Steve x reader x Bucky x Tony
Requested by anon.
Soulmate. Everyone had a soulmate. When a person was born, they were born with a handprint somewhere on their body. This was to be the first place their soulmate would ever touch them.
It wasn’t uncommon for a person to be born with more than one soul mark, but everyone had a different opinion on what that meant.
You were three when the red room took you in. You’d gotten separated from your mother when the two of you went shopping. A man had found you and brought you to your new home.
You had been born with three marks, and because you could never remove one, let alone three, the red room taught you what they meant.
“These marks are dangerous.” A woman told you, fingers gently tracing the red handprint on your shoulder. “They will kill you.”
As a small child, you didn’t understand.
“Mama said they’d love me.”
“Your mother didn’t understand what they meant.” The woman said forcefully. “But you do. You know, and you have to get them first.”
Non-reader POV
Bucky had fallen off the train. He’d thought he was dead, and before the brainwashing, Bucky wished he was.
He’d clung to the handprints on his skin, one belonging to his Stevie, and the other two were unknown.
Bucky had held onto the memory of Steve and their plans to find their other two soulmates for a long time. He would come to regret when they broke his brain and took his memories away.
“These marks are your mission.” A handler instructed him. “If you ever come in contact with any of them, you are to kill them where they stand. Understand?”
“Understood.”
As Steve’s plane began to go down, his mind wandered to the marks littering his skin.
He’d lost Bucky, and now he was never going to meet his other two soulmates.
Some people would like that, the people from back home.
Not everyone was as accepting of Steve and Bucky’s multiple marks. Many used to say it was against God. Steve’s many brands were supposed to be a symbol of the devil.
“It’s not natural, Steven.” His mother’s pastor would say. “Love is only meant for two.”
What a fucking asshole, was the last thing Steve thought before the plane crashed.
Tony always loved the handprints on his form. He would trace the outline when bored, and when he needed comfort, he would place his hand on one.
His mother also loved them.
“You’re so special, Tony.” Maria would whisper as she tucked a young Tony in. “You’re so loved. You’re always going to be surrounded by love.”
When Steve Rogers was found in the ice, Tony demanded he be there. He wanted to see the man who his father loved more than his own son.
He’d been waiting outside of the room when the door burst open, and a tall blonde mass ran into him.
“Whoa there, buddy,” Tony said, placing his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Take it easy.” He added before letting out a gasp as the man laid his hand on Tony’s chest.
“Soulmate.” The blonde murmured, looking up.
‘Oh shit.’ This was all Tony could think as he looked up at the face of his soulmate. Of Steve Rogers.
“Before you start yelling, I just want to say I didn’t do anything,” Tony said as Pepper strutted into the kitchen where he and Steve sat.
“For once, I’m not here to yell at you,” Pepper told him, causing Steve to chuckle. “I’m here because you haven’t answered any of my calls.”
“I’ve been bonding with Stevie,” Tony said, putting his hands on the blonde’s shoulder.
It had been two weeks since Steve and Tony had met. Tony had brought Steve back to the Tower, and the two had spent hours talking. Tony had had to move past the feelings he already felt about the man, but Steve made it easy.
For the past two weeks, the two had set about solidifying the soulmate bond. And that meant avoiding any contact with the outside world.
“I’m aware.” Pepper rolled her eyes at the billionaire. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Rogers. I’m Pepper Potts.” Pepper said, turning to the blonde and holding her hand out.
“Steve, please. It’s nice to meet you as well.” Steve said, shaking her hand.
“Tony, I need a date for a conference,” Pepper said, turning back to the billionaire.
“What conference?” Tony asked, cocking his head to the side.
“You need to do a press release saying you’ve found one of your soulmates.” Pepper reminded him. “The press is going to find out one way or another. It’s better if you control the source.”
“The press?” Steve questioned. “Isn’t it better if we don’t tell them? The backlash Tony will receive will be hellish.”
