Prompt: souldmate AU where, everytime your soulmate is listening to a song/music, you can hear it too.

Bucky had always heard that when your soulmate is conciously listening to music, you can hear it too. That's what his mother had told him, she'd always heard Marvin Gaye up until she was 22 and met his father. Steve said so too. He heard a lot of heavy bass'd rock songs whenever he was away from Tony.

But for all of Bucky's 18 years, he'd never heard a thing from the other side. His sister would sometimes ask and he'd lie, saying whoever they were liked really soft music or if it was Steve who wanted to know, he'd sigh heavily and stay quiet. Just like the sounds in his head. He couldn't help but be devastated. As much as he'd been told about hearing what your souldmate listens to, he'd also been told about what the radio silence means.

Your soulmate died before you could meet.

And that kept him up at night. He wasn't very religious but he would pray to whoever was up there that his soulmate listened when he was asleep or just really, really hated music, which would suck but be better than losing his love before meeting them. He hoped he wouldn't be alone.

"Alright, here's the deal," Mr.Coulson said as he sat at his desk and pointed to the door. "We've got a new kid joining this class and his name is Clint. He's almost completely deaf so please, be kind to him, make him welcome and do not bully him. I find out you're doing that, you'll be suspended and have detention till the scene shop is spotless. Got it?"

The class groaned in compliance and shortly into their psych lesson, the door opened and Natasha Romanoff escorted a blond boy into the room. Nat stayed close to him as she set a pass on Coulsons desk, then took her seat and gestured for the boy, Bucky assumed he was Clint, to take the empty seat beside her. Just in front of Bucky. The class went back to quietly talking amongst themselves as Coulson resumed teaching and Natasha slyly signed at Clint. The two carried out whole conversations with their hands, which amazed Bucky. How the hell were they doing it so fast? Before Buck could react, Natasha turned and looked to him and spoke softly.

"Hey, do you still remember the sign language I taught you a couple weeks ago?"

"I think so?" Bucky mumbled, giving her a confused look.

"Great, okay, just do your best and he'll help you out. I've got class over at Strike next block and he doesn't so if you could show him around that'd be great."

"Uh, sure?"

Natasha moved back to Clint and signed something, making the blond turn and look at the boy behind him. Bucky straightened up and gave a sheepish smile, waving. Clint waved back, then glanced at Natasha and said what Bucky only caught half of.

Something about percents and reliability.

Natasha just shrugged and nodded, the bell ringing shortly after. "Okay, cool, I'll see you guys later," She said, then signed at Clint that she'd meet up and walk home with him. "Take care of this nerd, Buck." Her thumb jutted toward Clint and he stuck his tongue out, blushing when Bucky looked at him. Then she left.

Bucky sighed, eyes on his hands then up to the blue eyed beauty in front of him. It was funny almost, everyone he was friends with was gay and he couldn't help but hope the same out of this new kid because wow was he pretty.

"So.." He huffed, trying to remember how exactly to sign. He was much better with reading then actually communicating.

I can read lips, you don't have to sign. Clint's fingers moved quickly, yet slow enough for Buck to understand what he said.

"Oh, cool, okay," Bucky laughed and Clint returned a smile. "What class do you have next?"

Advanced Physics.

"Oh, sweet, so do I.." Bucky slightly trailed off, starting to wonder if this had been a set up from Nat all along. Maybe revenge in a good way? He had been the one to set her up with Okoye after all.. "Just follow me."

Bucky led Clint down the hall, around a corner, and down another hall before going into their class. He stopped at the teachers desk to introduce Clint before showing him to the empty seat in front of his own at the back of the class.

Thanks. I know you probably don't want to be hanging around a deaf and dumb kid, but thanks. Clint turned around in his seat to face Bucky.

"Dude, don't even worry about it," Bucky shrugged. "And I don't fuck with the whole 'deaf and dumb' thing."

What do you mean?

"You're not dumb. I can already tell."

Clint blushed lightly and smiled as he looked down. He'd just met this guy and he was already feeling a cold pressure in his chest that made his stomach fill with angry moths. It wasn't like he reacted this way to just anyone, though. The last person it happened with was his ex, but Kate had said that she heard things. Well, not just things, she heard music which meant the two were meant to fall out. And they did, hard.

