole tattoo thing but it's okay. I met you." He answers.
"Yeah. You seem like you'll be a pretty perfect soulmate." Steve smiles.
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"Rumlow's been arrested!" Bucky cheers. Steve looks over at him.
"Really? What'd he do?" Steve asks.
"Tried to rob a bank. He didn't succeed and got arrested!" Bucky kisses Steve happily.
"Calm down." Steve smiles, Bucky blushes and nods.
"Sorry." Bucky sighs. Steve nods.
"Come back and we'll watch the movie." Steve says, leading him to the couch. Bucky smiles. He falls asleep feeling happy.
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Three years later.
Bucky stood behind the doors dressed in a fancy suit. Natasha, his bestfriend, leads him up the aisle. When he gets there Steve smiles brightly at him.
"I do." Bucky whispers.
"I know pronounce you husbands."
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"I love you Stevie." Bucky sighs, hugging him tightly.
"I love you too Buck." Steve hums, kissing the top of his head gently.
"'Til the end of the line?" Bucky asks. Steve nods.
"'Til the end of the line." Steve agrees.
