The street isn't the same as he remembered. TV screens, machines going faster than imaginable, people dressed in strange little clothing, and the sound level higher than he'd ever be used to. The new world he found himself in was giving him a head ache. He didn't know where he was or who he was. All he knew was the man he just fought- his mission was someone he used to know.
Maybe that's why he saved him, pulled him from the water and left him there. He didn't know anything for sure except for her. He blonde hair, blue eyes, the way she made him feel. He knew- she was his home.
Watching her was all he could let himself do when it came to her. Many times in the past 48 hours he came so incredibly close to talking to her but he never did. Instead he watched as she struggled. She was so sad when she left that building and then she got on some kind of device and she got even more sad. That was when he came the closest to approaching her bad he didn't get the chance as she got into a vehicle and left.
He didn't find her until a day after where she was shopping. His memory of basic things such as cars and cellphones came back to him during that time so he knew what she was doing this time. He watched as she grocery shopped and knew that he wouldn't be able to let her go this time without saying something so he made himself known to her but tapping her on the shoulder.
When she turned and their eyes met her blue ones widened in shock of seeing him- probably cause he shot her last time she saw him. They took each-other in for a moment letting the tingling of their bond over take them. She blinked a few times and furrowed her eye Brows at him before softly speaking, "hi..."
He hesitated not wanting to scare her away before he let himself awkwardly say, "hi," back he didn't know what else to say. She smiled and shook her head.
"Can you reach that for me?" She pointed to something above their heads and behind him. When he saw what she was pointing to he turned to her with raised eyebrows but still grabbed the box of lucky charms for her.
"Thank you, Bucky." Ava said taking the box before she began walking to the next aisle and grabbed her self some pasta noodles but she handed them to Bucky to put in the cart. And that's what they did they shopped together Bucky helped reach the top shelf stuff while Ava pointed out what she needed and they took turns pushing the cart.
they finished and Bucky helped put the groceries in the cab Ava surprised him when she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the cab with her. He didn't know what to do as it was his first time being in an actual car and she'd held his metal hand which had never been touched in such an innocent way. But when she smiled at him he relaxed and intertwined their fingers his cold metal meeting her warmth.
Ava didn't know why Bucky approached her at the grocery store but she just accepted it and let him help reach the stuff on they top shelf's and let him come home with her.
Last night she got back to her dorm and in the morning she went for a swim with her team. For the first time. She loved meeting with them and talking with the coach who seemed like a great person who really cared for their team.
When she got into the pool water she felt better, and soon shed been swimming for hours. She stayed a-bit longer than her teammates but she did get a few snap usernames and her coach said to be at practice again tomorrow.
When Ava was back in her dorm she took off her suit and fingered her bandages which were soggy. They were supposed to be waterproof but she supposed she should've known it wouldn't work. After all the man that was selling them didn't seem very trustworthy.
So with a sigh she pulled them the rest of the way off and was shocked to only see a scab that looked almost all the way healed. That's why she felt less achey in the water. Her powers were using the water to heal her. While she got dressed She thought to herself, if she'd stayed just for an hour longer in the pool her largest wound would've began to scar.
Ava looked around her dorm which wasn't fully unpacked and decided to get a few house chores done. That lead to grocery shopping where she saw Bucky.
Now they were together in her dorm quietly unpacking the groceries. Finally with no more excuses left to use they were forced to focus on each other. "You look good- better than when we saw each other last."
"You look better too," Bucky and Ava both had to fight the small smiles that they felt coming on.
"You know what I meant."
"I got away from them."
"They were controlling you, right?"
"Yes, for years, they used me to do... bad things. I just went from one fight to another for 90 years, but then I met you." Ava blushed but still felt bad for all those years of suffering confusion and death. Bucky saw her conflicting feelings and slowly took two steps closer to her. They were standing in the kitchen at arms length now. Ava looked up into his eyes when he said, "you were all I remembered after they swiped my memory that day I shot you. I remembered your eyes. The color of the ocean, my mate."
Ava took a deep sharp breath at the mention of the bond. "I haven't had much luck when it comes to mates. I have seven others who have my mark while I have 8 different ones." She pulled the sleeve of her cardigan on her right arm and showed him his mark then she pulled down her pants just enough for him to see Bruce's mark on her hip to prove her point.
"Where are they now?"
"Some of them have expressed dislike of being a part of this, so I'm staying away for a while."
