Chapter 4
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Everything is messed up right now and Clint just hopes he can get out of it alive and somewhat unharmed. Clint is used to things not always going right, used to possibly having others after him because of something he did or being double crossed, of having to run after a job was done, but this is bad even by Clint’s usual standards. After all, it isn’t everyday that Clint is after a target that someone else is as well, isn’t everyday that he steals a target from some guy that is apparently only referred to as the Winter Soldier, isn’t everyday when he has to run after a successful job but today is that day apparently and Clint just hopes he makes it through.
He has managed so far to make it out ok but he has heard about this guy before, heard the rumors and he really doesn’t want to come face to face with him. If he had known the soldier was after that guy as well, he wouldn’t have taken the job but he hadn’t known so he had. He got his shot in but that was when something went wrong, when someone else came into the room. Clint had seen him from his vantage point, had seen the glimpse of metal, had seen the guy look around to see who had fired the arrow and that was when Clint knew he was in trouble so he ran, tried to cover his tracks best that he could. He had heard enough to know who the winter soldier is, didn’t think he was real but that can’t possibly be that many assassins with metal arms so Clint didn’t think it was worth taking the chance of waiting around, so running was the best option. He thinks he has managed to get out of there alright, has made it back to the safe house he had been using and he is hoping he can crash soon, body tired and worn out from the day and from stress. He does a lap around it, make sure things are safe but as soon as he enters the bedroom and turns on the light, that is when things go wrong.
Clint is fast, careful, and flexible but none of that seems to matter right now because he finds himself slammed against a wall. There is a metal hand pinning him against it by settling on his throat and there are blue eyes watching him. He had been followed here and hadn’t even known it. The winter soldier stands in front of him and in his right hand is Clint’s arrow. He holds it up now, makes certain that Clint sees it, and then he is speaking, words quiet but unmistakable.
“Eta strelka prinadlezhat vam . Khotite yego obratno ?”
Clint feels like he has just been shocked, feels a jolt of electricity go through his body. He used to dream about those words, used to trace them, and now he is hearing them. His soul mate is in front of him now, metal hand gripping Clint’s throat, ready to kill him, and this isn’t exactly how Clint thought all of this would go. He tries to calm himself down, tries to think of something to say, something that will make this all make sense but all the Russian he had learned is not coming to his mind right now and the soldier is still pinning him against the wall and he can feel a bit more pressure on his throat. He needs to say something though so he chokes out some words, doesn’t even think about them much before they leave his mouth and none of the Russian expressions that he practiced for this moment come out.
“Your arm is really shiny, please don’t kill me.”
It is not the smoothest thing he could have said but it seems to take the soldier aback. He drops the arrow but doesn’t move his metal hand away from Clint yet but the pressure decrease just a bit. Instead he is staring at him, moves just a bit closer to him and Clint can feel his breath when he speaks, English this time and Clint feels a bit of relief that he won’t have to try to have a full conversation in Russian with a man who could quite easily kill him.
“Your words. Where are they?”
It sounds more like a demand than a question and Clint answers, hopes that it is the right call to tell him.
“Across my left ribs.”
As soon as he says it, the soldier’s right hand is lifting up his shirt and Clint wants to protest but he doesn’t think it would be a good idea. Soon enough the soldier can see the words on Clint’s skin and he brings his flesh fingers to them, traces over them. It feels kind of nice but there is still a tension in the air and the soldier still has not moved his fingers away from Clint’s yet and he has started speaking again. He is still speaking English instead of Russian now and Clint isn’t sure why, if it is just to make certain that Clint understands him.
“You stole my target.”
Clint just gives a nod.
“I am supposed to kill you. If a target is taken from me, I have orders to kill the one who did it.”
“Are you going to?”
Clint asks, needs to know. Soulmates don’t always matter to everyone, especially people in their business and there is no guarantee that the soldier will see any reason to not obey his orders. From what Clint has heard, he always obeys his orders, always gets his target. There is a hesitation in the soldier right now, a bit of it for just a moment before he speaks again.
“You said some of my words. Orders are to take the one who says my words. “
Clint wants to ask where he is supposed to take him but he doesn’t, asks a different question yet.
“Are you going to do that then?”
Clint isn’t exactly sure if he wants that to happen either but it would be better than being killed. The soldier gives no answer yet, just keeps looking at Clint. His hand slowly moves away from his throat now and there is relief but he still doesn’t move his right hand away from the words across Clint’s ribs. He still stares at him and Clint takes this moment of quiet to look him over.
He is young, probably around Clint’s age , and that is a bit of surprise. Everything he has heard about the soldier has always led him to believe that it was someone older, someone with years of experience but this guy is young though there is weariness about him, like he has seen a lot. He is beautiful, a pretty face, strong and fit, but there are circles under his eyes and something troubled about his expression. Clint only knows the rumors, what he has heard, and now this man stands in front of him, terrifying yet almost broken seeming as well, and he is supposed to be Clint’s other half. He isn’t quite sure what that says about him but he decides to move forward, to see what he is going to do.