But this already felt different. The shirt Bucky was wearing almost made Clint hopeful. There was the bold picture of Eddie over the cotton black, reminding him of what he'd heard the night before. He might've been deaf, but he was no exception to the soulmate rule. He'd recited the lyrics of the repeated song over to Natasha that morning and she easily identified it as The Trooper by Iron Maiden. The same band whose logo was displayed across Bucky's broad chest. But maybe it was a coincidence.

Bucky quickly turned to face front and Clint was almost offended until he glanced at the time and realized that the bell must've rung. A shame too, he was really enjoying the tiny smirk on the brunet's face.

The two spent the next few weeks getting to know each other. Clint, as Natasha had said, helped Bucky with his ASL and Bucky helped Clint into the routine of ACHS. It was odd though, neither had felt such easy connections with anyone before each other yet only Natasha, their ever present mutual, seemed to catch on. She knew Bucky had never heard a damn thing from his soulmate and she also knew that whoever Clint's soulmate was really like a mix of Tool and The Neighbourhood, two of Bucky's favorite bands.

She never said a word though. It was too much fun watching them develop their own little love story.

Bucky's world stayed quiet and Clint remained only able to hear the songs his other half played. Until, of course, fall break when Clint went off the grid. Not literally but he left the state on vacation without telling anyone from his new found friend group, leaving them all to wonder over that week what had happened to him.

"Maybe he's really an alien," Tony joked, munching on some freeze dried berries.

"Oh shut up, aliens don't exist," Thor groaned, turning over onto his side between his boy and the back of Starks couch.

"Theoretically-"

"No." Thor clamped a hand over Bruce's mouth before his partner could speak any more. Bruce huffed indignantly. He loved the idea of life in space but no one seemed to support his ramblings.

"Maybe he just took an actual vacation? To.. I dunno, Florida? Like a normal human?" Steve said sarcastically, earning himself a whack on the head from Tony and an elbow from Buck.

"Have you met the guy? He's anything but normal."

"Watch it," Bucky snapped, glaring at Tony. Steve laughed at the look his boyfriend and best friend shared. They were idiots.

"I meant he's a goof. If anything he'd vacation at like.. a national park!"

"Stop talking." Sam finally spoke up, turning the volume of the movie way up.

Even with all the speculation, no one actually guessed where Clint was or what he was doing. Which, I suppose, amplified the surprise because towards the end of break it happened. Bucky had a fully fledged break down, something he'd never known until then.

"Oh-oh my god, Steve," He panted into the phone, small sobs making it hard to breath.

"Woah, hey, Buck, are you okay?" Steve was quick to panic.

"Oh my fuck-ing God, Stevie! I heard it!" Bucky cried out, hastily wiping his nose. "The-they were listening to-to that one song that from the band fucking Bruce loves! And I didn't hate it!"

"Oh my God, you heard them?!" Steve was yelling too now. "That's incredible!"

"I know! Holy fucking shit, I can't fucking breath," Bucky whispered as he rocked slightly on his bed. "I-I was asleep a-and it just started playing a-and I woke the fuck up and- I'm gonna meet them! I've gotta!"

"Bucky, that's so so awesome!" Steve grinned. He was happy his best friend was finally given what he deserved. When break ended and everyone was forced back to school, Bucky couldn't wait to find Clint and tell him.

"Hey!" He called out, knowing full well he wouldn't hear him, but paired with a touch on the shoulder it worked in getting Clint's attention. "You won't believe this! I heard something!"

Clint had recently been told Bucky had never heard anything, which made him insanely hopeful, but this? This just broke his towers of confidence down. Coincidence or not, it hurt.

Really?

"Yeah! Oh my God it was beautiful! It wasn't exactly what I was expecting but- oh Jesus, Clint, I'm just so happy!" Bucky's excitement was bubbling over and threatening to seep into Clint. He wanted to be happy for him, but this stupid crush he'd found just killed it.

I'm so happy for you! Clint's smile was 98% fake.

"Thanks! So how was your break?"

Lame.

"Oh c'mon. What'd you do?"

Promise you won't laugh? Clint had to force his hands to be steady. He didn't really want to tell anyone in fear of being humiliated, but Bucky wasn't like that.