"You shouldn't have to do that." He couldn't stop himself from speaking. He's talked more than ever to her than to anyone else, at least from what he can remember. "You're not the problem. They are if they can't see how much they need you despite having to share."
Ava looked up and took a step closer to him. "I some how doubt that, but it was nice of you to say."
Bucky took a step closer to her as well and now their chests were almost touching. "I don't mind sharing you if that means I can be with you. You're their mate but that doesn't take away from the fact that you're also mine."
Ava took a deep shuttering breath at those words and their chests brushed together the contact ignited something in her and she found herself wrapping her arms around his shoulders standing on the tippy toes and putting her face incredibly close to his but he stoped her.
"I just need some time." Buck whispered looking directly in her eyes letting her see that he was being honest. He couldn't be with her not before he got his head straight. Slowly Ava broke apart from him and left him standing in the tiny kitchen for what felt like forever to Bucky.
Until she came back, "here," she placed a necklace and a piece of paper in his hand. "The necklace is to help you remember me, and the paper has my number on it it also has Steve's. when you leave I want you to call him he can help you."
"Steve?"
"The man I was with before. He's your best friend from life before the winter soldier, but you can't remember right now maybe he can help you get your memories back too."
"Thank you," Bucky whispered placing his metal hand on top of hers that was holding his real one. Then he rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. She did the same and they were both silent for a moment until he slowly pulled away and walked to the door. He took her in one last time before he left not saying anything more and Ava just watched.
They were soulmates but they couldn't be together right now. In the future when they are both better they'll be great together. For now though Bucky had to go and Ava had to watch him do it.
~
It was the next day after Ava's swim practice. She went into town to get herself a smoothie and after that she found herself standing at the front entrance of the Avenger tower. It hadn't been the plan to end up here but she saw it and she couldn't force herself to move on.
So there she stood looking into the building where Stark industry's secretary is working. She stood there not knowing what to do, but after a while she figured that she wouldn't leave so she took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Hi," Ava said gaining the secretary's attention who rolled her eyes away from her computer, "my name is Ava Welters. I- um can you just let Tony know I'm here?"
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No but-" Ava was cut off by someone walking up behind her.
"What's the problem?" They said causing Ava to turn and see a security man.
"She wants to see Mr. stark unannounced." The secretary says rolling her eyes.
"What's your name?" The man turned to Ava seemingly done talking to the rude secretary.
"Ava Welters."
"It's okay she's with me," he said before leading Ava away and into the elevator. "I'm Happy, Tony's head of security. It's nice to finally meet you Ava."
"Nice to meet you too. How do you know my name? I mean You seemed to recognize me."
"Tony told me he also gave a description of you just in case something like this might happen."
"Oh," Ava whispered and focused on the numbers on the elevator going up all the way to the top floor.
"We'll get you a badge made so that you don't have to deal with the secretary next time." Happy said just as the elevator doors opened. Ava stepped out and thanked him as they parted ways Happy going down the elevator and Ava in the penthouse.
Ava didn't see anyone in the living room area so she decided to look around for them. After a while of looking she finally found Bruce in the lab. She slowly opened the glass door and knocked on it to make her presence known.
"Ava," Bruce gasped and stumbled into a hug with her. "I didn't know if you'd ever come back after you left then you hung up on Clint. We just thought we lost you forever."
"I'm sorry."
"No- no, I'm sorry I shouldn't have helped Tony look into changing anything about the soulmate bond. I want to be with you, and if I have to share I can accept that." Bruce squeezed her tighter, "just don't leave."
"I don't know if I can do this to you guys." Ava said starting to tear up. "Being one of 7 is hard but now you're one of 8 how is that fair to you? I think it's best we just break the bonds."
"No, that's not what's best and you know it. This was meant to be." Bruce said gesturing between them and looking right in Ava's eyes, "it was literally destined. No one knows why these marks show up but Tony and I we found that they literally use quantum physics to form and predict who is meant to be together. We're all scientifically proven to be with you. Maybe one day we'll know the reason for all this but right now all we know- all we need to know is we were destined to love each other. And I don't know about you but I've been low. I've gotten desperate and tired but I survived. I think that you're the reason. Hulk saved me from myself to be able to meet you."
Bruce smiled softly and moved some hair out of her face wiping tears as he did. "You- my soulmate- are the reason why I'm still here today, so no we're not breaking the bond not between any of us because you're ours no matter what." Ava's lip trembled and she pulled him back Into the hug.
"You're more than I could've dreamed." She whispered cupping his check and slowly kissing him.