“We should talk, can figure out everything if you’re not sure what to do yet. Does anyone know you were coming here?”
The soldier shakes his head and he finally moves his fingers off of Clint’s words, moves them instead to his left wrist, wraps them around it. It is a firm grip, like he wants to make sure Clint isn’t going to leave him and Clint isn’t quite sure what to think about it. Instead, he gestures with his other hand to the table and chairs and the solider nods and they both move to them, sit down next to each other and the soldier lets go of Clint’s wrist now.
“It might be good idea if we tell each other our names, since we are apparently a match and all. Clint Barton.”
Clint can’t decide if he should hold out his hand for a shake or not, isn’t exactly sure what the proper etiquette is for introducing one’s self to their soulmate who just moments before was planning to kill him and so he just kind of waves his hand, gestures at himself. The soldier just stares at him, something uncertain in his eyes.
“I have heard of you. Clint Barton, Hawkeye, uses arrows.”
Clint just gives a bit shrug, still staring at the other man. He still looks intimidating, strong and beautiful, but he also looks a little lost, is just staring at Clint with wide eyes. A few seconds pass and nothing is said, no name is given and Clint really wants to know his name.
“So you want to tell me who you are?”
“I am the winter soldier.”
He says this, is still just looking at him and it isn’t really what Clint wanted to hear, wanted the man’s actual name and not his title.
“I meant your name, what I should call you because winter soldier doesn’t sound all that personal. What do people call you?”
The soldier just stares at him again for a long moment before he speaks again.
“I am called the winter soldier or asset , I do not remember any other name. It is not needed for me to remember a name. ”
That is not quite what Clint was expecting but he doesn’t see any lie in the man’s face and he feels a chill run through him.
“Is there a lot you don’t remember?”
A moment passes and then there is a simple answer given.
“Yes, I only remember missions, what to do, orders, not much else. Maybe I will remember you after this.”
Everything about what he has just said sound so wrong and Clint wonders just how broken this man who is Clint’s other half is, what has been done to him. For now, Clint just gives a bit of a shrug, tries to play everything a little casually, tries not to act like his whole world has been turned upside down because he has finally found his soulmate and he might be more broken than he is.
“Maybe. Can I see your words?”
He really needs to see them right now, needs to make certain that this is really happening. The soldier just gives a little nod and starts to undo his jacket, takes it off and soon enough he is lifting up his shirt. The words are there across his ribs, Clint’s words, and he can’t help but reach out and touch them, strokes his fingers across them. He has thought about this moment for a long time but he never thought it would be like this, almost killed by his other half and as he runs his fingers over the words he notices something else that worries him just a bit.
“You have another set of words?”
He asks though he can see them plainly. They are below Clint’s own skin, in Russian, he can tell that much though he can’t really read it very well. He had spent most of his time learning Russian focusing on the spoken language and he kind of wishes now that he had learned some of the written more, wants to know what it says.
“I have had them a shorter time than yours, I know that but I can’t always remember what they say. I think it changes.”
The soldier says this and it draws Clint’s attention away from the words, back to the soldier’s face and he moves his fingers away as the soldier puts his shirt back down. Clint has heard of someone having two marks before, it doesn’t happen very often but it can, but he has not really heard about marks changing before and he isn’t sure what to make of it.
“I only have the one, they don’t change. Do you have orders about those too?”
“Yes, I am to do nothing about them, complete my mission, leave them to theirs.”
Different orders for those words and Clint wonders why he is to be taken. He doesn’t even realize he has said that part outloud till the soldier says something.
“I think they know of who says the other words but you are an unknown. I think they want to see if you can be useful to them.”
Those words sound a bit ominous and Clint isn’t sure what to think about them. He is trying to think of what else to ask when instead he yawns, the exhaustion of the day catching up to him a bit more. The soldier is looking at him again and after just a moment he stands up from his chair, grabs Clint’s hand and lifts so that Clint is being pulled up as well.
“We have at least two days, maybe a little bit more before I need to check in with my handlers. You should rest. “
The soldier is practically dragging Clint to the bed now, makes him lay down on it, sits down as well. Clint thinks about protesting but he isn’t sure if that would be the best idea right now so he just lays there.
“You should close your eyes.”
The soldier says this and Clint isn’t really sure about it but he is really worn out,possibly in emotional shock, and the man beside him could probably kill him easily so he goes ahead and closes his eyes. After just a moment he can feel fingers wrap around his wrist, flesh and blood, and the touch isn’t too bad, almost comforting. After a few moments, he drifts into sleep, worries put aside for right now.