“The press has never liked me.” Tony waved him off. “They all know about my marks. Have for years.”
“And no-one says anything? Anything horrible?” Steve pressed.
“One or two have tried to,” Tony said.
“But they’ve all been served with lawsuits and been fired from all publications,” Pepper added, attempting to soothe Steve’s worries.
“Steve, are you not okay with this? Because I can tell everyone to fuck off and mind their own business.” Tony said, knowing of Steve’s past.
“Could we just wait for a little longer?” Steve muttered, looking down. “I just need some time to process this.”
“Of course.” Tony instantly agreed. “We can wait for as long as you want to.”
“Thank you, Tony,” Steve said, taking his hand and squeezing it tightly.
It had taken Steve another two weeks before he was comfortable with telling the world. He’d spent those two weeks researching poly soulmate pairings. Diving deep into articles about them and seeing how they were perceived in the modern world.
When he realized most of the articles were positive and that the way of thinking from his childhood was mostly gone, he’d been ready.
Steve and Tony had been together for six months when Nick Fury alerted them to the discovery of Bucky Barnes.
Bucky was still under HYDRA’s control when Fury had brought him in, and he was too dangerous for Tony or Steve to see.
“He’s been programmed to kill both of you on sight.” Fury explained. “It’s not fucking safe to approach him. Give me time, and we’ll fix him.”
It had taken weeks for Fury to get back to them. Weeks for them to break Bucky out of HYDRA’s control.
“There will be a dozen of our best agents in the room. They’re all armed and on standby.” Fury warned the two as they stood outside Bucky’s room.
“Is that really necessary?” Tony scoffed.
“Probably not.” Fury shrugged. “But you don’t get to where I am by throwing caution to the wind.” He said, opening the door and leading the two in.
“Buck.” Steve began, slowly stepping forward. “Do you know who I am?”
“Steve,” Bucky said gruffly. “My Stevie."
Steve smiled at the brunette’s words and began moving closer. He maintained his snail’s pace until he was standing in front of him.
"Can I touch you?” Steve asked, looking Bucky in the eyes. Bucky nodded after a long minute, and Steve reached a hand forward.
Steve’s rested his hand on Bucky’s flesh shoulder, and the man tensed at the contact.
“Wait." Fury said as his agents went for their weapons. Everyone watched with bated breath as Steve slowly dragged his hand down to Bucky’s hip, where his hand lay printed on his skin.
As soon as Steve’s hand touched the mark, Bucky’s hand instinctively flew to Steve’s shoulder.
"Steve.” Bucky murmured, raising his eyes to meet his.
“Buck.” Steve smiled gently. “I have someone for you to meet. His name is Tony, he’s one of our soulmates, Buck. Do you want to meet him?”
“Yes." Bucky nodded. "Yes, I do.”
“Tone,” Steve said, holding a hand out to him without taking his eyes off Buckys. Tony began walking forward slowly to not startle Bucky. Tony came to a stop next to Steve and, on instinct, raised his right hand.
Bucky lifted his hand off Steve’s shoulder, and he took Tony’s, intertwining their fingers together.
For the first time in seventy years, Bucky’s face lit up in a smile as he looked between his soulmates.
“You know you can come live with us,” Tony said. It had been two days since he’d gotten to meet Bucky. Tony and Bucky had spent their time together, getting to know each other, Steve and Bucky had been catching up, and the three had talked through being soulmates.
Steve and Tony had spent the entirety of the two days with Bucky, not even going back to the Tower for the night, but spending their nights at SHIELD with him.
“The beds at the Tower are a lot comfier than the ones here, and you can have a room to yourself if you don’t want to share with us. Hell, you can have an entire floor to yourself anyway.” Tony rambled.
“Tone, breathe,” Steve said, placing a hand on the man’s back.
“I don’t think me coming back with you is a good idea,” Bucky said, looking away from them. “Here, you’re safe. You might not be safe with me there.”
