“Do you even remember them?” All the hate, rage, pain, hurt and betrayal he felt for Barnes Tony let flow freely through those words. He had never been one to show his feelings. Stark men are made from Iron. But he was done pretending it was fine, done pretending he was fine.
Barnes went limp in his iron grip.
“I remember all of them,” he said softly. His voice was overflowing with pain, hurt, sorrow, grief and guilt, so much guilt.
No, Tony thought. No. No, it couldn’t be. He refused, he refused to be a part of the Universe shit. Barnes wasn’t his soulmate, it couldn’t be. It couldn’t, It couldn’t, It couldn’t, It couldn’t, It couldn’t, It could-
“If you’re going to kill me,” Barnes said, Barnes begged, “do it before the Captain get’s here. Then, run.”
Tony’s heart clenched. “I’m not killing, my soulmate,” he said.
Barnes -no, James- stilled. “Is that what we are?”
“You know about soulmates?” Tony asked in return.
James nodded, “They made missions easier.”
Tony shuddered, but further ignored that comment. “Then yes. That is what we are.”
Before James could answer Steve jumped onto their platform. “Bucky! Get out of here!”
Tony expected James to run and let him alone with Steve, only God knew to what consequences that would lead. But instead James jumped in between Tony and Steve, pulling Tony behind his back. “No.” he said simply.
Steve looked so lost; Tony almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
“No. I will not let anyone get hurt on my account ever again. I’ve caused enough pain and destruction.” He fell to his knees. “You should’ve never let me return from Budapest alive.”
The last strings that held Tony’s heart together were ripped apart.
Steve looked hurt, but then his hurt turned into rage. “This is all your fault!” He was about launch himself at Tony, but James stopped him.
“Don’t, Steve, please don’t,” James said, his voice breaking. “We both know it ain’t his fault. He’s-He’s my soulmate,” he let the word flow from his lips like it, -like Tony- was something holy, “though, I do not understand. After all, I ain’t got a soul…”