"Of course, man, I would never," Bucky said firmly.

I went to speech therapy.

"Really?" Bucky was shocked, no doubt about it.

Yeah. I've had sessions for a while but finally got back into it.

"Y'know, I'd love to hear you talk." He wasn't lying.

No thanks. Clint signed with a light smile. But I did finally get hearing aids. Listened to some music.

Bucky froze, face paling as he stared at the blond.

Are you okay?

"What'd you listen to?"

My brother played me that song off that one Mountain Goats album. Lakeside View something.

"I-I.. wait, you- I.." He sort of trailed off, not knowing hot to explain it to himself let along Clint. "Last night, did your partner listen to anything?"

Yeah. It was that one group Natasha told me. Clint paused to remember the name. Band of Horses?

Bucky's mouth went dry and his palms got sweaty. "What song..?" Clint gave him a completely and utterly confused look as they stopped their walk into the school building. "What song?"

It went like 'I'll be ready for the funeral' or something. I don't really remember since they only played it once then stopped all together.

"That's me."

What?

"I was listening to The Funeral by Band of Horses off of their album Everything All The Time last night but I only listened to it once because it always gets me messed up. Over fall break-" Bucky took a deep breath. "I heard music I have never heard before. The chorus, it said 'Lakeside View for my whole crew' and I had a melt down with Steve because I finally heard something from them."

Clint's face was as blank as his mind. He had no idea how to process that. He was his crushes soulmate? On one hand, how fuckin cool is that? On the other, he had caused so much heartache and pain for Bucky simply because he was disabled. If he never hated himself before, oh good God how he wanted to die then. Suddenly his face was being tilted back up so Bucky knew Clint could read his lips.

"Hey, soulmate," He smirked and Clint smiled back.

Soulmate.

"Damn, you've been hiding right here all this time?"

I guess.

Bucky chuckled lightly and slung an arm around Clint as they walked in to school silently, the brunet escorting the other to class.

"Oh, hey wait," Bucky sighed, stopping and turning Clint so they were facing eachother.

"Would you.. wanna go on a date? This weekend?"

Clint broke out into a large grin, nodding quickly.

"Great! Great, okay, I'll pick you up at noon on Saturday?"

Again, his question was met with enthusiastic nodding.

"Great! Okay, sweet!" Bucky laughed and  shifted his weight, then stumbled backwards as Clint lunged into a hug. "Hey, hey, you okay?"

Clint leaned back enough to see the others face.

"You okay?" He repeated.

Clint nodded again, then mouthed thank you.

Three months into cliche dates and stolen moments, Bucky stood waiting in the Barton residents yard. He held his jacket close, one holding up the little body. Natasha stepped out of the front door first, grinning and knowing exactly what was happening. Clint, clueless as ever, followed her out and smiled at his boyfriend. Mr. And Mrs. Barton stayed in the doorway behind them, Clint's mother with her phone recording.

"Hey, Clint," Bucky hummed. Natasha had 'recommended' Clint to wear his aids. "Prom's coming up, you know."

Clint nodded once, his smile making his eyes squint. He'd assumed it was a given that they'd go together so he wasn't expecting any sort of proposal.

"And i was thinkin, I know I'm a bit of a dog, but I'd be one lucky Buck if you'd go with me." At that, he gently pulled the puppy from his jacket. Clint squealed, one of the first real noises he'd made around Bucky, and hugged him.

"Yes, of course!" Clint mumbled into Bucky's shoulder. The older boy stiffened, eyes drifting up to Natasha, then the Barton's. All three watched with wide eyes, Natasha's hand over her mouth.

"You-"

Clint nodded.

"Clint, I'm so proud of you, babydoll!"

"Been practice-" He paused to take a deep breath. "Prac-tic-ing for you."

"I love your little voice," Bucky said softly, letting Clint take the pup. He twisted the tag on the mutt's collar, revealing the name 'Lucky'.

"Mm, I love- love yours too."

"Can I kiss you now?"

Clint took a moment to look back at his parents, deciding they wouldn't care much, and nodded. Bucky leaned down, catching his soul mates lips against his own. It was as quick and as sweet as the first one they'd shared, but much more meaningful. They were each others, that was a promise.

And Clint got a dog out of it! Because we all know that's what really matters.