“Buck, you can’t possibly think you’re still dangerous,” Steve stated. “SHIELD broke your brainwashing. You’re not dangerous.”
“But what if I am?” Bucky asked. “What if I am dangerous, and I hurt either of you? I spent decades under their control. I became a monster.”
“HYDRA are the only monsters in this situation,” Tony told him firmly. “You are not a monster. You are our soulmate. You’re not under HYDRA’s control. They can’t ever touch you again.”
“We trust you, Buck,” Steve said, taking his hand. “Always will.”
“Good thing I don’t have a lot of stuff to move,” Bucky said after several minutes of silence.
“We can fix that,” Tony said with a grin.
It had been a year since Bucky moved into the Tower. Bucky, Steve, and Tony had solidified their bond and were happy together. But the three were missing something.
Their final soulmate.
Each of the men had one final handprint left. They each wondered what their soulmate would be like, and often spent late nights talking about their plans for the future.
“Tony, you got a minute?” Natasha asked, entering his lab.
“I could spare a couple for my favorite redhead,” Tony smirked, turning away from his bench. “What’s up, buttercup?”
“I need to ask you a favor,” Natasha said, leaning against an empty bench. “As you know, I’ve been on a mission for the past three months.”
“I wondered why Clint’s been moping lately,” Tony smirked.
“I finished my mission a week in,” Natasha said, ignoring Tony’s comment. “My target was an assassin. A red room girl. She’s so young, Tony, she’s been doing jobs for two years, and when I found her, she was going to kill herself. She’s only twenty. She didn’t want to be this. She couldn’t keep doing it.”
“Nat, what are you saying here?” Tony asked slowly.
“I got her to put the gun down. I’ve been helping her since. Tony, I got her away.” Natasha smiled. “I got her out alive.”
“I’m so proud of you,” Tony said, pulling Natasha into an embrace. “You did good.”
“I want to keep her safe. And that’s where my favor comes in. Tony, can I bring her here? She can stay on my floor, and I’ll keep an eye on her. She’s good, Tony, so good. Please.”
“Nat, Nat, Nat,” Tony said, stopping her rambling. “I trust you and your and judgment. You’re never wrong, and I trust you on this. She can stay as long as she needs to. I promise."
"Thank you, Tony,” Natasha said, quickly hugging him before pulling away. “Thank you.” She repeated before leaving the lab.
“Did Nat give you a name?” Steve asked. It had been two days since Natasha asked to bring her girl to the Tower, and the two were coming home today.
“Y/N L/N,” Tony told him, sipping his coffee. “She’s twenty years old, has been an assassin for two years, and was taken in by the red room at three."
"And Nat said she tried to kill herself?” Bucky asked. “You organized a for a SHIELD therapist to come down, right?”
“Nat picked one she believes will help her the most.” Tony nodded. A ping signaled the arrival of the elevator, and the doors opened to reveal Natasha and a younger girl at her side.
“Are you three playing the welcoming party?” Natasha asked as she stepped forward with the girl, Y/N, right behind her.
“I am the party, Romanoff,” Tony said, stepping forward with his hand out. “Tony Stark.” He introduced himself.
“Y/N L/N. Thank you for having me." Y/N smiled weakly, raising a hand to shake his. Once her hand grasped Tony’s, both let out a gasp.
"Soulmate.” Tony murmured.
“Shit.” Natasha cursed as Y/N stiffened. Natasha shot forward and grabbed Y/N by her shoulders. “The three of you, out,” Natasha ordered, pulling Y/N towards her room.
“Natasha, she’s our soulmate.” Tony protested, causing Y/N’s breathing to quicken.
“Tony, move,” Bucky said, already pulling him and Steve to the elevator.
“What the hell was that, Buck?” Tony asked, spinning to him once the doors closed. “Why did you pull us away?”
“We’re her soulmates,” Bucky said.
“Exactly! She’s our soulmate!” Tony exclaimed. “What was that?”
“Calm down, Tone.” Steve soothed, wrapping his arms around the man. “Bucky, what happened?”
“I taught at the red room for a couple years.” Bucky started once they were back on their floor. “It was about ten years into my brainwashing, and I don’t remember much. But I do remember the first thing they taught girls. The handprints on your body symbolize who will kill you."
"What?” Steve gasped. “That’s not true.”
“It’s what they taught them. If you ever find your soulmate, you have to get them before they get you.” Bucky told them.
“That message gets repeated to you a dozen times a day when you first come in, and then once a day every day after that,” Natasha announced, suddenly standing behind them. “It’s lucky Clint didn’t touch me until after I realized they were wrong.”
“How is she?” Steve asked, standing quickly. “Is she okay?”
“She had a panic attack. There’s a broken chair in her room, but she’s otherwise okay. She’s asleep, JARVIS will alert me when she wakes up.” Natasha said, sinking deeply onto the recliner. “That wasn’t how I wanted that meeting to go.”
“What happens now?” Tony asked her.
“I call SHIELD and get them to send the therapist in earlier than I expected,” Natasha says. “Until he says so, I don’t want the four to interact with each other.”
“Nat, she’s our soulmate. You can’t expect us to stay away from her.” Steve told her.
“I can, and I do. I know firsthand exactly what Y/N went through. Y/N has been told her entire life the three of you will kill her unless she kills you first. She didn’t want to be part of the red room, but after seventeen years, things stick.” Natasha said, staring Steve down. “You need to give her time and space to adjust.”
Y/N had been in the Tower for two weeks. Steve, Tony, and Bucky had not seen her since that first day. Natasha had sent them updates, and the progress reports she received from Y/N’s therapist, and that was all they knew.
Steve couldn’t sleep. His mind was racing, and he couldn’t force himself to calm down.
Slowly Steve crept out of the bed he shared with his soulmates and snuck into the elevator.
"Gym, please, JARVIS.” He said, leaning against the wall.
When the elevator opened on the gym floor, Steve could immediately hear the telltale signs of a punching bag being beaten.
Steve walked into the gym to see Y/N violently attacking a red bag. She didn’t seem to register Steve’s entrance or anything but the bag in front of her.
Without thinking, Steve moved until he was behind her.
“Y/N?” He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. He heard a sharp inhale before a hand was on his throat. “Y/N, it’s me. Steve. You’re safe.” Steve said, holding her wrist.
Y/N snapped out of her trace, letting go of Steve’s throat and putting her hand on her mouth.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She stuttered, moving until her back had hit the wall.
“It’s okay. It was an accident. It was my fault.” Steve assured her, not moving towards her but kneeling on the ground. “Y/N, you’re okay. I can go, I could get Natasha for you if you want.”
Steve watched as Y/N squeezed her eyes shut and took several deep breaths.
“I’m sorry.” Y/N murmured after she had calmed herself. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Steve nodded. “You didn’t mean to do it. I shouldn’t have startled you.”
“I hurt you. I strangled you.” Y/N mumbled, looking down.
“I’m okay. You didn’t hurt me.” Steve promised her. “Do you want me to get Nat?” He asked, and she nodded. “J?”
“Miss Romanov is already on her way.”
“I’m sorry I’m a bad soul, soulmate.” Y/N said, swallowing harshly on the word.
“You’re not a bad soulmate,” Steve assured her. “You’re going through an adjustment period. I’ve been there. I get it, so does Bucky. You just need time, that’s all.” He said as the elevators opened again, Natasha rushing out.
Steve watched as Natasha fussed over Y/N and pulled the girl into an embrace.
'Thank you.’ Y/N mouthed over Natasha’s shoulder.
Reader POV
You had been staying in the Tower for a month now. Natasha had been so good to you. She’d given you a home, saved your life, and shown you more kindness than anyone else in your life.
Natasha had gotten you to speak to a therapist who was working on breaking you out of the red room’s conditioning. You didn’t handcuff yourself to bed every night, you were slowly becoming less paranoid, and you’d been able to see what they had lied to you about.
Your therapist had encouraged you after your second session to take up a hobby. Something that would make you feel happy.
The first thing that came to your mind was dancing.
In the red room, they had trained every girl to dance until their ankles broke, and their feet were bleeding. The instructors would scream 'again!’ until you collapsed in exhaustion. Yet, it was the only thing that brought you any amount of joy.
When Natasha found out about your love for dance, she’d left a box of pointe shoes on your bed and shown you a ballet studio in the Tower.
Your session finished at four that afternoon, it was now ten at night, and you’d been dancing for six hours.
Your chest heaved as you collapsed at the end of the song. Your head hit the ground as you lay watching the ceiling.
“Miss L/N?” JARVIS started, pulling you from your trance. “Mr Barnes is outside the door, asking if he can enter.”
You sucked in a long breath as you contemplated your next words.
“He can in JARVIS. Thank you.” You said, sitting up. The doors opened and Bucky entered, stopping just inside the doorway.
“Hi, doll.”
Another thing that had changed in the past two weeks was your interactions with your soulmates. You weren’t as sacred of them as you had been but you still kept your distance. The of you spoke once a day, but you still hadn’t been bonded with Bucky.
“Hi, Buck.” You responded breathless.
“JARVIS says you’ve been in here six hours. With no break. You’re gonna make yourself sick, doll.” Bucky told you, eyes shining with concern.
“I’ve done it before.” You shrugged. “It’s not that big a deal.”
“It’s a big deal to me. To us. You’re going to hurt yourself.” Bucky said, taking two steps forward. “Can I ask what’s eating at ya?”
“I had a bad session.” You admitted after a minute.
“Did your therapist say something?” Bucky asked. “Did he do something? Because he won’t get away with-”
“No, Buck, he didn’t do anything.” You hurriedly told him. “It’s just something he said.” You told him, looking down.
“Doll, can you tell me what he said?”
“He said, that in a few months I should be able to take SHIELD job like Nat’s.” You said. “But I don’t want that. I don’t want to go back being an assassin and following. I can’t do it anymore, Bucky.”
“Doll, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” Bucky said, moving forward until he was kneeling towards you. “You don’t have to join SHIELD and be Nat. You don’t have to.”
“But that’s what he expects.” You protested weakly.
“It doesn’t matter what he thinks.” Bucky told you. “Can I touch you?” Bucky asked, raising a hand in front of you. Swallowing thickly, you nodded, and Bucky placed his hand slowly over your heart.
Your hand snapped up and loosely held onto his wrist.
“No-one is going to force you to do anything you don’t want to. If you want to do nothing and stay home, you can. If you want to dance, you can. The only person in charge of your future is you.” Bucky told you, brushing a strand of hair off your face.
“You’re sure?”
“100%.” Bucky smiled. “We’re watching movies upstairs, do you want to come join? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Bucky offered, rising and offering you his hand.
“I’d, I’d like that.” You smiled, taking his hand in yours.
“You looked beautiful, sweetheart.” Tony complimented, pulling you into an embrace.
“You really did. No-one else came close.” Steve said, hugging you after Tony.
It had been two years since Natasha had brought you to the Tower. To your soulmates.It had taken you a while but you’d managed to overcome your past and navigate in relationship with the men.
You didn’t become a SHIELD agent, a decision all three of your soulmates supported, instead you pursued dance. The New York Ballet Company had swooped you up and you were dancing every day.
“You looked ethereal.” Bucky commented, handing you a bouquet and kissing you gently.
“You’re all too sweet.” You blushed, clutching the flowers close.
“You love it.” Tony said as Bucky took his hand and Steve threw his arm around your shoulders.
“No. I love you.” You said as the four of you made your way home.
And you did. You really, truly, did.